Catalytic 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Promotes Mild Miyaura Borylations.

The Miyaura borylation of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides and bromides using a combination of potassium carbonate and 5 mol % 2-ethylhexanoic acid at 25 °C is reported. The in situ generation of a catalytic amount of potassium 2-ethylhexanoate under these conditions avoids the need for special handling of stoichiometric quantities of hygroscopic potassium 2-ethylhexanoate during the reaction setup as well as difficulties in removing the resulting carboxylic acid during product isolation.

A General Approach to Optically Pure, α-Methyl Non-Natural Amino Acids: Enabling Unique Peptides as Drug Candidates.

An α-methyl, non-natural amino acid (NNAA) building block equipped with an alkyl halide tail that could be readily transformed into an organozinc was prepared. This single organometallic was cross-coupled to an array of heterocyclic electrophiles using the Pd-PEPPSI-IHeptCl catalyst to produce a wide selection of optically pure α-methyl NNAAs. With these in hand, non-natural peptides are being produced for evaluation in a variety of therapeutic areas in drug discovery.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Either Exo- or Endo-3-Azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-6-carboxylates by Dirhodium(II)-Catalyzed Cyclopropanation with Ethyl Diazoacetate under Low Catalyst Loadings.

Although cyclopropanation with donor/acceptor carbenes can be conducted under low catalyst loadings (<0.001 mol %), such low loading has not been generally effective for other classes of carbenes such as acceptor carbenes. In this current study, we demonstrate that ethyl diazoacetate can be effectively used in the cyclopropanation of N-Boc-2,5-dihydropyrrole with dirhodium(II) catalyst loadings of 0.005 mol %. By appropriate choice of catalyst and hydrolysis conditions, either the exo- or endo-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes can be formed cleanly with high levels of diastereoselectivity with no chromatographic purification.

Photo- and Metal-Mediated Deconstructive Approaches to Cyclic Aliphatic Amine Diversification.

Described herein are studies toward the core modification of cyclic aliphatic amines using either a riboflavin/photo-irradiation approach or Cu(I) and Ag(I) to mediate the process. Structural remodeling of cyclic amines is explored through oxidative C-N and C-C bond cleavage using peroxydisulfate (persulfate) as an oxidant. Ring-opening reactions to access linear aldehydes or carboxylic acids with flavin-derived photocatalysis or Cu salts, respectively, are demonstrated. A complementary ring-opening process mediated by Ag(I) facilitates decarboxylative Csp3-Csp2 coupling in Minisci-type reactions through a key alkyl radical intermediate. Heterocycle interconversion is demonstrated through the transformation of N-acyl cyclic amines to oxazines using Cu(II) oxidation of the alkyl radical. These transformations are investigated by computation to inform the proposed mechanistic pathways. Computational studies indicate that persulfate mediates oxidation of cyclic amines with concomitant reduction of riboflavin. Persulfate is subsequently reduced by formal hydride transfer from the reduced riboflavin catalyst. Oxidation of the cyclic aliphatic amines with a Cu(I) salt is proposed to be initiated by homolysis of the peroxy bond of persulfate followed by α-HAT from the cyclic amine and radical recombination to form an α-sulfate adduct, which is hydrolyzed to the hemiaminal. Investigation of the pathway to form oxazines indicates a kinetic preference for cyclization over more typical elimination pathways to form olefins through Cu(II) oxidation of alkyl radicals.

PET ligands [18F]LSN3316612 and [11C]LSN3316612 quantify O-linked-ß-N-acetyl-glucosamine hydrolase in the brain.

We aimed to develop effective radioligands for quantifying brain O-linked-ß-N-acetyl-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) hydrolase (OGA) using positron emission tomography in living subjects as tools for evaluating drug target engagement. Posttranslational modifications of tau, a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, by O-GlcNAc through the enzyme pair OGA and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) are inversely related to the amounts of its insoluble hyperphosphorylated form. Increase in tau O-GlcNAcylation by OGA inhibition is believed to reduce tau aggregation. LSN3316612, a highly selective and potent OGA ligand [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 1.9 nM], emerged as a lead ligand after in silico analysis and in vitro evaluations. [3H]LSN3316612 imaged and quantified OGA in postmortem brains of rat, monkey, and human. The presence of fluorine and carbonyl functionality in LSN3316612 enabled labeling with positron-emitting fluorine-18 or carbon-11. Both [18F]LSN3316612 and [11C]LSN3316612 bound reversibly to OGA in vivo, and such binding was blocked by pharmacological doses of thiamet G, an OGA inhibitor of different chemotype, in monkeys. [18F]LSN3316612 entered healthy human brain avidly (~4 SUV) without radiodefluorination or adverse effect from other radiometabolites, as evidenced by stable brain total volume of distribution (VT) values by 110 min of scanning. Overall, [18F]LSN3316612 is preferred over [11C]LSN3316612 for future human studies, whereas either may be an effective positron emission tomography radioligand for quantifying brain OGA in rodent and monkey.

