Cesium Carbonate Promoted Direct Amidation of Unactivated Esters with Amino Alcohol Derivatives.

Cesium carbonate promoted direct amidation of unactivated esters with amino alcohols was developed without the use of transition-metal catalysts and coupling reagents. This method enabled the synthesis of several serine-containing oligopeptides and benzamide derivatives with yields up to 90%. The methodology proceeds under mild reaction conditions and exhibits no racemization for most naturally occurring amino acid substrates. The reaction demonstrates good compatibility with primary alkyl and benzyl esters and broad tolerance for a range of amino acid substrates with nonpolar and protected side chains. The hydroxy group on the amine nucleophile was found to be critical for the reaction to be successful. A likely mechanism involving cesium coordination to the substrates enabling the subsequent proximity-driven acyl transfer was proposed. The practicality of this approach was demonstrated in the preparation of a biologically active nicotinamide derivative in a reasonable yield.

Regenerable Acidity of Graphene Oxide in Promoting Multicomponent Organic Synthesis.

The Brønsted acidity of graphene oxide (GO) materials has shown promising activity in organic synthesis. However, roles and functionality of Lewis acid sites remain elusive. Herein, we reported a carbocatalytic approach utilizing both Brønsted and Lewis acid sites in GOs as heterogeneous promoters in a series of multicomponent synthesis of triazoloquinazolinone compounds. The GOs possessing the highest degree of oxidation, also having the highest amounts of Lewis acid sites, enable optimal yields (up to 95%) under mild and non-toxic reaction conditions (85 °C in EtOH). The results of FT-IR spectroscopy, temperature-programed decomposition mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy identified that the apparent Lewis acidity via basal plane epoxide ring opening, on top of the saturated Brønsted acidic carboxylic groups, is responsible for the enhanced carbocatalytic activities involving Knoevenagel condensation pathway. Recycled GO can be effectively regenerated to reach 97% activity of fresh GO, supporting the recognition of GO as pseudocatalyst in organic synthesis.

Copper promotes E. coli laccase-mediated TNT biotransformation and alters the toxicity of TNT metabolites toward Tigriopus japonicus.

Although laccase is involved in the biotransformation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), little is known regarding the effect of E. coli laccase on TNT biotransformation. In this study, E. coli K12 served as the parental strain to construct a laccase deletion strain and two laccase-overexpressing strains. These E. coli strains were used to investigate the effect of laccase together with copper ions on the efficiency of TNT biotransformation, the variety of TNT biotransformation products generated and the toxicity of the TNT metabolites. The results showed that the laccase level was not relevant to TNT biotransformation in the soluble fraction of the culture medium. Conversely, TNT metabolites varied in the insoluble fraction analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The insoluble fraction from the laccase-null strain showed fewer and relatively fainter spots than those detected in the wild-type and laccase-overexpressing strains, indicating that laccase expression levels were interrelated determinants of the varieties and amounts of TNT metabolites produced. In addition, the aquatic invertebrate Tigriopus japonicus was used to assess the toxicity of the TNT metabolites. The toxicity of the TNT metabolite mixture increased when the intracellular laccase level in strains increased or when purified E. coli recombinant Laccase (rLaccase) was added to the culture medium. Thus, our results suggest that laccase activity must be considered when performing microbial TNT remediation.

Genetic Incorporation of Olefin Cross-Metathesis Reaction Tags for Protein Modification.

Olefin cross-metathesis (CM) is a viable reaction for the modification of alkene-containing proteins. Although allyl sulfide or selenide side-chain motifs in proteins can critically enhance the rate of CM reactions, no efficient method for their site-selective genetic incorporation into proteins has been reported to date. Here, through the systematic evaluation of olefin-bearing unnatural amino acids for their metabolic incorporation, we have discovered S-allylhomocysteine (Ahc) as a genetically encodable Met analogue that is not only processed by translational cellular machinery but also a privileged CM substrate residue in proteins. In this way, Ahc was used for efficient Met codon reassignment in a Met-auxotrophic strain of E. coli (B834 (DE3)) as well as metabolic labeling of protein in human cells and was reactive toward CM in several representative proteins. This expands the use of CM in the toolkit for "tag-and-modify" functionalization of proteins.

Synthesis of Histidine-Containing Oligopeptides via Histidine-Promoted Peptide Ligation.

Histidine-containing peptides are valuable therapeutic agents for a treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the synthesis of histidine-containing peptides is not trivial due to the potential of imidazole sidechain of histidine to act as a nucleophile if unprotected. A peptide ligation method utilizing the imidazole sidechain of histidine has been developed. The key imidazolate intermediate that acts as an internal acyl transfer catalyst during ligation is generated by deprotonation. Transesterification with amino acids or peptides tethered with C-terminal thioester followed by N→N acyl shifts led to the final ligated products. A range of histidine-containing dipeptides could be synthesized in moderate to good yields via this method without protecting the imidazole sidechain. The protocol was further extended to tripeptide synthesis via a long-range N→N acyl transfer, and tetrapeptide synthesis.

Copper(I)-Mediated Denitrogenative Macrocyclization for the Synthesis of Cyclic α3 ß-Tetrapeptide Analogues.

