Synthesis of Enantiopure Constrained α,ß-Cycloaliphatic Cystines via Diels-Alder Reaction with Homochiral Thiazolines.

The behavior of homochiral 2,3-dihydrothiazoles, easily available from l-cysteine in Diels-Alder reaction with different dienes, "en route" to sterically constrained modified cystines, has been studied. The oxidation level of the sulfur atom of the heterocyclic ring was crucial for the course of the reaction. Whereas 2,3-dihydrothiazoles did not lead to Diels-Alder adducts, 1-oxide and 1,1-dioxide derivatives afforded the exo adduct enantiopurely in high yields and diastereoselectivities. Further elaboration of the resulting adducts provided conformationally restricted quaternary cystines. DFT calculations correctly predict both the reactivity and stereoselectivity observed experimentally.

Half-sandwich complexes of rhodium containing cysteine-derived ligands.

The modified cysteine ligand, S-benzyl-α-methyl-l-cysteine (HL2), was prepared from l-cysteine hydrochloride methyl ester. The reaction of commercial S-benzyl-l-cysteine (HL1) or HL2 with the dimer, [{(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl}2(µ-Cl)2], gives rise to the cationic complexes, [(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl(HL)]Cl (HL = HL1 (1), HL2 (2)), in which the cysteine ligand exhibits a κ(2)N,S coordination mode. In a basic medium, HL1 or HL2 reacts with [{(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl}2(µ-Cl)2] to afford mixtures of two epimers at the metal centre of the neutral complexes, [(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl(κ(2)N,O-L)] (HL = HL1 (3), HL2 (4)), in which amino carboxylate adopts a κ(2)N,O mode of coordination along with variable amounts of the cationic compounds, [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L)]Cl (HL = HL1 (6Cl), HL2 (7Cl)), which contain κ(3)N,O,S coordinated cysteine-derived ligands. However, in a basic medium, the N-Boc substituted cysteine S-benzyl-N-Boc-l-cysteine (HL3) only yields the κ(2)O,S coordinated derivative, [(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl(κ(2)O,S-L3)] (5), as a mixture of two diastereomers depending on the configuration of the metal centre. The bidentate chelate complexes 3-5 react with AgSbF6 to give the hexafluoroantimonates [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L)][SbF6] (HL = HL1 (6Sb), HL2 (7Sb), HL3 (8Sb)) with tridentate coordination. Compound 8Sb reacts with NaHCO3 to give the neutral complex [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L3-H)] (9), which can also be prepared by reacting the dimer [{(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl}2(µ-Cl)2] with HL3 in the presence of two equivalents of NaHCO3. The new compounds contain up to four stereogenic centres, namely, Rh, S, N, and C. The absolute configuration of the complexes has been established by spectroscopic and diffractometric investigations, including the crystal structure determination of [(η(5)-C5Me5)RhCl(κ(2)O,S-L3)] (5), [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L1)][SbF6] (6Sb), [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L2)][SbF6] (7Sb) and [(η(5)-C5Me5)Rh(κ(3)N,O,S-L3-H)] (9). Variable temperature (1)H NMR studies reveal the existence of epimerization processes and theoretical calculations were used to discriminate their nature.

Intramolecular hydrogen-bonding activation in cysteines: a new effective radical scavenger.

The challenge of developing organic molecules with improved antioxidant activities for a competitive marketplace requires, given the great amount of possibilities, much laboratory work. Nowadays, the ability of methodologies based on quantum chemistry to determine the influence of different modifications on a molecule core provides a powerful tool for selecting the most useful derivatives to be synthesized. Here, we report the results of the assessment of antioxidant activity for quaternary amino acids, specifically for cysteine derivatives. The effect of introducing different substituents on the cysteine core is evaluated by using DFT to obtain an adequate structure-antioxidant activity relationship. This theoretical study shows a small panel of targets among which (R)-N-acetyl-2-methylcysteine methyl ester 15 exhibits special features and relevant antioxidant activity. The conformational (1)H NMR study of this synthesized compound indicates the existence of an intramolecular C7 member ring involving S-HO[double bond, length as m-dash]C substructure, which is reported for the first time in the literature for this amino acid unit. This unusual conformation seems to be the reason for the high antioxidant capacity experimentally found for this compound.

Highly diastereoselective Katsuki-Jacobsen oxidation-epoxidation of alpha-silyloxy sulfinyl dienes: synthetic applications.

Katsuki-Jacobsen oxidation-epoxidation of acyclic alpha-silyloxy sulfinyl dienes, followed by acid-promoted cyclization, leads to 2,5-trans-sulfonyl dihydrofurans with good selectivities. As an application, the formal syntheses of (6S,7S,9R,10R)- and (6S,7S,9S,10S)-6,9-epoxynonadec-18-ene-7,10-diols is reported.

Enantiodivergent synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines based on diastereoselective Parham cyclization and alpha-amidoalkylation reactions.

Enantiodivergent synthesis of C-10b-substituted pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines starting from an enantiomerically pure N-phenethylnorborn-5-en-endo-2,3-dicarboxyimide 3a, with a 2-exo-hydroxy-10-bornylsulfinyl group as a chiral auxiliary, has been developed. The key transformations are derived from diastereoselective intramolecular cyclization of aryllithiums and alpha-amidoalkylation reactions, with the ethylidene bridge of the norbornene moiety dictating the stereochemical outcome in both types of reactions. Thus, the organolithium addition-intramolecular alpha-amidoalkylation sequence on imide 3a afforded stereoselectively the R configuration at C-12b, whereas the tandem Parham cyclization-intermolecular alpha-amidoalkylation reactions on the corresponding iodinated imide 3b occurred with complete control of stereoselectivity, leading to the epimer at C-12b. Subsequent reductive removal of the chiral auxiliary and retro-Diels-Alder reaction afforded (10bS)- and (10bR)-pyrroloisoquinolines 1 in high yields and optical purities (>99% ee).