PET quantification of brain O-GlcNAcase with [18F]LSN3316612 in healthy human volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies found that [18F]LSN3316612 was a promising positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand for imaging O-GlcNAcase in nonhuman primates and human volunteers. This study sought to further evaluate the suitability of [18F]LSN3316612 for human clinical research. METHODS: Kinetic evaluation of [18F]LSN3316612 was conducted in a combined set of baseline brain scans from 17 healthy human volunteers and test-retest imaging was conducted in 10 of these volunteers; another 6 volunteers had whole-body scans to measure radiation exposure to body organs. Total distribution volume (VT) estimates were compared for the one- and two-tissue compartment models with the arterial input function. Test-retest variability and reliability were evaluated via mean difference and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The time stability of VT was assessed down to a 30-min scan time. An alternative quantification method for [18F]LSN3316612 binding without blood was also investigated to assess the possibility of eliminating arterial sampling. RESULTS: Brain uptake was generally high and could be quantified as VT with excellent identifiability using the two-tissue compartment model. [18F]LSN3316612 exhibited good absolute test-retest variability (12.5%), but the arithmetic test-retest variability was far from 0 (11.3%), reflecting a near-uniform increase of VT on the retest scan in nine of 10 volunteers. VT values were stable after 110 min in all brain regions, suggesting that no radiometabolites accumulated in the brain. Measurements obtained using only brain activity (i.e., area under the curve (AUC) from 150-180 min) correlated strongly with regional VT values during test-retest conditions (R2 = 0.84), exhibiting similar reliability to VT (ICC = 0.68 vs. 0.64). Estimated radiation exposure for [18F]LSN3316612 PET was 20.5 ± 2.1 µSv/MBq, comparable to other 18F-labeled radioligands for brain imaging. CONCLUSIONS: [18F]LSN3316612 is an excellent PET radioligand for imaging O-GlcNAcase in the human brain. Alternative quantification without blood is possible, at least for within-subject repeat studies. However, the unexplained increase of VT under retest conditions requires further investigation.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Aldehyde Arylation via Formate-Mediated Transfer Hydrogenation: Beyond Metallic Reductants in Grignard/Nozaki-Hiyami-Kishi-Type Addition.

The first intermolecular carbonyl arylations via transfer hydrogenative reductive coupling are described. Using rhodium catalysts modified by tBu2PMe, sodium formate-mediated reductive coupling of aryl iodides with aldehydes occurs in a chemoselective fashion in the presence of protic functional groups and lower halides. This work expands the emerging paradigm of transfer hydrogenative coupling as an alternative to pre-formed carbanions or metallic reductants in C═X addition.

Cyclometalated Iridium-PhanePhos Complexes Are Active Catalysts in Enantioselective Allene-Fluoral Reductive Coupling and Related Alcohol-Mediated Carbonyl Additions That Form Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters.

Iridium complexes modified by the chiral phosphine ligand PhanePhos catalyze the 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling of diverse 1,1-disubstituted allenes 1a-1u with fluoral hydrate 2a to form CF3-substituted secondary alcohols 3a-3u that incorporate acyclic quaternary carbon-containing stereodiads. By exploiting concentration-dependent stereoselectivity effects related to the interconversion of kinetic ( Z)- and thermodynamic ( E)-σ-allyliridium isomers, adducts 3a-3u are formed with complete levels of branched regioselectivity and high levels of anti-diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The utility of this method for construction of CF3-oxetanes and CF3-azetidines is illustrated by the formation of 4a and 6a, respectively. Studies of the reaction mechanism aimed at illuminating the singular effectiveness of PhanePhos as a supporting ligand in this and related transformations have led to the identification of a chromatographically stable cyclometalated iridium-( R)-PhanePhos complex, Ir-PP-I, that is catalytically competent for allene-fluoral reductive coupling and previously reported transfer hydrogenative C-C couplings of dienes or CF3-allenes with methanol. Deuterium labeling studies, reaction progress kinetic analysis (RPKA) and computational studies corroborate a catalytic mechanism involving rapid allene hydrometalation followed by turnover-limiting carbonyl addition. A computationally determined stereochemical model shows that the ortho-CH2 group of the cyclometalated iridium-PhanePhos complex plays a key role in directing diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The collective data provide key insights into the structural-interactional features of allyliridium complexes required to enforce nucleophilic character, which should inform the design of related cyclometalated catalysts for umpoled allylation.

A Method for Identifying and Developing Functional Group Tolerant Catalytic Reactions: Application to the Buchwald-Hartwig Amination.

Transition-metal catalysis has revolutionized organic synthesis, but difficulties can often be encountered when applied to highly functionalized molecules, such as pharmaceuticals and their precursors. This results in discovery collections that are enriched in substances possessing less desirable properties (high lipophilicity, low polar surface area). Masking groups are often employed to circumvent this problem, which is in opposition to the inherent ideality of these methods for green chemistry and atom economy. A general screening methodology, related to robustness screening described by Glorius et al., builds a broad understanding of the impact of individual functional groups on the success of a transformation under various conditions and provides a simple framework for identifying new conditions that tolerate challenging functional groups. Application of this approach to profile the conditions for the Buchwald-Hartwig amination and rapidly identify bespoke conditions for challenging substrate classes is described.

