Protection of the a-carboxyl group

The efficiency of this method was demonstrated by the elegant two-step synthesis of aspartame [87], Protection of the a-amino group and activation of the a-carboxylic group are accomplished in only one step Deprotection of the amino functionality occurs during aminolysis, such as with methyl phenylalaninate (H-Phe-OMe in equation 15)... 

Enantioselective acylation of amine and hydrolysis of amide are widely studied. These reactions are catalyzed by acylases, amidases and lipases. Some examples are shown in Figure 21.22 Aspartame, artificial sweetener, is synthesized by a protease, thermolysin (Figure 21(a)).22a In this reaction, the L-enantiomer of racemic phenylalanine methyl ester reacted specifically with the a-carboxyl group of N-protected L-aspartate. Both the separation of the enantiomers of the phenylalanine and the protection of the y-carboxyl group of the L-aspartate were unnecessary, which simplified the synthesis. 

The synthesis of key intermediate 12, in optically active form, commences with the resolution of racemic trans-2,3-epoxybutyric acid (27), a substance readily obtained by epoxidation of crotonic acid (26) (see Scheme 5). Treatment of racemic 27 with enantio-merically pure (S)-(-)-1 -a-napthylethylamine affords a 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric ammonium salts which can be resolved by recrystallization from absolute ethanol. Acidification of the resolved diastereomeric ammonium salts with methanesulfonic acid and extraction furnishes both epoxy acid enantiomers in eantiomerically pure form. Because the optical rotation and absolute configuration of one of the antipodes was known, the identity of enantiomerically pure epoxy acid, (+)-27, with the absolute configuration required for a synthesis of erythronolide B, could be confirmed. Sequential treatment of (+)-27 with ethyl chloroformate, excess sodium boro-hydride, and 2-methoxypropene with a trace of phosphorous oxychloride affords protected intermediate 28 in an overall yield of 76%. The action of ethyl chloroformate on carboxylic acid (+)-27 affords a mixed carbonic anhydride which is subsequently reduced by sodium borohydride to a primary alcohol. Protection of the primary hydroxyl group in the form of a mixed ketal is achieved easily with 2-methoxypropene and a catalytic amount of phosphorous oxychloride. 

Scheme 4 outlines the synthesis of key intermediate 7 in its correct absolute stereochemical form from readily available (S)-(-)-malic acid (15). Simultaneous protection of the contiguous carboxyl and secondary hydroxyl groups in the form of an acetonide proceeds smoothly with 2,2 -dimethoxypropane and para-toluene-sulfonic acid and provides intermediate 26 as a crystalline solid in 75-85 % yield. Chemoselective reduction of the terminal carboxyl group in 26 with borane-tetrahydrofuran complex (B H3 THF) affords a primary hydroxyl group that attacks the proximal carbonyl group, upon acidification, to give a hydroxybutyrolactone. Treat-... 

Various AAs as such or their amidines react with triethylborane, triphe-nylborane, 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9-BBN), or with KBp3Ph to give the corresponding boroxazolidones 37. The reaction has synthetic utility for the simultaneous protection of the a-amino and a-carboxyl groups (83T2995 93JA11612). 

The key step of the approach to 45 is the ring opening of /V-Boc p-lactam 43 with ammonia, Scheme 17. The synthesis starts from the 4-carboxy azetidin-2-one 41, which is a p-hydroxy aspartic acid form possessing the p-carboxyl group and the a-amino moiety simultaneously protected. The dipeptide unit 42 is obtained in 95% overall yield after activation of the a-carboxy group with cyanuric fluoride and... 

The piperazine-2-carboxylic acid scaffold 4 is well suited for a combinatorial approach as it is a small, constrained structure with three functional groups (one carboxylic acid and two amines) that may be conveniently substituted by solid-phase chemistry. Orthogonal protection of the two amino groups could easily be carried out on a large scale by solution-phase chemistry18 (Scheme 1). 

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