Aromatic amino acid derivatives

The specificity of chymotrypsin for hydrolysis of peptide bonds formed by the carbo,xyl groups of tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan has been recognized for some time (Green and Neurath, 1954 Desnuelle, 1960). Action on synthetic substrates of leucine (Goldenberg et al., 1951) and methionine (Kaufman and Neurath, 1949) also has been noted although at much slower rates than observed with the aromatic amino acid derivatives. When protein substrates or synthetic ester substrates are examined, it is evident that a variety of bonds can be hydrolyzed by chymotrypsin. Inagami and Sturtevant (1960) observed that chymotryptic hydrolysis of a-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester, a typical trypsin substrate, occurred at a maximum rate which was 20% of that observed with trypsin. Several ester substrates, such as p-nitrophenylacetate (Hartley and Kilby, 1954), are also hydrolyzed. 

In alkaline medium, the aromatic amino acid derivatives show a negative Cotton effect at about 273-268 nm. However, the CD spectra of both aliphatic and aromatic series are similar in a group of organic solvents with negative Cotton effects at 285-275 and 250-245 nm and a positive one at 217-214 nm. The CD spectra of the aliphatic ester derivatives show minor differences from those of the acid derivatives. 

Basu, B. and Frejd, T. (1996) Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of bis-armed aromatic amino acid derivatives. Problems related to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure bis-methyl ester of the (5,5 )-p3nidine-2,6-diyl bis-alanine. Acta. Chem. Scand., 50, 316 22. 

L-Tryptophan is an indole ring containing aromatic amino acid derived via the shikimate pathway. The tryptophan-derived alkaloids are found in eight families, of which, Apocynaceae, Loganiaceae, Rubiaceae, and Nyssaceae are the best sources. The alkaloids under discussion are the Catharanthus alkaloids, namely, ajmalicine, tabersonine, catharanthine, vindoline, vinblastine, vincristine and vincamine as well as terpenoid alkaloids derived from other families, namely, yohimbine, reserpine, strychnine, brucine, and ellipticine. The above-mentioned alkaloids are pharmacologically very important and hence extremely valuable. This chapter describes various aspects of the tryptophan-derived alkaloids like occurrence, biological activity, phytochemistry, and commercial and biotechnological aspects. 

L-Tryptophan is an aromatic amino acid derived via the shikimate pathway. Tryptophan is a precursor for weU-known simple alkaloids, namely, melatonin, sumatriptan, eletriptan, and harmine, as well as complex alkaloids such as vinblastine, ajmalicine and serpentine [1] (Fig. 20.1). 

Aminomethylation Reaction. The Hf(OTf)4-dopedMe3SiCl system was used as Lewis acid to catalyze the aminomethylation of electron-rich aromatic compounds. Suitable arenes include indoles, furans, pyrroles, thiophenes, and anilines, with new t)q)es of iV,0-acetals having a variety of functional groups, such as cyano, ester, bis(trimethylsilyl)amino, diallylamino, and cyclic amino moieties. This method allowed for the facile synthesis of nonnatural aromatic amino acid derivatives (eq 1). 4 Aminomethylation using a A, 0-acetal with a bis(trimethylsilyl)amino group was particularly successful in the direct preparation of a N-unsubstituted a-indolylglycine derivative, which required only a standard aqueous workup as the deprotective step. ... 

PET cychzations of substituted N-arylalkylphthalimides have been studied, and the efficiency of the cychzation (yields between 11 and 47%) strongly depended on the linking carbon chain separating the electron acceptor and electron donor." Griesbeck and co-workers " recently apphed this PET reaction to aromatic amino acid derivatives as an efficient route to benzazepinediones 63. The PET reactivity was pronounced for the DOPA derivatives 62 and cychzation occurred with high yields (Scheme 22). Most remarkably, even the free acid underwent exclusive photocyclization in acetone and no a-decarboxylation was observed vide supra)... 

Appllca.tlons. Various A/-derivatives of amino acids (qv) are resolvable on BSA columns. These /V-amino acid derivatives include ben2enesulfonyl-, phthalimido-, S-dimethylarnino-l-naphthalenesulfonyl- (DANSYL-), 2,4-dinitrophenyl- (DNP-), and 2,3,6-trinitrophenyl- (TNP-) derivatives (30). Amines such as Prilocain, ( )-2-(prop5lamino)-(9-propiono-toluidide, a local anesthetic (Astra Pharm. Co.), are also resolved on BSA. The aromatic amino acids DL-tryptophan, 5-hydroxy-DL-tryptophan, DL-kynurenine [343-65-7] C qH 2N 2 3 3-hydroxy-DT.-kynurenine [484-78-6] and dmgs... 