Additives promote Noyori-type reductions of a ß-keto-γ-lactam: asymmetric syntheses of serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) pyrrolidinyl ether 2 was synthesized by employing a dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) with enantio- and diastereoselective hydogenation on ß-keto-γ-lactam 8 to afford ß-hydroxy-γ-lactam 9 with 96% ee and 94% de. Reduction of 9 and purification via the dibenzoyl-(L)-tartaric acid diastereomeric salt 16 enriched the ee and de to 100%. While screening hydrogenation reaction systems with ruthenium-BINAP catalysts to prepare 9, it was found that adding catalytic HCl and LiCl enabled higher yields. In addition, the rate and equilibrium of the DKR-hydrogenation of 8 to give 9 was studied by online NMR and chiral HPLC, which indicated that one of the enantiomers of 8 was reducing faster to 9 than the equilibration of the stereocenter of 8.

Improved synthesis of C4α- and C4ß-methyl analogues of 2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate.

An efficient and divergent synthesis of C4α- and C4ß-methyl-substituted analogues of 2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 2,6-dicarboxylate, which are important tools in the study of metabotropic glutamate receptor function, has been achieved. By taking advantage of an unanticipated facial selectivity of the bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane ring system, either the C4α- or C4ß-methyl substituent was introduced in a highly stereoselective and high-yielding manner.

Mild Pd-catalyzed N-arylation of methanesulfonamide and related nucleophiles: avoiding potentially genotoxic reagents and byproducts.

A convenient, general, and high yielding Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of methanesulfonamide with aryl bromides and chlorides is reported. The use of this method eliminates concern over genotoxic impurities that can arise when an aniline is reacted with methanesulfonyl chloride. The application of this method to the synthesis of dofetilide is also reported.

Synthesis of (-)-PNU-286607 by asymmetric cyclization of alkylidene barbiturates.

PNU-286607 is the first member of a promising, novel class of antibacterial agents that act by inhibiting bacterial DNA gyrase, a target of clinical significance. Importantly, PNU-286607 displays little cross-resistance with marketed antibacterial agents and is active against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and fluoroquinoline-resistant bacterial strains. Despite the apparent stereochemical complexity of this unique spirocyclic barbituric acid compound, the racemic core is accessible by a two-step route employing a relatively obscure rearrangement of vinyl anilines, known in the literature as the "tert-amino effect." After a full investigation of the stereochemical course of the racemic reaction, starting with the meso cis-dimethylmorpholine, a practical asymmetric variant of this process was developed.

Discovery and characterization of QPT-1, the progenitor of a new class of bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors.

QPT-1 was discovered in a compound library by high-throughput screening and triage for substances with whole-cell antibacterial activity. This totally synthetic compound is an unusual barbituric acid derivative whose activity resides in the (-)-enantiomer. QPT-1 had activity against a broad spectrum of pathogenic, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, was nontoxic to eukaryotic cells, and showed oral efficacy in a murine infection model, all before any medicinal chemistry optimization. Biochemical and genetic characterization showed that the QPT-1 targets the beta subunit of bacterial type II topoisomerases via a mechanism of inhibition distinct from the mechanisms of fluoroquinolones and novobiocin. Given these attributes, this compound represents a promising new class of antibacterial agents. The success of this reverse genomics effort demonstrates the utility of exploring strategies that are alternatives to target-based screens in antibacterial drug discovery.

Structure-activity relationships of bioisosteres of a carboxylic acid in a novel class of bacterial translation inhibitors.

The discovery and initial optimization of a novel anthranilic acid derived class of antibacterial agents which suffered from extensive protein binding has been previously reported. The structure-activity relationships around the carboxylic acid substituent are described herein. This acid was replaced by several alternative functional groups in attempts to retain bioactivity while reducing protein binding. Only groups with an acidic proton retained activity, and analogs containing those groups maintained the protein binding inherent to this class of antibacterial agents.

Preparation of novel antibacterial agents. Replacement of the central aromatic ring with heterocycles.

Discovery of novel antibacterial agents is a significant challenge. We have recently reported on our discovery of novel antibacterial agents in which we have rapidly optimized potency utilizing a parallel chemistry approach. These advanced leads suffer from high affinity for human serum albumin (HSA). In an effort to decrease the affinity for HSA we have prepared a series of heterocyclic analogs, which retained antibacterial activity and demonstrated reduced affinity for HSA.

Assembly of 4-aminoquinolines via palladium catalysis: a mild and convenient alternative to SNAr methodology.

4-aminoquinolines, classically prepared via SNAr chemistry from an amine and 4-haloquinoline, are important scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. Interest in these compounds prompted us to explore palladium catalysis as an alternative to the existing methods for their preparation. Initial results followed by an iterative screening paradigm confirmed Pd(OAc)2/DPEphos/K3PO4 as a mild and convenient alternative for the formation of the C-N bond in 4-aminoquinolines. A description of the screen and the scope of this methodology are discussed herein.