Amino acid hydantoin

The two groups of enzymes discussed here have attracted attention because both offer a useful broad spectrum of substrate specificity. They are grouped together because in the context of amino acid synthesis they form a natural pair. Amino acid hydantoins are convenient from the standpoint of organic synthesis. The hydantoinases cleave the ring, producing the A-carbamoyl derivative of the amino acid. This must then be further hydrolyzed to obtain the free amino acid, and this step is likely to be strictly enantioselective (Equation (10)). 

Analytical Properties Substrate has 38 chiral centers and 7 aromatic rings surrounding 4 cavities (A, B, C, D), making this the most structurally complex of the macrocyclic glycopeptides substrate has a relative molecular mass of 2066 this phase can be used in normal, reverse, and polar organic phase separations selective for anionic chiral species with polar organic mobile phases, it can be used for a-hydroxy acids, profens, and N-blocked amino acids in normal phase mode, it can be used for imides, hydantoins, and N-blocked amino acids in reverse phase, it can be used for a-hydroxy and halogenated acids, substituted aliphatic acids, profens, N-blocked amino acids, hydantoins, and peptides Reference 47, 48... 

The ORD and CD spectra of 17 L-amino acid hydantoins (28) show negative Cotton effects in the 230-nm region (Suzuki et al, 1973). Proline is again... 

Mass spectral fragmentation patterns of alkyl and phenyl hydantoins have been investigated by means of labeling techniques (28—30), and similar studies have also been carried out for thiohydantoins (31,32). In all cases, breakdown of the hydantoin ring occurs by a-ftssion at C-4 with concomitant loss of carbon monoxide and an isocyanate molecule. In the case of aryl derivatives, the ease of formation of Ar—NCO is related to the electronic properties of the aryl ring substituents (33). Mass spectrometry has been used for identification of the phenylthiohydantoin derivatives formed from amino acids during peptide sequence determination by the Edman method (34). 

Hydrolysis. Although hydantoins can be hydroly2ed under strongly acidic conditions, the most common method consists of heating ia an alkaline medium to give iatermediate ureido acids (the so-called hydantoic acids), which are finally hydroly2ed to a-amino acids. 

Synthesis from OC-Amino Acids and Related Compounds. Addition of cyanates, isocyanates, and uiea derivatives to a-amino acids yields hydantoin piecuisois. This method is called the Read synthesis (2), and can be considered as the reverse of hydantoin hydrolysis. Thus the reaction of a-amino acids with alkaline cyanates affords hydantoic acids, which cyclize to hydantoins in an acidic medium. 

In a modification of the original method. Read (60) replaced a-amino acids with a-amino nitriles. This reaction is sometimes known as Strecker hydantoin synthesis, the term referring to the reaction employed for the synthesis of the a-amino nitrile from an aldehyde or ketone. The cycli2ation intermediate (18) has been isolated in some cases (61), and is involved in a pH-controUed equiUbrium with the corresponding ureide. 

Both pure L- and D-amino acids can be made using hydantoinase enzymes. These enzymes catalyze the stereoselective hydrolysis of racemic hydantoins such as (50) which is used for the production of D-alanine (15) (58). 

Enzymatic Method. L-Amino acids can be produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of chemically synthesized DL-amino acids or derivatives such as esters, hydantoins, carbamates, amides, and acylates (24). The enzyme which hydrolyzes the L-isomer specifically has been found in microbial sources. The resulting L-amino acid is isolated through routine chemical or physical processes. The D-isomer which remains unchanged is racemized chemically or enzymatically and the process is recycled. Conversely, enzymes which act specifically on D-isomers have been found. Thus various D-amino acids have been... 

The mixture of D and L optical forms of this hydroxy analogue of methionine is converted to the calcium salt which is used in animal feed supplements. Cyanohydrins react with ammonium carbonate to form hydantoins (2), which yield amino acids upon hydrolysis. Commercial DL-methionine [59-57-8] is produced by hydrolysis of the hydantoin of 3-meth5ithiopropionaldehyde [3268-49-3]. 

Amino acid synthesis from aldehydes and hydantoin (Bergmann), synthesis of serine derivatives (Erlenmeyer) or of y-hydroxyaminoacids (Plochl)... 

The other most important synthetic utility of the Bucherer-Bergs reaction is the preparation of amino acids from the hydrolysis of hydantoins. When carbonyl 1 was symmetrical, the Henze modification gave hydantoin 2, which was then hydrolyzed to the... 

In summary, the Bucherer-Bergs reaction converts aldehydes or ketones to the corresponding hydantoins. It is often carried out by treating the carbonyl compounds with potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate in 50% aqueous ethanol. The resulting hydantoins, often of pharmacological importance, may also serve as the intermediates for amino acid synthesis. 

