Asymmetric reactions with chiral amino acid

Asymmetric Peptide Synthesis. The reagent activates amino acids through 1,3-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) coupling to the N-hydroximide for subsequent coupling with chiral amino acids. The asymmetric center induces preferential reaction with L-amino acids and high optical purities of L-L-dipeptides can be achieved (eq 2). Enantioselectivity is improved if the 5-methyl group is replaced by isobutyl. ... 

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]. 

Laboratory data from two groups (see Sect. 3.2.4) indicate that chiral amino acid structures can be formed in simulations of the conditions present in interstellar space. The experimental results support the assumption that important asymmetrical reactions could have taken place on interstellar ice particles irradiated with circularly polarised UV light. The question as to whether such material was ever transported to the young Earth remains open. But the Rosetta mission may provide important answers on the problem of asymmetric syntheses of biomolecules under cosmic conditions (Meierhenrich and Thiemann, 2004). 

The diastereofacial selective imine-ene reactions with a-imino esters prepared from (—)-8-phenylmenthyl glyoxylate have provided an efficient entry to the asymmetric synthesis of a-amino acids, and a Lewis acid-mediated intramolecular imine-ene reaction has been used for the key spirocyclization step in a recent synthesis of (—)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin. Asymmetric azo-ene reactions have been effected using the chiral azo-enophile, di-(—)-(lR,2S)-2-phenyl-l-cyclohexyldiazenedicarboxylate. ... 

In 2006, Akiyama and coworkers established an asymmetric Brpnsted acid-catalyzed aza-Diels-Alder reaction (Scheme 36) [59]. Chiral BINOL phosphate (R)-3o (5 mol%, R = 2,4,6- Pr3-CgH2) bearing 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl groups mediated the cycloaddition of aldimines 94 derived from 2-amino-4-methylphenol with Danishefsky s diene 95 in the presence of 1.2 equivalents of acetic acid. Piperidinones 96 were obtained in good yields (72 to >99%) and enantioselectivi-ties (76-91% ee). While the addition of acetic acid (pK= 4.8) improved both the reactivity and the selectivity, the use of benzenesulfonic acid (pK= -6.5) as an additive increased the yield, but decreased the enantioselectivity. A strong achiral Brpnsted acid apparently competes with chiral phosphoric acid 3o for the activation of imine 94 and catalyzes a nonasymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. The role of acetic acid remains unclear. 

Piperazine-2,5-diones can be symmetric or asymmetric. Symmetric DKPs are readily obtained by heating amino acid esters,1179-181 whereas asymmetric DKPs are obtained directly from the related dipeptides under basic or, more properly, acid catalysis, or by cyclocondensation of dipeptide esters.1182-185 As an alternative procedure hexafluoroacetone can be used to protect/activate the amino acid for the synthesis of symmetric DKPs or of the second amino acid residue for synthesis of the dipeptide ester and subsequent direct cyclocondensation to DKPs.1186 The use of active esters for the cyclocondensation is less appropriate since it may lead to epimerization when a chiral amino acid is involved as the carboxy component in the cyclization reaction. Resin-bound DKPs as scaffolds for further on-resin transformations are readily prepared using the backbone amide linker (BAL) approach, where the amino acid ester is attached to the BAL resin by its a-amino group and then acylated with a Fmoc-protected amino acid by the HATU procedure, N -deprotection leads to on-resin DKP formation1172 (see Section 6.8.3.2.2.3). 

In the present review we concentrate on the induction of asymmetry for the case in which the chiral reagent (5) is represented by an amino acid or a derivative thereof. Only those papers are considered in which the formation of a new center of asymmetry is induced. This can take place with the simultaneous incorporation of the chiral amino acid (or a derivative thereof) in the target molecule or by the action of catalytic amounts of this amino acid on a prochirale molecule. Reactions in which only the asymmetric center of the amino acid is modified without the stereoselective appearance of a new chiral center, have not been considered. Enzymatically catalyzed transformations 241 of molecules are not treated here. 

Until 1968, not a single nonenzymic catalytic asymmetric synthesis had been achieved with an enantiomeric excess above 50%. Now, the intramolecular aldol cyclisation, catalyzed by chiral amino acids has proven to be a very useful synthetic tool. This reaction was extensively covered by two reviews 23,68). Two more papers 72 published recently, should also be cited. 

Asymmetric Mannich reactions provide useful routes for the synthesis of optically active p-amino ketones or esters, which are versatile chiral building blocks for the preparation of many nitrogen-containing biologically important compounds [1-6]. While several diastereoselective Mannich reactions with chiral auxiliaries have been reported, very little is known about enantioselective versions. In 1991, Corey et al. reported the first example of the enantioselective synthesis of p-amino acid esters using chiral boron enolates [7]. Yamamoto et al. disclosed enantioselective reactions of imines with ketene silyl acetals using a Bronsted acid-assisted chiral Lewis acid [8]. In all cases, however, stoichiometric amounts of chiral sources were needed. Asymmetric Mannich reactions using small amounts of chiral sources were not reported before 1997. This chapter presents an overview of catalytic asymmetric Mannich reactions. 

Novel bidentate chiral Lewis acids derived from 1.8-naphthalenediylbis(dichloroborane) and modified amino acids as chiral auxiliary have been successfully utilized as effective catalysts for the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction of a,[ -unsaturated aldehydes. The enantioselectivity is highly sensitive to the kind of chiral amino acids. Moderate enantioselectivity was obtained with the tryptophan-derived ligand for the endo adduct, but amino acids without aromatic groups... 

