Lactam Ring Research Articles

Synthesis of Substituted Pyrroles from 2-Azetidinone Allenols

Reported is the formation of highly substituted pyrrole systems by reaction of β-lactams with sodium methoxide. The required β-lactams were formed through an indium-mediated Barbier-type allenylation reaction previously developed by the authors. Reaction of these allenyl β-lactams with sodium methoxide opens the lactam ring to a secondary amine, which then undergoes reaction with the allene to form the desired pyrrole ring upon workup. Two examples of the intermediate amine (structures A above) were isolated and cyclized to pyrroles using catalytic silver nitrate. All other analogues examined spontaneously formed pyrroles under the sodium methoxide reaction conditions.

Mirabilin, an Antitumor Macrolide Lactam from the Marine Sponge Siliquariaspongia mirabilis

A new highly unsaturated macrolide lactam, termed mirabilin ( 1), was isolated from the aqueous extract of the marine sponge Siliquariaspongia mirabilis. Mirabilin is characterized by the presence of a 35-membered macrolide lactam ring bearing a pentadiene conjugated system and a tetrasubstituted tetrahydropyran ring. A linear polyketide moiety is attached to the macrocyclic ring through an amide linkage. The structure of mirabilin was determined using extensive 2D NMR and ESIMS and tandem MS techniques. Mirabilin inhibits the growth of the tumor cell line HCT-116 with an IC 50 value of 0.27 +/- 0.09 microM and is noncytotoxic to several other cell lines.

Synthesis and SAR studies of indole-based MK2 inhibitors

Chemistry has been developed to specifically functionalize two structurally similar classes of indole-based MK2 inhibitors at positions prompted by a combination of X-ray crystallographic and computer assisted drug design. A gain in molecular potency was obtained by introducing aminomethyl groups to the lactam rings of 6-arylcarbamoyl-tetrahydro-beta-carbolinone and 6-arylcarbamoyl-dihydropyrazino[1,2-a]indolone MK2 inhibitors. In addition, improvements in molecular potency were achieved by expansion of the lactam from a 6- to 7-membered ring leading to 7-arylcarbamoyl-tetrahydro-[1,4]diazepino[1,2-a]indolones.

Concise syntheses of substituted indolizidine alkaloids via cyclization based on α-sulfinyl carbanions: preparation of (±)-indolizidines 167B and 209D, their epimers, and (±)-tashiromine

(±)-Indolizidines 167B and 209D, their epimers and (±)-tashiromine have been successfully synthesized, starting from simple γ- or α-lactams. The strategy involves the cyclization of α-sulfinyl carbanion onto the carbonyl group of the lactam ring as the key step, leading to the indolizidines containing the phenylsulfinyl group, which are used as precursors for the preparation of the title compounds.

Synthesis of 2-{[2-(2-oxo-1-azacycloalkyl)acetamido]phenoxy}acetic acids and their activity as aminopeptidase M inhibitors

A series of 9 phenoxyacetic acids substituted in the o-, m-, and p-position of benzene ring with 2-(2-oxo-1-azacycloalkyl)acetamidic moiety containing 5-7-membered ?-lactam ring was prepared by a 4-step synthetic procedure. Five selected substances of this series were tested in vitro for inhibition of porcine kidney aminopeptidase M. 2-{4-[2-(2-Oxoperhydroazepin-1-yl)acetamido]phenoxy}acetic acid exhibited the highest activity with Ki = 243.6 ?M.

Synthesis of bis‐Phenylalanine, A Novel Eight‐Membered Cyclic Dipeptide

Cyclic eight‐membered ring lactams have been prepared which are formally analogs of Phe‐Ala or Ala‐Phe dipeptides joined together on their side chains. These are termed bis‐phenylalanines because they are phenylalanine with respect to both of the residues in which the phenyl ring is shared between the two. The key synthetic step was the Negishi coupling of Boc‐β‐I‐Ala methyl ester with a suitably protected 2′‐I phenylalanine.

