Antibodies catalytic asymmetric synthesis

The idea that antibodies raised against transition-state analogs should show specific catalytic activity is beautiful and seductive. In the tenth year since the idea became an experimental reality, a preliminary assessment of their potential was made (Kirby, 1996). It was concluded that their high stereoselectivity makes abzymes excellent prospects for asymmetric synthesis, though their practical usefulness is currently limited by their catalytic efficiency. 

Naturally occurring redox enzymes have been successfully exploited for asymmetric synthesis for some years.1 Although impressive chemo-, regio-, and enantioselectivities have been achieved in some cases, these biocatalysts have prescribed selectivity and often require expensive cofactors that must be recycled for preparative work. Catalytic antibodies offer an attractive alternative, since they are not limited a priori by Nature s choices. Thus the need for cofactor recycling can be circumvented through the use of inexpensive oxidants and reductants, and, as we have seen above, selectivity can be tailored through appropriate hapten design. 

In theory, the programmable stereoselectivities of catalytic antibodies makes them well suited for asymmetric synthesis. Several such transformations have been carried out on a preparative scale. Kinetic resolution of the epothilone precursor 19 with the aldolase antibody 38C2 is instructive (Scheme 4.9) [57]. The reaction proceeds in good yield (37 %) and high enantiomeric excess (90 %). However, so much catalyst is needed (0.5 g of IgG antibody was used for the resolution of 0.75 g 19) that large-scale production is likely to be impractical in many cases. As most antibody catalysts are much less efficient than the aldolases, catalyst costs will generally be appreciable. 

For the purposes of this treatise, the definition of asymmetric synthesis is a modification of that proposed by Morrison and Mosher [1] and as such will be applied to stereospecific reactions in which a prochiral unit in either an achiral or a chiral molecule is converted, by utility of other reagents and/or a catalytic antibody, into a chiral unit in such a manner that the stereoisomeric products are produced in an unequal manner. As such, the considerable body of work devoted to antibody-catalysis of stereoselective reactions including chiral resolutions, isomerizations and rearrangements are considered to be beyond the scope of this discussion. For information regarding these specific topics and more general information regarding the catalytic antibody field the following papers... 

An important contribution elucidating the potential of primary amines derived from Cinchona alkaloids has been the aldol cyclodehydration of achiral 4-substituted-2,6-heptanediones to enantiomerically enriched 5-substituted-3-methyl-2-cyclohexene-l-ones, presented by List and coworkers in 2008 (Scheme 14.26). Both 9-deo>y-9-amino-epr-quinine (QNA) and its pseudoenantiomeric, quinidine-derived amine QDA, in combination with acetic acid as cocatalyst, proved to be efficient and highly enantio-selective catalysts for this transformation, giving both enantiomers of 5-substituted-3-methyl-2-cyclohexene-l-ones with very good results. The authors observed that proline and the catalytic antibody 38C2 delivered poor enantioselectivity in this reaction. Furthermore, the synthetic utility of the reaction was exemplified by the first asymmetric synthesis of both... 

Examples of this kind of enantiomorphic or chiral selectivity are now being found in organic synthesis. Asymmetric synthesis, for example, has been demonstrated with stereo-controlled Michael addition in the synthesis of beta-lactams using chiral catalysts, where an acyl ligand such as acetyl is bound to cyclo-pentadiene carbonyl triphenylphosphine. Essentially complete enantiomorphic selectivity has been achieved in this Michael addition synthesis. Another case is enantio-morhic ketone reduction in ethylbenzene reduction in the ethylation of benzaldehyde. Using chiral catalysts, 97% selectivity has been achieved. Closely related research involves the making of catalytic antibodies and hybrid enzymes. ... 

On the basis of encouraging work in the development of L-proline-DMSO and L-proline-ionic liquid systems for practical asymmetric aldol reactions, an aldolase antibody 38C2 was evaluated in the ionic liquid [BMIM]PF6 as a reusable aldolase-ionic liquid catalytic system for the aldol synthesis of oc-chloro- 3-hydroxy compounds (288). The biocatalytic process was followed by chemical catalysis using Et3N in the ionic liquid [BMIM]TfO at room temperature, which transformed the oc-chloro-(3-hydroxy compounds to the optically active (70% ee) oc, (3-epoxy carbonyl compounds. The aldolase antibody 38C2-ionic liquid system was also shown to be reusable for Michael additions and the reaction of fluoromethylated imines. 

In the example of the asymmetric epoxidation of olefins, enzymes, synthetic catalysts, and catalytic antibodies have been compared side-by-side with respect to performance in chemical synthesis (Jacobsen, 1994). Epoxidation of olefins is a reaction of considerable industrial interest where, historically, enzymes have not performed extremely well. One reason is the dependence of the enantiomeric purity of the diol and epoxide products on the regiospecificity of the attack on the racemic epoxide by a water molecule (Figure 20.1). 

Keinan, E. Sinha, S. C. Shabat, D. Itzhaky, H. Raymond, J.-L. Asymmetric Organic Synthesis with Catalytic Antibodies, Acfa Chem. Scand. 1996,50, 679-687. 

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