Amino acids reductive amination

Show how one of the following syntheses might be used to make a given amino acid reductive amination... 

The nitro group must be reduced to an amino group and cyclized onto the ketone or the carboxylic acid. Reductive amination (pp. 234-7 in the textbook) allows the amine to cyclize onto the more electrophilic ketone. 

Synthesis of Benzopiperazinone Derivatives. Employing ortho-Quoio nitrobenzene derivatives as the main scaffold, the fluoro group is substituted by amino acids or amines. Subsequent reduction of the nitro group on the benzene ring triggers the cyclization. The key step in obtaining benzopiperazinones is the intramolecular formation of an amide bond. 

A -Nitroso derivatives, prepared from secondary amines and nitrous acid, are cleaved by reduction (H2/Raney Ni, EtOH, 28°, 3.5 h CuCl/concd. HCl"). Since many V-nitroso compounds are carcinogens, and because some racemization and cyclodehydration of V-nitroso derivatives of V-alkyl amino acids occur during peptide syntheses, V-nitroso derivatives are of limited value as protective groups. 

The dimethoxybenzyl group was used for backbone protection of the pseudopeptides of the form Xaai/r(CH2N)Gly (Xaa = amino acid). It is introduced by reductive alkylation with the aldehyde and NaCNBH3. Acidolysis with TFMSA in TFA/thioanisole is used to remove it from the amine, but the efficiency is dependent upon the peptide sequence. ... 

Amino acids were protected by reductive alkylation with salicylaldehyde (NaBH4, KOH, aq. EtOH). The amine is released by treatment with CF3SO3H (TFA, EDT, PhSMe, 2 h, >75% yield). ... 

The configuration of the amine was retained, except in the case of amino acid derivatives, which racemized at the stage of the pyridinium salt product. Control experiments showed that, while the starting amino acid was configurationally stable under the reaction conditions, the pyridinium salt readily underwent deuterium exchange at the rz-position in D2O. In another early example, optically active amino alcohol 73 and amino acetate 74 provided chiral 1,4-dihydronicotinamide precursors 75 and 76, respectively, upon reaction with Zincke salt 8 (Scheme 8.4.24). The 1,4-dihydro forms of 75 and 76 were used in studies on the asymmetric reduction of rz,>S-unsaturated iminium salts. 

The hydrogenation in the presence of Pd/G is also effective for the d compounds to amines. The Michael addition of nitromethime to 2-alkenoic esters followed by catalytic hydrogenation using 10% Pd/G in acetic acid md hydrolysis is a convenient method for the preparation of 3-alkyl-4-aminobut moic acids, which are importimt y-amino acids for biological snidy fEq. 6.48. The reduction c m be carried out at room temperanire md atmospheric pressure. 

Some workers avoid delay. Pai)adium-on-carbon was used effectively for the reductive amination of ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenyl butanoate with L-alanyl-L-proline in a synthesis of the antihyperlensive, enalapril maleate. SchifTs base formation and reduction were carried out in a single step as Schiff bases of a-amino acids and esters are known to be susceptible to racemization. To a solution of 4,54 g ethyl 2-oxO 4-phenylbutanoate and 1.86 g L-alanyl-L-proline was added 16 g 4A molecular sieve and 1.0 g 10% Pd-on-C The mixture was hydrogenated for 15 hr at room temperature and 40 psig H2. Excess a-keto ester was required as reduction to the a-hydroxy ester was a serious side reaction. The yield was 77% with a diastereomeric ratio of 62 38 (SSS RSS)((55). 

Reductive alkylation with chiral substrates may afford new chiral centers. The reaction has been of interest for the preparation of optically active amino acids where the chirality of the amine function is induced in the prochiral carbonyl moiety 34,35). The degree of induced asymmetry is influenced by substrate, solvent, and temperature 26,27,28,29,48,51,65). Asymmetry also has been obtained by reduction of prochiral imines, using a chiral catalyst 44). Prediction of the major configurational isomer arising from a reductive alkylation can be made usually by the assumption that amine formation comes via an imine, not the hydroxyamino addition compound, and that the catalyst approaches the least hindered side (57). 

Yet a third method for the synthesis of a-amino acids is by reductive amination of an a-keto acid with ammonia and a reducing agent. Alanine, for instance, is prepared by treatment of pyruvic acid with ammonia in the presence of NaBH As described in Section 24.6, the reaction proceeds through formation of an intermediate imine that is then reduced. 

Amino acids can be synthesized in racemic form by several methods, including ammonolysis of an a-bromo acid, alkylation of diethyl acetamido-malonate, and reductive amination of an cv-keto acid. Alternatively, an enantio-selective synthesis of amino acids can be carried out using a chiral hydrogenation catalyst. 

Sodium triacetoxyborohydride is an alternative to NaBH3CN for reductive amination. This reagent can be used with a wide variety of aldehydes or ketones with primary and secondary amines, including aniline derivatives.93 This reagent has been used successfully to alkylate amino acid esters.94... 

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