Molecular Building Kit of Fused-Proline-Derived Peptide Mimetics Allowing Specific Adjustment of the Dihedral Ψ Angle

Proline-derived peptide mimetics have become an area of paramount importance in peptide and protein chemistry. Since protein crystal structures frequently display Psi angles of 140-170 degrees for prolyl moieties, our intention was to design a completely novel series of 2,3-fused-proline-derived lactams covering this particular conformational space. Extending our recently described toolset of spirocyclic reverse-turn mimetics, we synthesized pyrrolidinyl-fused seven-, eight-, and nine-membered unsaturated lactam model peptides taking advantage of Grubbs' ring-closing metathesis. Investigating the seven-membered lactam 3a by means of IR and NMR spectroscopy and semiempirical molecular dynamics simulations, we could not observe a U-turn conformation; however, increasing the ring size to give eight- and nine-membered congeners revealed moderate and high type IotaIota beta-turn inducing properties. Interestingly, the conformational properties of our model systems depend on both the ring size of the fused dehydro-Freidinger lactam and the position of the endocyclic double bond. Superior reverse-turn inducing properties could be observed for the fused azacyclononenone 3e. According to diagnostic transanular NOEs, a discrete folding principle of the lactam ring strongly deviating from the regioisomeric lactams 3c,f explains the conformational behavior. Hence, we were able to establish a molecular building kit that allows adjustments of a wide range of naturally occurring proline Psi angles and thus can be exploited to probe molecular recognition and functional properties of biological systems.

Effect of stability of nanosized catalyst-polymer substrate complex on hydrolysis of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) in copper sols

The causes of a high total conversion and the S-shaped pattern of the time dependence of conversion for copper sol-catalyzed hydrolysis of the lactam rings of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) have been studied. The high conversion of the hydrolusis is achieved via replacement of modified macromolecules in shields of catalyst particles with less modified macromolecules from the dispersion medium of a sol in the course of reaction owing to a decline in the stability of copper nanoparticle complexes with macromolecules with an increase in the degree of hydrolysis. A reduction in the complex stability leads to an increase in the lability of bonding of shielding polymer chains with the catalyst surface and to the growth of the rate of rearrangement and the overall rate of reaction after the induction period. This situation is also responsible for the enlargement of nanosized catalyst particles in the course of reaction and the destruction of the sol after a limiting conversion of units of ∼40–50% is attained.

Mechanistic insights into the inhibition of prostate specific antigen by β‐lactam class compounds

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is a biomarker used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and to monitor therapeutic response. However, its precise role in prostate carcinogenesis and metastasis remains largely unknown. A number of studies arguing in the favor of an active role of PSA in prostate cancer development and progression have implicated this serine protease in the release and activation of growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) through cleavage of insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 and Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-beta) through cleavage of Latent TGF-beta. In contrast, other studies suggest that PSA activity might hinder tumor development and progression. In light of these contradictory findings, efficient inhibitors of PSA are needed for exploring its biological role in tumor development and metastasis. Towards the goal of developing potent inhibitors of PSA, we have explored the molecular mechanism of a series of beta-lactam based compounds on binding to PSA using activity assays, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization with a time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and GOLD docking methodology. The mass spectrometry experiments and the activity assays confirmed the time-dependent and covalent nature of beta-lactam binding. To gain insights on the reaction intermediates at the molecular level, we docked beta-lactam inhibitors to a homology modeled PSA using the GOLD docking program in noncovalent and covalent binding modes. The docking studies elucidated the molecular details of the early noncovalent Michaelis complex, the acyl-enzyme covalent complex, and the nature of conformational reorganization required for the long term stability of the covalent complex. Additionally, the molecular basis for the effect of stereochemistry of the lactam ring on the inhibitory potency was elucidated through docking of beta-lactam enantiomers. As a validation of our docking methodology, two novel enantiomers were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory potency using fluorogenic substrate based activity assays. Additionally, cis enantiomers of eight beta-lactam compounds reported in a previous study were docked and their GOLD scores and binding modes were analyzed in order to assess the general applicability of our docking results. The close agreement of our docking results with the experimental data validates the mechanistic insights revealed through the docking studies and paves the way for the design and development of potent and specific inhibitors of PSA.

Antibiotic Deactivation by a Dizinc β-Lactamase: Mechanistic Insights from QM/MM and DFT Studies

Hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods and density functional theory (DFT) were used to investigate the initial ring-opening step in the hydrolysis of moxalactam catalyzed by the dizinc L1 beta-lactamase from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Anchored at the enzyme active site via direct metal binding as suggested by a recent X-ray structure of an enzyme-product complex (Spencer, J.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 14439), the substrate is well aligned with the nucleophilic hydroxide that bridges the two zinc ions. Both QM/MM and DFT results indicate that the addition of the hydroxide nucleophile to the carbonyl carbon in the substrate lactam ring leads to a metastable intermediate via a dominant nucleophilic addition barrier. The potential of mean force obtained by SCC-DFTB/MM simulations and corrected by DFT/MM calculations yields a reaction free energy barrier of 23.5 kcal/mol, in reasonable agreement with the experimental value of 18.5 kcal/mol derived from kcat of 0.15 s(-1). It is further shown that zinc-bound Asp120 plays an important role in aligning the nucleophile, but accepts the hydroxide proton only after the nucleophilic addition. The two zinc ions are found to participate intimately in the catalysis, consistent with the proposed mechanism. In particular, the Zn(1) ion is likely to serve as an "oxyanion hole" in stabilizing the carbonyl oxygen, while the Zn(2) ion acts as an electrophilic catalyst to stabilize the anionic nitrogen leaving group.

