Alterations to the broad-spectrum formin inhibitor SMIFH2 modulate potency but not specificity.

SMIFH2 is a small molecule inhibitor of the formin family of cytoskeletal regulators that was originally identified in a screen for suppression of actin polymerization induced by the mouse formin Diaphanous 1 (mDia1). Despite widespread use of this compound, it is unknown whether SMIFH2 inhibits all human formins. Additionally, the nature of protein/inhibitor interactions remains elusive. We assayed SMIFH2 against human formins representing six of the seven mammalian classes and found inhibitory activity against all formins tested. We synthesized a panel of SMIFH2 derivatives and found that, while many alterations disrupt SMIFH2 activity, substitution of an electron-donating methoxy group in place of the bromine along with halogenation of the furan ring increases potency by approximately five-fold. Similar to SMIFH2, the active derivatives are also pan-inhibitors for the formins tested. This result suggests that while potency can be improved, the goal of distinguishing between highly conserved FH2 domains may not be achievable using the SMIFH2 scaffold.

Glycal Metallanitrenes for 2-Amino Sugar Synthesis: Amidoglycosylation of Gulal-, Allal-, Glucal-, and Galactal 3-Carbamates.

The rhodium(II)-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of glycal 3-carbamates with in situ incorporation of an alcohol nucleophile at the anomeric position provides access to a range of 2-amino sugars having 1,2-trans-2,3-cis stereochemistry, a structural motif present in compounds of medicinal and biological significance such as the streptothricin group of antibiotics and the Chitinase inhibitor allosamidin. All of the diastereomeric d-glycal 3-carbamates have been investigated, revealing significant differences in anomeric stereoselectivity depending on substrate stereochemistry and protecting groups. In addition, some substrates were prone to forming C3-oxidized dihydropyranone byproducts under the reaction conditions. Allal- and gulal 3-carbamates provided uniformly high stereo- and chemoselectivity, while for glucal substrates, acyclic, electron-withdrawing protecting groups at the 4 O and 6 O positions were required. Galactal 3-carbamates have been the most challenging substrates; formation of their amidoglycosylation products is most effective with an electron-withdrawing 6 O-Ts substituent and a sterically demanding 4 O-TBS group. These results suggest a mechanism whereby conformational and electronic factors determine the partitioning of an intermediate acyl nitrenoid between alkene addition, leading to amidoglycosylation, and C3-H insertion, providing the dihydropyranone byproduct. Along the amidoglycosylation pathway, high anomeric selectivity results when a glycosyl aziridine intermediate is favored over an aziridine-opened oxocarbenium donor.

Dihydropyranone formation by ipso C-H activation in a glucal 3-carbamate-derived rhodium acyl nitrenoid.

By using (N-tosyloxy)-3-O-carbamoyl-D-glucal 10, which removes the need for a hypervalent iodine(III) oxidant, we provide evidence for rhodium nitrenoid-mediated ipso C-H activation as the origin of a C3-oxidized dihydropyranone product 3. This system may be especially susceptible to such a pathway because of the ease of forming a cation upon hydride transfer to the rhodium-complexed acyl nitrene.

Protecting group and solvent control of stereo- and chemoselectivity in glucal 3-carbamate amidoglycosylation.

In the Rh(2)(OAc)(4)-catalyzed amidoglycosylation of glucal 3-carbamates, anomeric stereoselectivity and the extent of competing C3-H oxidation depend on the 4O and 6O protecting groups. Acyclic protection permits high alpha-anomer selectivity with further improvement in less polar solvents, while electron-withdrawing protecting groups limit C3-oxidized byproducts. Stereocontrol and bifurcation between alkene insertion and C3-H oxidation reflect an interplay of conformational, stereoelectronic, and inductive factors.

Alpha-N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) synthesis via rhodium(II)-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of glucal 3-carbamates.

[reaction: see text] Glucal 3-carbamates 1 and 7 underwent oxidative cyclization with iodobenzene diacetate or iodosobenzene in the presence of Rh2(OAc)4, providing mannosamine 2-N,3-O-oxazolidinones. With iodosobenzene, incorporation of 4-penten-1-ol provided a readily separable anomeric mixture of n-pentenyl glycosides, with the anomers exhibiting pronounced differences in reactivity as glycosyl donors. N-acylation of the sugar oxazolidinones led to alpha-selective glycosyl donors for the elaboration of various 2-mannosamine frameworks. Alternatively, the anomeric n-pentenyl glycosides of N-Cbz 2-mannosamine oxazolidinones were converted separately to oxazolidinone-opened derivatives 28alpha and 28beta. These served as stereoconvergent glycosyl donors, and the alpha-linked products were readily advanced to a variety of N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) frameworks, using an intramolecular O-->N acetyl transfer as the final step.

Amidoglycosylation via metal-catalyzed internal nitrogen atom delivery.

[reaction: see text] Rhodium and copper acyl nitrenoids are likely intermediates in amidoglycosylation reactions of allal 3-carbamates. Iodine(III)-mediated nitrenoid formation, interaction of this species with the glycal enol ether pi-system, and highly beta-stereoselective glycosylation occur in a one-pot process that requires no additional Lewis acid activation.

Studies of Acyl Nitrene Insertions. A Stereocontrolled Route toward Lankacidin Antibiotics.

Photochemically generated acyl nitrenes undergo facile addition to 4,5-dihydrofurans 20 and 24b to yield the novel 2-ethoxyoxazolines 21 and 25. The regiocontrolled C=C insertion has provided for introduction of the sterically hindered C-3 amido appendage of the lankacidins 1-4 with high stereoselectivity. High chemoselectivity for the C=C insertion pathway was demonstrated upon production of the acyl nitrene intermediate from azide 33b. Intramolecular competition for allylic C(3)-H insertion versus C=C addition yielded exclusive formation of seven-membered N-acyl aziridines 34a,b. The latent aldehydic functionality of oxazolines such as 21 and 25 is exposed upon a brief hydrolysis, permitting further chemical elaboration. Wittig condensation of the lactol from 25 has led to the synthesis of the lactone fragment 5, containing all of the necessary stereochemistry and functionality for incorporation into the lankacidin antibiotics. The acyl nitrene insertion into 4,5-dihydrofurans affords a route toward unusual beta-amido acids and amino sugar derivatives as shown via stereocontrolled formation of the amidofuranose derivatives 31 and 32. The three-step process of acyl nitrene addition, hydrolysis of the resulting 2,5-dialkoxy oxazoline intermediates, and Wittig carbon chain elongation provides the stereocontrolled formation of novel beta-amido esters.