Construction of Challenging Proline-Proline Junctions via Diselenide-Selenoester Ligation Chemistry.

Polyproline sequences are highly abundant in prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins, where they serve as key components of secondary structure. To date, construction of the proline-proline motif has not been possible owing to steric congestion at the ligation junction, together with an n → π* electronic interaction that reduces the reactivity of acylated proline residues at the C-terminus of peptides. Here, we harness the enhanced reactivity of prolyl selenoesters and a trans-γ-selenoproline moiety to access the elusive proline-proline junction for the first time through a diselenide-selenoester ligation-deselenization manifold. The efficient nature of this chemistry is highlighted in the high-yielding one-pot assembly of two proline-rich polypeptide targets, submaxillary gland androgen regulated protein 3B and lumbricin-1. This method provides access to the most challenging of ligation junctions, thus enabling the construction of previously intractable peptide and protein targets of increasing structural complexity.

Creation through immobilization: a new family of high performance heterogeneous bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) superbase organocatalysts.

An immobilized chiral bifunctional iminophosphorane superbase organocatalyst has been developed and applied in a range of challenging enantioselective reactions. A unique feature of this novel catalytic system is that the final step creation of the iminophosphorane occurs at the point of immobilization. The utility of the immobilized catalyst system was demonstrated in the nitro-Mannich reaction of ketimines as well as the conjugate addition of high pKa 1,3-dicarbonyl pro-nucleophiles to nitrostyrene. Catalyst recycling was also demonstrated.

A new family of cinchona-derived bifunctional asymmetric phase-transfer catalysts: application to the enantio- and diastereoselective nitro-Mannich reaction of amidosulfones.

A new family of bifunctional H-bond donor phase-transfer catalysts derived from cinchona alkaloids has been developed and evaluated in the enantio- and diastereoselective nitro-Mannich reaction of in situ generated N-Boc-protected imines of aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic aldehydes. Under optimal conditions, good reactivity and high diastereoselectivities (up to 24:1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee) were obtained using a 9-amino-9-deoxyepiquinidine-derived phase-transfer catalyst possessing a 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylurea H-bond donor group at the 9-position.