A prior distribution for sequence profiles can be derived from mixtures of Dirichlet distributions [16,51-54]. The idea is simple Each position in a multiple alignment represents one of a limited number of possible distributions that reflect the important physical forces that determine protein structure and function. In certain core positions, we expect to get a distribution restricted to Val, He, Met, and Leu. Other core positions may include these amino acids plus the large hydrophobic aromatic amino acids Phe and Trp. There will also be positions that are completely conserved, including catalytic residues (often Lys, GIu, Asp, Arg, Ser, and other polar amino acids) and Gly and Pro residues that are important in achieving certain backbone conformations in coil regions. Cys residues that form disulfide bonds or coordinate metal ions are also usually well conserved. 

With Sulfur Nucleophiles N-Carboxy-protected aziridine-2-carboxylates react with thiols to give P-mercapto-ot-amino acid derivatives. The reaction is usually catalyzed by BF3 and the yields range from fair to excellent [15, 16, 108-111]. With N-unprotected 3-substituted aziridine-2-carboxylates, the ring-opening with thiols usually takes place with anti stereoselectivity, especially in the case of the C-3 aliphatic substituted substrates. In cases in which C-3 is aromatic, however, the stereoselectivity has been found to be a function of the substitution pattern on the aromatic ring 3-p-methoxy ph eri yl-su bs li In led aziridines 143a (Scheme 3.51) and... 

The synthesis and metabolism of trace amines and monoamine neurotransmitters largely overlap [1]. The trace amines PEA, TYR and TRP are synthesized in neurons by decarboxylation of precursor amino acids through the enzyme aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). OCT is derived from TYR. by involvement of the enzyme dopamine (3-hydroxylase (Fig. 1 DBH). The catabolism of trace amines occurs in both glia and neurons and is predominantly mediated by monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and -B). While TYR., TRP and OCT show approximately equal affinities toward MAO-A and MAO-B, PEA serves as preferred substrate for MAO-B. The metabolites phenylacetic acid (PEA), hydroxyphenylacetic acid (TYR.), hydroxymandelic acid (OCT), and indole-3-acetic (TRP) are believed to be pharmacologically inactive. 

Zhao, Q., Sannier, F., Garreau, I., Lecoeur, C., and Piot, J. M., Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with second-order derivative spectroscopy for the quantitation of aromatic amino acids in peptides application to hemorphins, /. Chromatogr. A, 723, 35, 1996. 

The effects of glyphosate on phenolic compound production are two-fold 1) accumulation of phenolic compounds that are derivatives of aromatic amino acids is reduced and 2) pools of phenolic compounds derived from constituents of the shikimate pathway prior to 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate become larger. Assays that do not distinguish between effects on these two groups, such as that for hydroxyphenolics of Singleton and Rossi (18), can lead to equivocal and difficult to interpret results (e.g. 3-5). 

Anthocyanins are Che most easily assayed and commonly studied derivatives of aromatic amino acids (Figure 1). Glyphosate drastically reduces accumulation of anthocyanin flavonoids in treated tissues (6, 19) (Figure 3). Levels of rutin and procyanidin, both flavonoids, are reduced in glyphosate-treated buckwheat hypocotyls (6). Glyphosate would presumably similarly affect levels of flavonoids and flavonoid derivatives that are known to be allelochemicals. 

Acyl azides show selectivity for acylation at secondary (rather than primary) hydroxyl groups in nucleosides. Thus, on reaction with an excess of N-(benzyIoxycarbonyl)glycyIglycyl azide in 1,4-dioxane-water at 8° and pH 9, adenosine gave the 2 (3 )-0-(aminoacyl) and 2, 3 -di-0-(aminoacyl) derivatives.183 Furthermore, adenosine and uridine were converted into a variety of 2 (3 )-esters of aromatic amino acids by reaction with the appropriate acyl azide.184... 

Several reports have been made of a successful catalyzed addition/ substitution reaction resulting in direct attachment of phosphorus to aromatic rings. The preparation of mixed triarylphosphines has been accomplished by the reaction of tin- or silicon-substituted diphe-nylphosphines with aryl halides catalyzed by palladium reagents.74 A similar transformation has also been reported using nickel catalysis.75 The addition/substitution of diphenylphosphine to triflate functionalized phenolic linkages has been of use for the preparation of substances as analogues of tyrosine-related amino acid derivatives, accomplished with catalysis by palladium acetate (Equation 4.29).76... 

Recently, Borner and coworkers described an efficient Rh-deguphos catalyst for the reductive amination of a-keto acids with benzyl amine. E.e.-values up to 98% were obtained for the reaction of phenyl pyruvic acid and PhCH2COCOOH (entry 4.9), albeit with often incomplete conversion and low TOFs. Similar results were also obtained for several other a-keto acids, and also with ligands such as norphos and chiraphos. An interesting variant for the preparation of a-amino acid derivatives is the one-pot preparation of aromatic a-(N-cyclohexyla-mino) amides from the corresponding aryl iodide, cyclohexylamine under a H2/ CO atmosphere catalyzed by Pd-duphos or Pd-Trost ligands [50]. Yields and ee-values were in the order of 30-50% and 90 >99%, respectively, and a catalyst loading of around 4% was necessary. 

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