Efficient Inhibition of Class A and Class D β-Lactamases by Michaelis Complexes

A 6-alkylidiene penam sulfone, SA-1-204, is an efficient inhibitor of both SHV-1 and OXA-1 beta-lactamases with K(I) = 42 +/- 4 nm and 1.0 +/- 0.1 microm, respectively. To gain insight into the reaction chemistry of SA-1-204, the reactions between this inhibitor and SHV-1 and OXA-1 were studied by Raman spectroscopy in single crystals and in solution. Raman signatures characteristic of the unreacted beta-lactam ring show that in both phases the inhibitor binds as a noncovalent Michaelis-like complex. This complex is present as the major population for periods of up to an hour. On longer time scales, the Raman data show that beta-lactam ring opening eventually leads to a complex mixture of reaction products. However, the data clearly demonstrate that the key species for inhibition on the time scale of bacterial half-lives is the noncovalent complex preceding acylation.

Resolution of α-aminolactams by inclusion complexation with chiral host compounds

3-Aminopiperidin-2-one and α-amino-ε-caprolactam were efficiently resolved by inclusion complexation with a chiral host compound, ( R, R)-(−)- trans-4,5-bis(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1,4-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane. The amino substituent on the lactam ring was found to play an important role in efficient chiral recognition in the inclusion crystals.

β-Lactam Derivatives as Enzyme Inhibitors: Peptidic Derivatives of (RS)-2-Oxo-4-phenylazetidine-1-alkanoic Acids

4-Phenylazetidine-2-one was transformed into 4-phenylazetidine-1-alkanoic acids, which were reacted in the presence of diphenylphosphoroazidate with amino acid esters and dipeptide esters yielding β-lactam peptides with different spacers between the lactam ring and the peptide moiety. All structures were established by elementary analyses, HPLC, optical rotation, and spectroscopic data and all new compounds were tested as inhibitors of PPE using standard procedures. Four compounds exhibited a weak activity compared with the standard inhibitor trifluoroacetyl-l-val-l-tyr-l-val.

Solventless lactam synthesis by intramolecular cyclizations of alpha-iminoester derivatives under microwave irradiation.

We have previously reported a new synthesis of amides from esters and amines under microwave irradiation, offering much higher yields than those achieved with conventional heating [1]. We have now extended these studies to the ring closure of neat iminoesters I2, I3 and I4-I6 to give five- and six-membered ring lactams L5, L6 and larger lactams L7-L9 (where I means imine and L means lactam), respectively, under both classical heating conditions and microwave irradiation.

Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship of [Nle10]Neurokinin A (4–10) Analogs with Constraint in the Backbone and at Position Six

Steric requirements of binding [Nle10]NKA(4–10) to NK-2 receptor were studied by introducing conformationally constrained amino acid analogs into its sequence. Two series of [Nle10]NKA(4–10) analogs were synthesized to investigate (i) the significance of a putative β-turn in the receptor-ligand interaction by insertion of either (S)- or (R)-Gly8{ANC-2}Leu9 γ-lactams to mimic a β-turn constraint, and (ii) the effect of hindered rotation in the Φ, χ1 and χ2 dihedral angle space of the crucially important Phe6 which was replaced systematically with d-Phe, d- and l-Tyr, as well as with their conformationally constrained analogs, Tic, HOTic and β-MePhe. Competition binding experiments with [3H]NKA were performed using cloned human NK-2 receptors expressed in CHO cells. The analog possessing only an (R)-Gly8{ANC-2}Leu9 constraint, had the same binding affinity as that of the parent peptide. The rank order of potency of the other analogs showed a cumulative effect of different structural modifications in decreasing the binding affinity, i.e., when changing the configuration of the lactam ring to S, replacing Phe6 with constrained analogs, Tic or β-MePhe, changing the configuration of the amino acid at position six to d, and introducing a hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring.

