Synthesis and application of L-N-Boc-N-methyl-β-hydroxyvaline in the preparation of a depsipeptide

Abstract

Enantiopure (>99% ee) L-N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-N-methyl-β-hydroxyvaline (2) was synthesized in six steps and 43% overall yield from D-serine methyl ester (5). Methyl (4S)-N-(9-phenylfluoren-9-yl)-oxazolidine-4-carboxylate (7) was prepared in two steps and 73% yield by N-phenylfluorenation of 5 followed by cyclization of N-(PhF)amino alcohol 6 with formaldehyde and catalytic p-toluenesulfonic acid (PhF = 9-phenylfluoren-9-yl). The addition of MeLi to oxazolidine carboxylate 7 produced the tertiary alcohol 8 in 91% yield. Oxazolidines 8 equilibrated with oxazolidine 9 under acidic conditions. Reduction of pure 8 or the mixture of oxazolidines 8 and 9 with NaCNBH3 and hydrochloric acid in anhydrous dioxane afforded N-methyl amino diol 11 in 86%–92% yields. Attempts to selectively oxidize N-(PhF)amino diol 11 were unsuccessful; however, hydrogenation of 11 in the presence of di-tert-butyl dicarbonate gave the corresponding N-(Boc)amino diol 12 in 82% yield. Selective oxidation of diol 12 was performed using a cocktail containing TEMPO free radical, NaClO2, and NaOCl to give L-N-Boc-N-methyl-β-hydroxyvaline (2) in 87% yield. Coupling of β-hydroxyvaline 2 and (S)-2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate (15) was accomplished by using the methodology of Mitsunobu to provide depsipeptide Boc-(S)-HOMeVal-(R)-Hmb (4) for use as a building block in the synthesis of the cyclic antifungal depsipeptide aureobasidin B.Key words: N-methylated amino acid, serine, depsipeptide, aureobasidin.