Amino acid functions

Adamantane can be used to construct peptidic scaffolding and synthesis of artificial proteins. It has been introduced into different types of synthetic peptidic macrocycles, which are useful tools in peptide chemistry and stereochemistry studies and have many other applications as well. Introduction of amino acid-functionalized adamantane to the DNA nanostmctures might lead to construction of DNA-adamantane-amino acid nanostmctures with desirable stiffness and integrity. Diamondoids can be employed to constmct molecular rods, cages, and containers and also for utilization in different methods of self-assembly. In fact, through the development of self-assembly approaches and utilization of diamondoids in these processes, it would be possible to design and constmct novel nanostmctures for effective and specific carriers for each dmg. 

The addition of perfluoroalkyl iodides to simple olefins has been quite successful under aqueous conditions to synthesize fluorinated hydrocarbons.119 In addition to carbon-based radicals, other radicals such as sulfur-based radicals, generated from RSH-type precursors (R = alkyl, acyl) with AIBN, also smoothly add to a-allylglycines protected at none, one, or both of the amino acid functions (NH2 and/or CO2H). Optimal results were obtained when both the unsaturated amino... 

In this section, the structure, function, and reactivity of amino acids, peptides, and proteins will be discussed with the goal of providing a foundation for successful derivatization. The interplay of amino acid functionality and the three-dimensional folding of polypeptide chains will be seen as forming the basis for protein activity. Understanding how the attachment of foreign molecules can affect this tenuous relationship, and thus alter protein function, ultimately will create a rational approach to protein chemistry and modification. 

Matisons, J. G. Provatas, A. Synthesis and Characterization of Amino Acid Functional Siloxanes. In Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials-, Clarson, S. J., Fitzgerald, J. J., Owen, M. J., Smith, S. D., Eds. AGS Symposium Series 729 American Chemical Society Washington, DC, 2000 pp 128-163. 

Coenzymes complement the catalytic action of the amino-acid functional groups. They are bound to apoenzymes (apoproteins) either covalently or non-covalently. It is interesting to note that non-covalently-bound coenzymes are polyanions at neutral pH as exemplified by the structures of glutathione (GSH) [17] and thiamine pyrophosphate [18]. Shinkai and Kunitake (1976b, 1977a) demonstrated the efficient binding of glutathione and coenzyme A (a polyphosphate) to cationic micelles and cationic polysoaps. Thus, the combina- ... 

Nilsson KPR, Andersson MR, Inganas O (2002) Conformational transitions of a free amino-acid-functionalized polythiophene induced by different buffer systems. J Phys Condens Matter 14 10011-10020... 

Figure 4 Retro-inversion of host defense peptides. Synthesis of RI peptides is achieved by substituting o-amino acids at all stereocenters within a peptide and reversal of peptide sequence (RI - R3 in the i-peptide and R3 RI in the Rl-peptide). By rotating the Rl-peptide at 180° it can be seen that the three-dimensional space occupied by the amino acid functional (R) groups is retained in comparison to the i-peptide although the peptide backbone has been reversed.

Coenzymes facilitate chemical reactions through a range of different reaction mechanisms, some of which will be discussed in detail in this review. However, in all cases structural features of the coenzyme allow particular reactions to proceed along a mechanistic pathway in which reaction intermediates are more thermodynamically and kinetically accessible. When incorporated into apoen-zyme active sites, the coenzyme reactivity is influenced by a well-defined array of amino acid functional groups. For a given coenzyme, the particular array of amino acids presented by the different apoenzymes can drastically alter the degree of rate acceleration and product turnover and can specify the nature of the reaction catalyzed. 

Staphyloferrin B (59, Fig. 17) is produced together with staphyloferrin A (see below Sect. 4.4) by Staphylococcus hyicus and other staphylococci 94, 131), by Ralstonia eutropha 250) (= Cupriavidus metallidurans 90a)). Comparison of its CD spectrum with those of model compounds suggests the (S)-configuration of the central citric acid C-atom. Mass spectral investigations show a 1 1 Fe V to-ligand ratio, and NMR studies of the Ga " complex confirm the participation of the two ot-hydroxy- and of the a-amino acid functions in complex formation. Uptake studies with Fe " showed that staphyloferrin B acts as a siderophore, but it is less efficient than staphyloferrin A. 

Nonbranched amino acids substituted by a fluoroalkyl chain on a carbon distant at least one methylene from the amino acid function have been prepared as racemates by various methods." Under nonracemic form, co-perfluoroalkyl norvaline and norleucine (Rf = C2F5 or more) have been prepared by bromination of an anion of a fluorinated chiral oxazolidinone (derived from RfCH2CH2C02H). Substitution of the bromine atom by an azide and subsequent reduction yield the desired amino acids (Figure 5.10)." ... 

Alternatively, some of the desired amino acid functionality may be contained within the nitrone fragment, as in the synthesis of homochiral allyl glycines by Katagiri et al. (151), which reveals the carboxylate by hydrolysis of a lactone in the dipole (Scheme 1.24). Here, thermolysis of nitroso Meldrum s acid (112) via a nitrosoketene intermediate 113 and reaction with 1-menthone gave the separable nitrones 114a (26%) and 114b (28%) by a [3 + 2] cycloaddition, although a... 

Solid-phase peptide synthesis is based on the sequential addition of protected amino acids onto an insoluble support. Addition proceeds from carboxy terminus to amino terminus. The first amino acid is attached to a solid support by a linker and, if necessary, side-chain amino acid function is protected throughout chain assembly. The carboxy group of the in-coming, acylating amino acid is activated for coupling while its amino group is protected temporarily for each coupling step and then deprotected for the next cycle. The... 

Melphalan and the racemic analog have been prepared by two general routes (Scheme I). In Approach (A) the amino acid function is protected, and the nitrogen mustard moiety is prepared by conventional methods from aromatic nitro-derivatives. Thus, the ethyl ester of N-phthaloyl-phenylalanine was nitrated and reduced catalytically to amine I. Compound I was reacted with ethylene oxide to form the corresponding bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino derivative II, which was then treated with phosphorus oxychloride or thionyl chloride. The blocking groups were removed by acidic hydrolysis. Melphalan was precipitated by addition of sodium acetate and was recrystallized from methanol. No racemization was detected [10,28—30]. The hydrochloride was obtained in pure form from the final hydrolysis mixture by partial neutralization to pH 0.5 [31]. Variants of this approach, used for the preparation of the racemic compound, followed the same route via the a-acylamino-a-p-aminobenzyl malonic ester III [10,28—30,32,33] or the hydantoin IV [12]. 

Recently, Sames and co-workers showed an interesting application, in which it was demonstrated that the Shilov chemistry permits heteroatom-directed functionalization of polyfunctional molecules [16]. The amino acid valine (10) was allowed to react in an aqueous solution of the oxidation catalyst PtCU and Cu(ii) chloride as stoichiometric oxidant (Scheme 3). At temperatures >130 °C a catalytic reaction was observed, and a regioselective C-H functionalization delivered the hydroxyvaline lactone 11 as a 3 1 mixture of anti/syn isomers. It was noted that the hydroxylation of amino acid substrates occurred with a regioselectivity different from those for simple aliphatic amines and carboxylic acids. The authors therefore proposed that the amino acid functionalization proceeded through a chelate-directed C-H activation. 

Scheme 24 Synthesis of random and block copolymers via ROMP of amino acid-functionalized norbomenes [173]...

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