Chemoenzymatic synthesis of statine side chain building blocks and application in the total synthesis of the cholesterol-lowering compound solistatin.

The synthesis and enzymatic reduction of several 6-substituted dioxohexanoates are presented. Two-step syntheses of tert-butyl 6-bromo-3,5-dioxohexanoate and the corresponding 6-hydroxy compound have been achieved in 89% and 59% yield, respectively. Regio- and enantioselective reduction of these diketones and of the 6-chloro derivative with alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis (LBADH) gave the (5S)-5-hydroxy-3-oxo products with enantiomeric excesses of 91%, 98.4%, and >99.5%, respectively. Chain elongation of the reduction products by one carbon via cyanide addition, and by more than one carbon by Julia-Kocienski olefination, gave access to well-established statine side-chain building blocks. Application in the synthesis of the cholesterol-lowering natural compound solistatin is given.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of the chiral side-chain of statins: application of an alcohol dehydrogenase catalysed ketone reduction on a large scale.

The chemoenzymatic synthesis of the tert-butyl (S)-6-chloro-5-hydroxy-3-ketohexanoate is described. Our approach relies on a highly regio- and enantioselective reduction of a beta,delta-diketohexanoate ester catalysed by NADP(H)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase of Lactobacillus brevis (LBADH). A detailed description of the scale-up of the enzymatic synthesis of the hydroxyketo ester is given which includes a scale-up of the substrate synthesis as well, i.e. the preparation of diketo ester on a 100 g scale. Furthermore, studies directed towards improving the co-catalyst [NADP(H)] consumption of the enzymatic key step by kinetic studies and application of a biphasic reaction medium were performed.

Directed evolution of an industrial biocatalyst: 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5-phosphate aldolase.

Aldolases are emerging as powerful and cost efficient tools for the industrial synthesis of chiral molecules. They catalyze enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formations, generating up to two chiral centers under mild reaction conditions. Despite their versatility, narrow substrate ranges and enzyme inactivation under synthesis conditions represented major obstacles for large-scale applications of aldolases. In this study we applied directed evolution to optimize Escherichia coli 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) as biocatalyst for the industrial synthesis of (3R,5S)-6-chloro-2,4,6-trideoxyhexapyranoside. This versatile chiral precursor for vastatin drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin) is synthesized by DERA in a tandem-aldol reaction from chloroacetaldehyde and two acetaldehyde equivalents. However, E. coli DERA shows low affinity to chloroacetaldehyde and is rapidly inactivated at aldehyde concentrations useful for biocatalysis. Using high-throughput screenings for chloroacetaldehyde resistance and for higher productivity, several improved variants have been identified. By combination of the most beneficial mutations we obtained a tenfold improved variant compared to wild-type DERA with regard to (3R,5S)-6-chloro-2,4,6-trideoxyhexapyranoside synthesis, under industrially relevant conditions.

Enzyme-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective ketone reductions.

In this chapter, examples are given of the application of highly reactive prochiral ketones as substrates for enzymatic reductions. 3,5-Dioxocarboxylates are polyketide-like compounds that can be used to synthesize all of the possible stereoisomers of the corresponding 1,3-diols by means of regio- and enantioselective enzymatic reduction. The results obtained from an investigation into the usefulness of the resulting hydroxyl ketones and 1,3-diols in organic synthesis led to the development of non-natural functionalized ynones as a starting material for the enzymatic route to enantiopure propargylic alcohols. A broad variety of substituted acetylenic ketones can be reduced enantioselectively by the oxidoreductases Lactobacillus brevis ADH (LBADH), Candida parapsilosis carbonyl reductase (CPCR), horse liver ADH (HLADH) and Thermoanaerobium brockii ADH (TBADH). The resulting propargylic alcohols can be obtained in either enantiomeric form, since (R)- and (S)-specific oxidoreductases can be applied. By varying the size of the substituents, the enantiomeric excess can be tuned, or the enantioselectivity can even be reversed. The obtained highly functionalized enantiopure alcohols are synthetically flexible chiral building blocks that offer new synthetic strategies for target- and diversity-oriented synthesis.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-callystatin A and (-)-20-epi-callystatin A employing chemical and biological methods.

An efficient asymmetric total synthesis of the potent cytotoxic marine natural product (-)-callystatin A and its 20-epi analogue has been achieved. The synthetic pathway involved the preparation of three fragments to be coupled with each other at the end of the route. The first fragment 3 was obtained using a biocatalytic enantioselective reduction of a 3,5-dioxocarboxylate as the key step. For the second intermediate 4 the asymmetric alpha-alkylation of an O-protected derivative of 4-hydroxybutanal was performed exploiting the SAMP/RAMP hydrazone alkylation methodology, and followed by a highly Z-selective Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction under modified conditions. For the synthesis of the polypropionate fragment 5 a diastereoselective syn-aldol reaction was employed between a chiral ethyl ketone and an alpha-substituted chiral aldehyde, both prepared in enantiopure form again by means of the asymmetric alkylation of their corresponding RAMP hydrazones. Finally, these three building blocks were coupled using highly E-selective Wittig reactions via allyltributylphosphonium ylides to afford the target compounds after a final oxidation/deprotection sequence.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-callystatin A employing the SAMP/RAMP hydrazone alkylation methodology.

[structure: see text] The asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-callystatin A has been achieved. The key steps generating the stereogenic centers rely on the asymmetric alpha-alkylation of aldehydes or ketones exploiting the SAMP/RAMP hydrazone alkylation methodology, as well as an enzymatic enantioselective reduction of a 3,5-dioxocarboxylate. For the construction of the alkene moieties, highly selective Wittig or Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions were employed.

Diastereomer-differentiating hydrolysis of 1,3-diol-acetonides: a simplified procedure for the separation of syn- and anti-1,3-diols.

[reaction: see text] A new method to facilitate the separation of diastereomeric syn- and anti-1,3-diols is described. The method relies on the different hydrolysis rates of the corresponding diastereomeric acetonides. Treatment of a dichloromethane solution of syn- and anti-1,3-diol-acetonide with a catalytic amount of diluted aqueous hydrochloric acid leads to the selective cleavage of the anti diastereomer. The resulting anti-1,3-diol can be easily separated from the unchanged syn-1,3-diol-acetonide.