Chemically synthesised D,L-hydantoins prepared from the corresponding aldehydes via die Bucherer Berg reaction are converted by the bacterial cells (Bacillus brevis), containing a D-spedfic hydantoinase, to a mixture of D-N-carbamoyl amino acid and L-hydantoin. The latter compound undergoes rapid and spontaneous racemisation under the conditions of the reaction, therefore, in principle 100% of the hydantoin is converted into the D-N-carbamoyl compound. The D-amino add is obtained after treatment of the D-N-carbamoyl compound with nitrous add. This process is operated on an industrial scale by the Japanese firm Kanegafuchi. 

C. 4-Amino-l-tert-butyloxycarbonylpiperidine-4-carboxylic acid (3). A 2000-mL, round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirbar is charged with a suspension of the hydantoin 2 (40.0 g, 0.8 mol) in 340 mL of THF (Note 12), and 340 mL of 2.0M potassium hydroxide solution (Note 13) is added in one portion. The flask is stoppered and the reaction mixture is stirred for 4 hr (Note 14) and then poured into a 1000-mL separatory funnel. The layers are allowed to separate over 45 min and the aqueous layer is then drained into a 1000-mL round-bottomed flask. This solution is cooled at 0°C while the pH is adjusted to 8.0 by the slow addition of ca. 100 mL of 6.0N HC1 solution. The resulting solution is further acidified to pH 6.5 by slow addition of 2.0 N HC1 solution (Note 15). The white precipitate which appears is collected by filtration on a Buchner funnel and the filtrate is concentrated to a volume of 60 mL to furnish additional precipitate which is collected by filtration. The combined portions of white solid are dried at room temperature under reduced pressure (65°C 0.5 mm) for 12 hr and then suspended in 100 mL of chloroform (Note 16) and stirred for 45 min. The white solid is filtered and then dried under reduced pressure (85°C 0.5 mm) for 24 hr to yield 13.4-14.1 g (64-68%) (Note 17) of the amino acid 3 as a white solid (Note 18). 

It has been found that the tris(tert-butyloxycarbonyl) protected hydantoin of 4-piperidone 2, selectively hydrolyses in alkali to yield the N-tert-butyloxycarbonylated piperidine amino acid 3. The hydrolysis, which is performed in a biphasic mixture of THF and 2.0M KOH at room temperature, cleanly partitions the deprotonated 4-amino-N -(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)piperidine-4-carboxylic acid into the aqueous phase of the reaction with minimal contamination of the hydrolysis product, di-tert-butyl iminodicarboxylate, which partitions into the THF layer. Upon neutralization of the aqueous phase with aqueous hydrochloric acid, the zwitterion of the amino acid is isolated. The Bolin procedure to introduce the 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl protecting group efficiently produces 4.8 This synthesis is a significant improvement over the previously described method9 where the final protection step was complicated by contamination of the hydrolysis side-product, di-tert-butyl iminodicarboxylate, which is very difficult to separate from 4, even by chromatographic means. 

Hydantoinases belong to the E.C.3.5.2 group of cyclic amidases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of hydantoins [4,54]. As synthetic hydantoins are readily accessible by a variety of chemical syntheses, including Strecker reactions, enantioselective hydantoinase-catalyzed hydrolysis offers an attractive and general route to chiral amino acid derivatives. Moreover, hydantoins are easily racemized chemically or enzymatically by appropriate racemases, so that dynamic kinetic resolution with potential 100% conversion and complete enantioselectivity is theoretically possible. Indeed, a number of such cases using WT hydantoinases have been reported [54]. However, if asymmetric induction is poor or ifinversion ofenantioselectivity is desired, directed evolution can come to the rescue. Such a case has been reported, specifically in the production of i-methionine in a whole-cell system ( . coli) (Figure 2.13) [55]. 

Figure 2.13 Reactions and enzymes involved in the production of L-amino acids from racemic hydantoins by the three-enzyme hydantoinase process [55],...

Another approach for the synthesis of enantiopure amino acids or amino alcohols is the enantioselective enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of hydantoins. As discussed above, hydantoins are very easily racemized in weak alkaline solutions via keto enol tautomerism. Sugai et al. have reported the DKR of the hydantoin prepared from DL-phenylalanine. DKR took place smoothly by the use of D-hydantoinase at a pH of 9 employing a borate buffer (Figure 4.17) [42]. 

For successful DKR two reactions an in situ racemization (krac) and kinetic resolution [k(R) k(S)] must be carefully chosen. The detailed description of all parameters can be found in the literature [26], but in all cases, the racemization reaction must be much faster than the kinetic resolution. It is also important to note that both reactions must proceed under identical conditions. This methodology is highly attractive because the enantiomeric excess of the product is often higher than in the original kinetic resolution. Moreover, the work-up of the reaction is simpler since in an ideal case only the desired enantiomeric product is present in the reaction mixture. This concept is used for preparation of many important classes of organic compounds like natural and nonnatural a-amino acids, a-substituted nitriles and esters, cyanohydrins, 5-alkyl hydantoins, and thiazoUn-5-ones. 