Crystal Structures of a Quorum-quenching Antibody

A large number of Gram-negative bacteria employ N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as signaling molecules in quorum sensing, which is a population density-dependent mechanism to coordinate gene expression. Antibody RS2-1G9 was elicited against a lactam mimetic of the N-acyl homoserine lactone and represents the only reported monoclonal antibody that recognizes the naturally-occuring N-acyl homoserine lactone with high affinity. Due to its high cross-reactivity, RS2-1G9 showed remarkable inhibition of quorum sensing signaling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common opportunistic pathogen in humans. The crystal structure of Fab RS2-1G9 in complex with a lactam analog revealed complete encapsulation of the polar lactam moiety in the antibody-combining site. This mode of recognition provides an elegant immunological solution for tight binding to an aliphatic, lipid-like ligand with a small head group lacking typical haptenic features, such as aromaticity or charge, which are often incorporated into hapten design to generate high-affinity antibodies. The ability of RS2-1G9 to discriminate between closely related AHLs is conferred by six hydrogen bonds to the ligand. Conversely, cross-reactivity of RS2-1G9 towards the lactone is likely to originate from conservation of these hydrogen bonds as well as an additional hydrogen bond to the oxygen of the lactone ring. A short, narrow tunnel exiting at the protein surface harbors a portion of the acyl chain and would not allow entry of the head group. The crystal structure of the antibody without its cognate lactam or lactone ligands revealed a considerably altered antibody-combining site with a closed binding pocket. Curiously, a completely buried ethylene glycol molecule mimics the lactam ring and, thus, serves as a surrogate ligand. The detailed structural delineation of this quorum-quenching antibody will aid further development of an antibody-based therapy against bacterial pathogens by interference with quorum sensing.

Synthesis of Lactams by Radical Substitution Reaction of α,β-Unsaturated Acyl Radicals at Amine Nitrogen

[reaction: see text] Substitution at nitrogen by alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl radicals took place accompanied by elimination of an alpha-phenethyl radical. This reaction led to the development of a new carbonylative annulation method for five- to seven-membered ring lactams.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of new 2-azetidinones from N-(salicylidene)amines and 2-diazo-1,2-diarylethanones

This paper describes the reactions of N-salicylideneamines with diarylketenes generated from thermal decomposition of the 2-diazo-1,2-diarylethanones. An equimolar reaction of the N- salicylidenebenzhydrylamine with diphenylketene affords a mixture of 2- ((benzhydrylimino)methyl)phenyl-2,2-diphenylacetate as a major product and 1-benzhydryl-3,3- diphenyl-4-(2'-(O-diphenylacyl)hydroxyphenyl)-2-azetidinone as a minor product. The reactions of various N-salicylideneamines with 2.2 molar equivalents of 2-diazo-1,2-diarylethanones have been carried out to afford 1-substituted-3,3-diaryl-4-(2'-(O-diarylacyl)hydroxyphenyl)-2- azetidinones as sole product in excellent yields. The products, characterized on the basis of satisfactory analytical and spectral data, have shown moderate to good antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and fungi. Among the fourteen compounds in the series, the 2-azetidinone 4l with a 4-chlorophenyl group on β-lactam ring nitrogen and 4-methylphenyl groups on β- lactam ring C-3 position is the most active compound.

5-HT 2C antagonists based on fused heterotricyclic templates: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation

Design, synthesis and properties of a new tricyclic series of selective 5-HT 2C receptor antagonists are reported. Conformational analysis of a 2-phenyl-dihydropyrrolone scaffold suggested that ring fusion, locking coplanarity between the rings of this moiety, might be tolerated by the 5-HT 2C receptor. An interesting effect of this is the change of the nature of the carbon–carbon double bond of the lactam ring from vinylic to aromatic. The changes were found to result in a favourable profile at both, receptor and in vivo level.

Synthesis and Hepatic Metabolism of Xanthobilirubinic Acid Regioisomers

A set of four regioisomeric dipyrrinone propionic acids has been synthesized and their hepatic metabolism examined in rats: xanthobilirubinic acid and pseudo-xanthobilirubinic acid each with a propionic acid on a pyrrole ring; exo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid and endo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid, each with a propionic acid transposed to a lactam ring. After intravenous injection all four isomers were excreted to some degree in unchanged form in bile in normal rats. Xanthobilirubinic acid, the structurally closest dipyrrinone to bilirubin, and exo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid were excreted almost entirely in unchanged form. However, a small fraction of xanthobilirubinic acid acyl glucuronide was also detected. More extensive acyl glucuronidation was observed for pseudo-xanthobilirubinic acid, and endo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid underwent slow metabolism to unidentified more polar products that did not seem to be glucuronides.