Esters aspartyl

Some peptides have special tastes. L-Aspartyl phenylalanine methyl ester is very sweet and is used as an artificial sweetener (see Sweeteners). In contrast, some oligopeptides (such as L-ornithinyltaurine HQ. and L-oriuthinyl-jB-alariine HQ), and glycine methyl or ethyl ester HQ have been found to have a very salty taste (27). 

Aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester [22839-47-0]) is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been estabUshed by JECFA as 40 mg/kg/day. Stmcture-taste relationship of peptides has been reviewed (223). Demand for L-phenylalanine and L-aspartic acid as the raw materials for the synthesis of aspartame has been increasing, d-Alanine is one component of a sweetener "Ahtame" (224). 

Under basic coupling conditions an aspartyl peptide that has a /3-phenacyl ester i converted to a succinimide. The use of PhSeH prevents the a,/3-rearrangement c the aspartyl residue during deprotection. 

Cycloalkyl esters have.been used to protect the /3-CO2H group in aspartyl peptides to minimize aspartimide formation during acidic or basic reactions. Aspartimide foimation is limited to 2-3% in TFA (20 h, 25°), 5-7% with HF at 0°, and 1.5-4% TfOH (thioanisole in TFA). Cycloalkyl esters are also stable to Et3N, whereas use of the benzyl ester leads to 25 % aspartimide formation during Et3N treatment. Cycloalkyl esters are stable to CF3COOH, but are readily cleaved with HF or TfOH. - ... 

Chemical Name N-L-a-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester Common Name —... 

A solution of 88.5 parts of L-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride in 100 parts of water is neutralized by the addition of dilute aqueous potassium bicarbonate, then is extracted with approximately 900 parts of ethyl acetate. The resulting organic solution is washed with water and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. To that solution is then added 200 parts of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid-a-p-nitrophenyl, -benzyl diester, and that reaction mixture is kept at room temperature for about 24 hours, then at approximately 65°C for about 24 hours. The reaction mixture is cooled to room temperature, diluted with approximately 390 parts of cyclohexane, then cooled to approximately -18°C in order to complete crystallization. The resulting crystalline product is isolated by filtration and dried to afford -benzyl N-benzyloxycarbonvI-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, melting at about 118.5°-119.5°C. 

To a solution of 180 parts of -benzyl N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartvI-L-phenylalanine methyl ester in 3,000 parts by volume of 75% acetic acid is added 18 parts of palladium black metal catalyst, and the resulting mixture is shaken with hydrogen at atmospheric pressure and room temperature for about 12 hours. The catalyst is removed by filtration, and the solvent is distilled under reduced pressure to afford a solid residue, which is purified by re-crystallization from aqueous ethanol to yield L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. It displays a double melting point at about 190°C and 245°-247°C. 

L-Tryptophanyl-L-methionyl-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine amide trifluoroacetate N-t-Butyloxycerbonyl- -alanine 2,4,5-trichlorophenyl ester... 

A solution of 3.55 parts of L-trypTtophanyl-L-methionyl-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine amide trifluoroacetate in 30 parts of dimethylformamide is cooled to 0 C, and 1.01 parts of tri-ethylamine are added. The mixture is stirred while 1.84 parts of N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-(3-alanine 2,4,5-trichlorophenyl ester are added at 0 C. The reaction mixture is kept at 0°C for 48 hours and then at 20°-23°C for 24 hours. The mixture is added to a mixture of 100 parts of ice-water, 0.37 part of concentrated hydrochloric acid (SG 1.18), 1.2 parts of acetic acid and 20 parts of ethyl acetate. The mixture is stirred for 15 minutes at 0°-10°C and is then filtered. The solid residue is washed with water and then with ethyl acetate, and is dried at 40°-50°C under reduced pressure. There is thus obtained N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-)3-alanyl-L-tryptophanyl-L-methionyl-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine amide, MP 213°C with decomposition. 

L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. See aspartame 1-glutamic acid. See monosodium glutamate L-lysine, 90... 

Robusta coffee has undesirable flavor agents that can be masked by the addition of L-aspartyl-L-phenylalaninemethyl ester.218 The methylxanthine stimulant properties of coffee can be antagonized by spraying freshly roasted coffee beans with nicotinamide and nicotinic acid,219 quinolinic acid, or trigonelline.220... 

Aspartame, N-a-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, trade names NutraSweet , and Aspartil , is a dipeptide derivative. Like dipeptides aspartame is metabolised into the constituents, i.e. amino acids and methanol. Therefore studies into the metabolic behaviour and the fate of metabolites were carried out. Levels of blood aspartate and glutamate were measured after intake of high aspartame doses. Changes were transient and allegations of influences of high aspartame levels on brain function could never be verified. 