In many cases, the racemization of a substrate required for DKR is difficult As an example, the production of optically pure cc-amino acids, which are used as intermediates for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and as chiral synfhons in organic chemistry [31], may be discussed. One of the important methods of the synthesis of amino acids is the hydrolysis of the appropriate hydantoins. Racemic 5-substituted hydantoins 15 are easily available from aldehydes using a commonly known synthetic procedure (Scheme 5.10) [32]. In the next step, they are enantioselectively hydrolyzed by d- or L-specific hydantoinase and the resulting N-carbamoyl amino acids 16 are hydrolyzed to optically pure a-amino acid 17 by other enzymes, namely, L- or D-specific carbamoylase. This process was introduced in the 1970s for the production of L-amino acids 17 [33]. For many substrates, the racemization process is too slow and in order to increase its rate enzymes called racemases are used. In processes the three enzymes, racemase, hydantoinase, and carbamoylase, can be used simultaneously this enables the production of a-amino acids without isolation of intermediates and increases the yield and productivity. Unfortunately, the commercial application of this process is limited because it is based on L-selective hydantoin-hydrolyzing enzymes [34, 35]. For production of D-amino acid the enzymes of opposite stereoselectivity are required. A recent study indicates that the inversion of enantioselectivity of hydantoinase, the key enzyme in the... 

Scheme 5.10 Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of a-amino acids from hydantoins.

Recently, recombinant biocatalysts obtained using Escherichia coli cells were designed for this process. The overexpression of all enzymes required for the process, namely, hydantoinase, carbamoylase, and hydantoin racemase from Arthrobacter sp. DSM 9771 was achieved. These cells were used for production of a-amino acids at the concentration of above 50 g 1 dry cell weight [37]. This is an excellent example presenting the power of biocatalysis with respect to classical catalysis, since a simultaneous use of three different biocatalysts originated from one microorganism can be easily achieved. 

TV-Terminal cyclization of peptides by heating to give hydantoins was achieved with CDI or TV,TV -thiocarbonyldiimidazole (ImCSIm) under very mild conditions (room temp.) and without racemization.[55] This method is suitable for determination of the first two amino acids in the sequence of an unknown oligopeptide, as shown in the following two examples ... 

A hydantoin structure can be built by the reaction of a primary amine with CDI to an isocyanate (Section 8.1), followed by conversion with an amino acid [146]... 

Amides N-blocked amino acids Amino esters Hydantoins Small peptides... 

Barbiturates Imides Oxazolidinones Imides Hydantoins N-blocked amino acids... 

In an attempt to form orally active penicillins unrelated to ampicillin, use was made of the fact that certain spiro a-aminoacids, such as 9, are well absorbed orally and transported like normal amino acids. Reaction of cyclohexanone with ammonium carbonate and KCN under the conditions of the Bucherer-Bergs reaction led to hydantoin 10. On acid hydrolysis, a-amino acid 11 resulted. Treatment with phosgene... 

Kanegafuchi Chemical Industries produce D-p-hydroxyphenyl glycine, which is a key raw material for the semisynthetic penicillins ampicillin and amoxycillin. Here, an enantioselective hydantoinase is applied to convert the hydantoin to the D-p-hydroxyphenyl glycine. The quantitative conversion of the amide hydrolysis is achieved because of the in situ racemization of the unreacted hydantoins. Under the conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis, the starting material readily racemizes. Therefore, this process enables the stereospecific preparation of various amino acids at a conversion of 100% [38]. 

Several syntheses of l,3-dioxoperhydropyrrolo[l,2-c]imidazoles have been developed using different strategies. a-Substituted bicyclic proline hydantoins were prepared by alkylation of aldimines 135 of resin-bound amino acids with a,tu-dihaloalkanes and intramolecular displacement of the halide to generate cr-substituted prolines 136 and homologs (Scheme 18). After formation of resin-bound ureas 137 by reaction of these sterically hindered secondary amines with isocyanates, base-catalyzed cyclization/cleavage yielded the desired hydantoin products <2005TL3131>. 

A comparative study was carried out of the effectiveness of three commercially available chiral columns and nonchiral derivatives of amino acids such as A-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl) esters (119), phenylurea esters (120), hydantoins (121) and thiohydantoins (98). Although good separations were obtained, no column was universally effective294. 

It has been shown recently that papain exhibits hydantoinase activity. This enzyme of plant origin hydrolyzes not only 5-monosubstituted but also 5,5-disubstituted hydantoins to the corresponding N-carbamoylamino acids. Since chemical hydrolysis of the latter yields the corresponding amino acids, this approach may be of interest in amino acid synthesis [145],... 

R. Rai, V. Taneja, Papain Catalysed Hydantoin Hydrolysis in the Synthesis of Amino Acids Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 1998, 244, 889-892. 

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