13- Lactam acylation

Deoxy-D-nbo-hexono-1,5-lactone 5-Amino-5-deoxy-D-mannono-1,5-lactam Acyl halides are named by changing the ending -onic acid to -onoyl halide Example ... 

Esters, lactones, lactams, acyl halides etc. are named by modifying the ending -ic acid as described for aldonic acids (2-Carb-20.2). 

Derivatives formed by modifying the carboxy group (salts, esters, lactones, lactams, acyl halides, amides, nitriles etc.) are named by the methods of 2-Carb-20.2. Dilactones, half-esters, amic acids etc. are named by the methods of [13, 14]. In cases of ambiguity, Iocants should be specified. 

Biological Reactivity of /8-Lactams /3-Lactams are unusually reactive amides and are capable of acylating a variety of nucleophiles. The considerable strain in the four-membered ring appears to be the driving force behind the unusual reactivity of /3-lactams. When a /3-lactam acylates a nucleophile, the ring opens and the ring strain is relieved. 

Sordo et al. [144] explained the stereoselectivity on the basis of torquoelectronic effects. Low-temperature infrared spectroscopy was also used to identify the reactive intermediates [145]. Two mechanisms were proposed to explain the product distribution in the (3-lactam formation reaction. The ketene mechanism was observed in a low temperature infrared spectroscopy study [145], while the acylation of imine mechanism was believed to be involved in some [122]. Both mechanisms were supported by evidences. It had been hypothesized that cycloaddition of the imine occurs from the least hindered side of the ketene, and this process generates zwitterionic intermediates conrotatory cyclization of these intermediates then produce cis- and fra s-(3-lactams. Acylation of the imine by the acid chloride to form W-acyliminium chloride also produced zwitterionic intermediates (Scheme 10). 

The biological activity of P-lactam antibiotics has been often correlated with the chemical reactivity of the amide bond [11]. Nevertheless, very few studies have dealt with modifications of the P-lactam acylating power , by replacing the amide-carbonyl with unsaturated groups of variable electrophilic character. 

These /8-lactam antibiotics apparently work by interfering with the synthesis of bacterial cell walls. Figure 21-11 shows how the carbonyl group of the /8-lactam acylates a hydroxyl group (from a serine residue) on one of the enzymes involved in making the cell wall. The acylated enzyme is inactive for synthesis of the cell wall protein. This acylation step is unusual because it converts an amide to an ester, an uphill reaction that we would assume to be endothermic. With this /8-lactam, however, the strain of the four-membered ring activates the amide enough for it to acylate an alcohol to form an ester in an exothermic step. 

Carbanions stabilized by phosphorus and acyl substituents have also been frequently used in sophisticated cyclization reactions under mild reaction conditions. Perhaps the most spectacular case is the formation of an ylide from the >S-lactam given below using polymeric Hflnig base (diisopropylaminomethylated polystyrene) for removal of protons. The phosphorus ylide in hot toluene then underwent an intramolecular Wlttig reaction with an acetyl-thio group to yield the extremely acid-sensitive penicillin analogue (a penem I. Ernest, 1979). 

In synthetic target molecules esters, lactones, amides, and lactams are the most common carboxylic acid derivatives. In order to synthesize them from carboxylic acids one has generally to produce an activated acid derivative, and an enormous variety of activating reagents is known, mostly developed for peptide syntheses (M. Bodanszky, 1976). In actual syntheses of complex esters and amides, however, only a small selection of these remedies is used, and we shall mention only generally applicable methods. The classic means of activating carboxyl groups arc the acyl azide method of Curtius and the acyl chloride method of Emil Fischer. 

Allylic phosphates are used for carbonylation in the presence of amines under pressure. Carbonylation of diethyl neryl phosphate (389) affords ethyl homonerate (390), maintaining the geometric integrity of the double bond[244]. The carbonylation of allyl phosphate in the presence of the imine 392 affords the /3-lactam 393. The reaction may be explained by the formation of the ketene 391 from the acyl phosphate, and its stereoselective (2 + 2] cycloaddition to the imine 392 to give the /3-lactam 393(247],... 

Vilsmeier-Haack conditions have been used most frequently for formylation but are also applicable to longer acyl chains[3]. Reactions with lactams generate 3-(iminyl)indoles which can be hydrolysed to generate co-aminoacyl groups as in equation 11.6 [4]. 

The antibacterial effectiveness of penicillins cephalospotins and other P-lactam antibiotics depends upon selective acylation and consequentiy, iaactivation, of transpeptidases involved ia bacterial ceU wall synthesis. This acylating ability is a result of the reactivity of the P-lactam ring (1). Bacteria that are resistant to P-lactam antibiotics often produce enzymes called P-lactamases that inactivate the antibiotics by cataly2ing the hydrolytic opening of the P-lactam ring to give products (2) devoid of antibacterial activity. 

Active site directed P-lactam-derived inhibitors have a competitive component of inhibition, but once in the active site they form an acyl en2yme species which follows one or more of the pathways outlined in Figure 1. Compounds that foUow Route C and form a transiendy inhibited en2yme species and are subsequendy hydroly2ed to products have been termed inhibitory substrates or competitive substrates. Inhibitors that give irreversibly inactivated P-lactamase (Route A) are called suicide inactivators or irreversible inhibitors. The term progressive inhibitor has also been used. An excellent review has appeared on inhibitor interactions with P-lactamases (28). 

Mechanistic studies (6,26,27,67) have shown that the acyl enzyme species is the ring opened compound (13), which can tautomerize to the transientiy inhibited amino acrylate (14), and both of these species can react further to give irreversibly inactivated enzyme. Three inactivated forms of the enzyme have been detected. Two, according to labeling studies, retain the complete clavulanate skeleton and the other retains only the carbon chain of the P-lactam ring. Stmcture (15) has been suggested as one possible inactivated form. 

P-Lactam antibiotics exert their antibacterial effects via acylation of a serine residue at the active site of the bacterial transpeptidases. Critical to this mechanism of action is a reactive P-lactam ring having a proximate anionic charge that is necessary for positioning the ring within the substrate binding cleft (24). 

Polymerization of /3-lactams, involving cleavage of the amide bond, can be induced by treatment with strongly basic catalysts or by acylating agents (75S547 p. 581). 

A third approach to 3-amino-/3-lactams is by Curtius rearrangement of the corresponding acyl azides. These are readily prepared from r-butyl carbazides, available via photochemical ring contraction of 3-diazopyrrolidine-2,4-diones in the presence of f-butyl carbazate (c/. Section 5.09.3.3.2). Thus treatment of (201) with trifluoroacetic acid followed by diazotiz-ation gives the acyl azide (202) which, in thermolysis in benzene and subsequent interception of the resulting isocyanate with r-butanol, yields the protected 3-amino-/3-lactam (203) (73JCS(P1)2907). 

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