JP Tam, TW Wong, MW Reimen, FS Tjoeng, RB Merrifield. Cyclohexyl ester as a new protecting group for aspartyl peptides to minimize aspartimide formation in acidic and basic treatments. Tetrahedron Lett 4033, 1979. 

CC Yang, RB Merrifield. The P-phenacyl ester as a temporary protecting group to minimize cyclic amide formation during subsequent treatment of aspartyl peptides with HF. J Org Chem 41, 1032, 1976. 

FIGURE 7.14 Activated esters for temporary protection and activation of Fmoc-amino acids for the synthesis of glycopeptides. (A) Reaction of a-D-glucopyranosyl bromide with esterified Fmoc-serine. (B) Reaction of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3,4,6-triacetyl- 3-D-glucopyranosyl amine with esterified Fmoc-aspartyl chloride.37-38 Pfp = pentafluorophenyl. 

Phenylalanine (Phe or F) (2-amino-3-phenyl-propanoic acid) is a neutral, aromatic amino acid with the formula HOOCCH(NH2)CH2C6H5. It is classified as nonpolar because of the hydrophobic nature of the benzyl side chain. Tyr and Phe play a significant role not only in protein structure but also as important precursors for thyroid and adrenocortical hormones as well as in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline. The genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) is the inability to metabolize Phe. This is caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase with the result that there is an accumulation of Phe in body fluids. Individuals with this disorder are known as phenylketonurics and must abstain from consumption of Phe. A nonfood source of Phe is the artificial sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester), which is metabolized by the body into several by-products including Phe. The side chain of Phe is immune from side reactions, but during catalytic hydrogenations the aromatic ring can be saturated and converted into a hexahydrophenylalanine residue. ... 

Infants with classic phenylketonuria (PKU) are normal at birth but if untreated show slow development, severe mental retardation, autistic symptoms, and loss of motor control. Children may have pale skin and white-blonde hair. The neurotoxic effects relate to high levels of phenylalanine and not to the phenylketones from which the name of the disease derives. Infants are routinely screened a few days after birth for blood phenylalanine level. Treatment consists of a life-long semisynthetic diet restricted in phenylalanine (smalt quantities are necessary because it is an essential amino acid). Aspartame (N-aspartyl-phenylalanine methyl ester), which is widely used as an artificial sweetener, must be strictly avoided by phenyiketonurics. 

During work on a series of aspartyl dipeptides containing ACC 71 (vide supra, Eq. (28), Sect. 4) at the carboxyl terminus, it was reported that dispartame Asp-ACC-OMe had a distinct sweet taste [302] and that the corresponding n-propyl ester had 250-300 times the sweetness of sucrose [303]. However, replacement of phenylalanine by 2,3-methanophenylalanine gave tasteless analogues of aspartame [293, 304], and some dimethyl-ACC 214 (methanovaline) and tri-methyl-ACC 215 aspartame analogues [Asp-(Me)n-ACC-OMe] have a bitter taste. These taste properties, which depend on the number and position of the methyl substituents, have been explained on the basis of topochemical models thus, a L-shaped conformation of the dipeptide is necessary for sweet taste, Eq. (86) [3051. 

Fotos, J. and Bishay, 1., Process for preparing an N-[N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-alpha-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester agglomerate, United States Patent, US6180157B1, 2001. 

Carboxanilides, such as 359, are obtained from 335-type precursors (91MI1, 92MI1). Amidation of protected chiral educt 360 proceeds via coupling to protected aspartyl aldehyde synthon 361 followed by successive removal of the ferf-butyl ester and semicarbazone protecting groups to yield inhibitor 362 (98BML2757). 

Thermolysine Syntheses of N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-L-alanyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester and N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-L-aspartyl-phenylalanine methyl ester in HEPES or MES-NaOH buffers/ethyl acetate [74]... 

Aspartame. Aspartame [22839-47-0] [53906-69-1] (APM, L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) (1), also known under the trade names of NutraSweet and EQUAL, is the most widely used nonnutritive sweetener worldwide. This dipeptide ester was synthesized as an intermediate for an antiulcer peptide at G. D. Searle in 1965. Although this compound was known in the literature, its sweet taste was serendipitously discovered when a chemist licked his finger which was contaminated with it. Many analogues, especially the more stable esters, were made (6) and their taste qualities and potencies determined. It was the first compound to be chosen for commercial development. Following the purchase of G. D. Searle by Monsanto, the aspartame business was split off to become a separate Monsanto subsidiary called the NutraSweet Company. 

The first member of this class of sweetners, L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester... 

L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame) (sweet)... 

No generalizations can be made about the molecular weights of biologically active peptides and proteins in relation to their functions. Naturally occurring peptides range in length from two to many thousands of amino acid residues. Even the smallest peptides can have biologically important effects. Consider the commercially synthesized dipeptide L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, the artificial sweetener better known as aspartame or NutraSweet. 

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