Maruoka and coworkers also investigated the substantial reactivity enhancement of N-spiro chiral quaternary ammonium salt and simplification of its structure, the aim being to establish a truly practical method for the asymmetric synthesis of a-amino acids and their derivatives. As ultrasonic irradiation produces homogenization (i.e., very fine emulsions), it greatly increases the reactive interfacial area, which may in turn deliver a substantial rate acceleration in the liquid-liquid phase-transfer reactions. Indeed, sonication of the reaction mixture of 2, methyl iodide and (S,S)-lc (1 mol%) in toluene-50% KOH aqueous solution at 0 °C for 1 h gave rise to the corresponding alkylation product in 63% yield with 88% ee. Hence, the reaction was speeded up markedly, and the chemical yield and enantioselectivity were comparable with those of the reaction with simple stirring (0°C for 8h 64%, 90% ee) (Scheme 5.5) [10]. 

Asymmetric cycloadditions of the chiral non-racemic nitrones 101 and 103 afford the isoxazolidinones 102 and 104 respectively, with high diastereoselectivity. This process can lead to an efficient asymmetric synthesis of /3-amino acids (equations 42 and 43) . This is the first example of asymmetric reactions with ynolates. It is noteworthy that the ynolates show higher reactivity and stereoselectivity than the corresponding lithium ester enolates and demonstrate the high potential of lithium ynolates in asymmetric reactions. 

Simple L-alanine, L-valine, L-norvaline, L-isolecucine, L-serine and other linear amino acids [ 121 ] or chiral amino acids with a binaphthyl backbone [ 122] and peptides have also been used as asymmetric catalysts [123,124,125,126]. Solid-supported proline-terminated peptides have been used for heterogeneous catalysis of the asymmetric aldol reaction [ 127]. Apart from proline and derivatives, other cyclic compounds such as 5,5-dimethyl thiazolidinium-4-car-boxylate (DMTC) [128], 2-fert-butyl-4-benzyl imidazolidinones [129], (l/ ,25)-2-aminocy-clopentanecarboxylic acid [130], (5 -5-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)tetrazole, (5)-l,3-thiazolidine-4-car-boxylic acid, (5)-5,5-dimethyl-l,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, and (5)-hydroxyproline are effective catalysts in asymmetric aldol reactions [126,131,132,133,134,135]. 

Tripeptides can be obtained in good yields by reacting primary amines with aldehydes leading to the intermediate Schiff base. Applying pathway (b Scheme 6) with isocyanide amino acid esters and N-pro-tected amino acids, the Ugi reaction occurs s with good yields (equation 37). Asymmetric induction on the new stereogenic centre ( ) is low, but can be enhanced by the use of chiral amines. 

Recently, Ni and group [66] introduced a new type of chiral ionic liquid based on pyridinium cation having a chiral moiety tethered to a urea unit. The synthesis of salt involves a reaction of 2-aminomethyl pyridine with chiral 2-isocyanate-3-methylbutyrate and then heating in the presence of alkyl halide to form salt (Scheme 17.18). In total, nine chiral pyridinium salts were synthesized with varying amino acids. Currently, the authors are using these salts for asymmetric induction in organic transformation. 

Thus, considerable effort is necessary to achieve a wide and synthetically useful application of this method. Nevertheless, the first examples of interesting target molecules obtainable via asymmetric hydroformylation have appeared (amino acids, arylpropionic acids)180. Thus, if appropriate catalytic systems and reaction conditions can be found, even industrial applications might be realized within the near future. Thus, asymmetric hydroformylation is considered to be a powerful tool for the preparation of a large number of different chiral products to be used as precursors of several organic compounds endowed with therapeutical activity180. Examples are the essential and non-essential amino acids, 2-arylpropanoic acids, aryloxypropyl-and /1-phenylpropylamines. modified /1-phenylethylamines, pheniramines and others180. 

N-acyldehydrodipeptides were readily prepared either by the condensation of N -acyldehydro-a-amino acids with a-amino acid esters or by the reaction of the azlactones of dehydro-a-amino acid with a-amino acid esters (eq. 1). Asymmetric hydrogenation of the N-acyldehydrodipeptides thus obtained (eq. 2) was carried out by using rhodium complexes with a variety of chiral diphosphines such as -Br-Phenyl-CAPP (3), Ph-CAPP (3), (-)BPPM (4), (+)BPPM (4), (-)DIOP ( ), (+)DIOP ( ), diPAMP (6), Chiraphos (7), Prophos (S), BPPFA (9) and CBZ-Phe-PPM (Fig. 1)(10). The chiral catalysts were prepared in situ from chiral diphosphine ligand with [Rh(NBD)2l -CIO4 (NBD = norbomadiene). Typical results are summarized in Tables I-V. 

Asymmetric synthesis of fi-amino acid esters. The chiral diazaborolidinc 1 (16,155) also effects diastereo- and cnantioselective reactions of (S)-/-butyl thiopro-ponoatc (2) with N-bcnzyl or N-allyl aldimines 3 to form /8-amino acid esters 4, precursors to chiral tnw.r-/3-lactams (5) in 90-99% cc. 

Asymmetric synthesis of N-methyl-a-amino esters.2 This morpholine can be used as a chiral template for synthesis of N-methyl-a-amino esters. Thus reaction with an alkylcopper involves displacement of the phenylthio group by an alkyl group by the usual Sn2 process with inversion (about 90 10). In contrast, reaction with an alkylzinc iodide involves substitution with essentially complete retention, possibly via an iminium intermediate. The alkylated product (2) is then oxidized to an oxazinonc (3), which on treatment with vinyl chloroformate followed by hydrolysis provides N-methyl-a-amino esters (4) in high optical purity. This approach to chiral amino acids is unusual in that eiiher enantiomer can be formed from the same template depending on the choice of the organometallic reagent. Unfortunately, the chiral auxiliary (expensive) is not recovered for reuse. 

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