A copper(I)-mediated denitrogenative reaction has been successfully developed for the preparation of cyclic tetrapeptides. The key reactive intermediate, ketenimine, triggers intramolecular cyclization through attack of the terminal amine group to generate an internal ß-amino acid with an amidine linkage. The chemistry developed herein provides a new synthetic route for the preparation of cyclic α3 ß-tetrapeptide analogues that contain important biological properties and results in rich structural information being obtained for conformational studies. With the success of this copper(I)-catalyzed macrocyclization, two histone deacetylase inhibitor analogues consisting of the cyclic α3 ß-tetrapeptide framework have been successfully synthesized.

Rapid cross-metathesis for reversible protein modifications via chemical access to Se-allyl-selenocysteine in proteins.

Cross-metathesis (CM) has recently emerged as a viable strategy for protein modification. Here, efficient protein CM has been demonstrated through biomimetic chemical access to Se-allyl-selenocysteine (Seac), a metathesis-reactive amino acid substrate, via dehydroalanine. On-protein reaction kinetics reveal a rapid reaction with rate constants of Seac-mediated-CM comparable or superior to off-protein rates of many current bioconjugations. This use of Se-relayed Seac CM on proteins has now enabled reactions with substrates (allyl GlcNAc, N-allyl acetamide) that were previously not possible for the corresponding sulfur analogue. This CM strategy was applied to histone proteins to install a mimic of acetylated lysine (KAc, an epigenetic marker). The resulting synthetic H3 was successfully recognized by antibody that binds natural H3-K9Ac. Moreover, Cope-type selenoxide elimination allowed this putative marker (and function) to be chemically expunged, regenerating an H3 that can be rewritten to complete a chemically enabled "write (CM)-erase (ox)-rewrite (CM)" cycle.

Olefin cross-metathesis on proteins: investigation of allylic chalcogen effects and guiding principles in metathesis partner selection.

Olefin metathesis has recently emerged as a viable reaction for chemical protein modification. The scope and limitations of olefin metathesis in bioconjugation, however, remain unclear. Herein we report an assessment of various factors that contribute to productive cross-metathesis on protein substrates. Sterics, substrate scope, and linker selection are all considered. It was discovered during this investigation that allyl chalcogenides generally enhance the rate of alkene metathesis reactions. Allyl selenides were found to be exceptionally reactive olefin metathesis substrates, enabling a broad range of protein modifications not previously possible. The principles considered in this report are important not only for expanding the repertoire of bioconjugation but also for the application of olefin metathesis in general synthetic endeavors.

The allylic chalcogen effect in olefin metathesis.

Olefin metathesis has emerged as a powerful tool in organic synthesis. The activating effect of an allylic hydroxy group in metathesis has been known for more than 10 years, and many organic chemists have taken advantage of this positive influence for efficient synthesis of natural products. Recently, the discovery of the rate enhancement by allyl sulfides in aqueous cross-metathesis has allowed the first examples of such a reaction on proteins. This led to a new benchmark in substrate complexity for cross-metathesis and expanded the potential of olefin metathesis for other applications in chemical biology. The enhanced reactivity of allyl sulfide, along with earlier reports of a similar effect by allylic hydroxy groups, suggests that allyl chalcogens generally play an important role in modulating the rate of olefin metathesis. In this review, we discuss the effect of allylic chalcogens in olefin metathesis and highlight its most recent applications in synthetic chemistry and protein modifications.

Enabling olefin metathesis on proteins: chemical methods for installation of S-allyl cysteine.

Multiple, complementary methods are reported for the chemical conversion of cysteine to S-allyl cysteine on protein surfaces, a useful transformation for the exploration of olefin metathesis on proteins.

Olefin metathesis for site-selective protein modification.

For a reaction to be generally useful for protein modification, it must be site-selective and efficient under conditions compatible with proteins: aqueous media, low to ambient temperature, and at or near neutral pH. To engineer a reaction that satisfies these conditions is not a simple task. Olefin metathesis is one of most useful reactions for carbon-carbon bond formation, but does it fit these requirements? This minireview is an account of the development of olefin metathesis for protein modification. Highlighted below are examples of olefin metathesis in peptidic systems and in aqueous media that laid the groundwork for successful metathesis on protein substrates. Also discussed are the opportunities in protein engineering for the genetic introduction of amino acids suitable for metathesis and the related challenges in chemistry and biology.

Chemical modification of proteins at cysteine: opportunities in chemistry and biology.

Chemical modification of proteins is a rapidly expanding area in chemical biology. Selective installation of biochemical probes has led to a better understanding of natural protein modification and macromolecular function. In other cases such chemical alterations have changed the protein function entirely. Additionally, tethering therapeutic cargo to proteins has proven invaluable in campaigns against disease. For controlled, selective access to such modified proteins, a unique chemical handle is required. Cysteine, with its unique reactivity, has long been used for such modifications. Cysteine has enjoyed widespread use in selective protein modification, yet new applications and even new reactions continue to emerge. This Focus Review highlights the enduring utility of cysteine in protein modification with special focus on recent innovations in chemistry and biology associated with such modifications.

Allyl sulfides are privileged substrates in aqueous cross-metathesis: application to site-selective protein modification.

Allyl sulfides undergo efficient cross-metathesis in aqueous media with Hoveyda-Grubbs second generation catalyst 1. The high reactivity of allyl sulfides in cross-metathesis was exploited in the first examples of cross-metathesis on a protein surface. S-Allylcysteine was incorporated chemically into the protein, providing the requisite allyl sulfide handle. Preliminary efforts to genetically incorporate S-allylcysteine into proteins are also reported.