Synthesis and mannosidase inhibitory profile of a small library of aminocyclitols from shikimic acid-derived scaffolds.

A short synthetic route to a small library of aminocyclitols 14·HCl-19·HCl has been elaborated from the common shikimic acid-derived scaffolds 20 and 21. The developed strategy features three oxidative processes ‒ ozonolysis, dihydroxylation and epoxidation ‒ as the key transformations. The stereochemistry of the newly created stereocentres was confirmed either via crystallographic analysis or by means of NOESY experiments conducted on advanced intermediates. Glycosidase inhibition study revealed no glucosidase inhibition and only weak inhibitory activity against recombinant Drosophila melanogaster Golgi mannosidase (GMIIb).

Substituent Position of Iminocyclitols Determines the Potency and Selectivity for Gut Microbial Xenobiotic-Reactivating Enzymes.

Selective inhibitors of gut bacterial ß-glucuronidases (GUSs) are of particular interest in the prevention of xenobiotic-induced toxicities. This study reports the first structure-activity relationships on potency and selectivity of several iminocyclitols (2-7) for the GUSs. Complex structures of Ruminococcus gnavus GUS with 2-7 explained how charge, conformation, and substituent of iminocyclitols affect their potency and selectivity. N1 of uronic isofagomine (2) made strong electrostatic interactions with two catalytic glutamates of GUSs, resulting in the most potent inhibition (Ki ≥ 11 nM). C6-propyl analogue of 2 (6) displayed 700-fold selectivity for opportunistic bacterial GUSs (Ki = 74 nM for E. coli GUS and 51.8 µM for RgGUS). In comparison with 2, there was 200-fold enhancement in the selectivity, which was attributed to differential interactions between the propyl group and loop 5 residues of the GUSs. The results provide useful insights to develop potent and selective inhibitors for undesired GUSs.

Construction of Optically Active Isotwistanes and Aminocyclitols Using Chiral Cyclohexadiene as a Common Intermediate.

We have developed a new method for synthesizing chiral isotwistane and homoisotwistane skeletons as well as aminocyclitols in a highly stereoselective manner. These results were achieved through the use of a common intermediate, which was derived from the ytterbium-catalyzed asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky diene.

Isolation and Total Synthesis of Kirkamide, an Aminocyclitol from an Obligate Leaf Nodule Symbiont.

The new C7N aminocyclitol kirkamide (1) was isolated from leaf nodules of the plant Psychotria kirkii by using a genome-driven (1)H NMR-guided fractionation approach. The structure and absolute configuration were elucidated by HRMS, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. An enantioselective total synthesis was developed, which delivered kirkamide (1) on a gram scale in 11 steps and features a Ferrier carbocyclization and a Pd-mediated hydroxymethylation. We propose that kirkamide is synthesized by Candidatus Burkholderia kirkii, the obligate leaf symbiont of Psychotria kirkii. Kirkamide (1) was shown to be toxic to aquatic arthropods and insects, thus suggesting that bacterial secondary metabolites play a protective role in the Psychotria/Burkholderia leaf nodule symbiosis.

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of tetrodotoxin from myo-inositol and D-glucose by three routes: aspects for constructing complex multi-functionalized cyclitols with branched-chain structures.

This report describes the stereocontrolled total synthesis of the multi-functionalized cyclitol derivative, tetrodotoxin, containing eight asymmetric carbons and different types of branched-chains, from myo-inositol and D-glucose using three different methods. The tetrodotoxin derivatives possess a relatively small molecular weight but unique structural and chemical properties. Selection of the appropriate synthetic method may be useful not only for compounds related to TTX (including related derivatives), but also for other highly complex multi-functionalized cyclitols containing branched-chains.

Synthesis and evaluation of hydroxymethylaminocyclitols as glycosidase inhibitors.

Four series of C7N aminocyclitol analogues of glucose were synthesized by stereocontrolled epoxide opening of hydroxyl protected forms of the cyclohexane epoxides cyclophellitol and 1,6-epi-cyclophellitol. The resulting hydroxymethyl substituted aminocyclitols were tested as glycosidase inhibitors. Cyclitols having an amino group in an α configuration at a position equivalent to the anomeric in the sugar were found to be low micromolar inhibitors of the α-glucosidase from baker's yeast with Ki's near to 2 µM. On the other hand, N-octyl aminocyclitols having the nitrogen substituents in an α or ß configuration were found to be good inhibitors of recombinant ß-glucocerebrosidase with Ki values between 8.3 and 17 µM, and also inhibited lysosomal ß-glucosidase activity in live cells at low-micromolar concentrations. A computational docking study suggests a differential binding among the different series of ß-glucocerebrosidase inhibitors. In agreement with the experimental results, the binding poses obtained indicate that the presence of an alkyl lipid substituent in the inhibitor mimicking one of the lipid chains in the substrate is critical for potency. In contrast, the matching of hydroxymethyl substituents in the aminocyclitols and the parent glucosylceramide does not seem to be strictly necessary for potent inhibition, indicating the risk of simplifying structural analogies in sugar mimetic design.

Total syntheses of five uvacalols: structural validation of uvacalol A, uvacalol B and uvacalol C and disproval of the structures of uvacalol E and uvacalol G.

Uvacalols are novel carbasugars belonging to the family of C7-cyclitols, and are isolated from the roots of the medicinal plant, Uvaria calamistrata. In this study, we report the first syntheses of five uvacalols starting from a cheap and easily available chiral pool starting material, D-mannitol, in their optically pure form. D-Mannitol was converted to the alkene 2 through a series of regioselective and chemoselective transformations by following our previously reported strategies. Alkene 2 was converted to the enal 5 through a series of protective group manipulations. Enal 5 was converted to the diene 6 by the addition of vinyl magnesium bromide. Ring closing metathesis of the diene 6 using Grubbs' second generation catalyst installed the core cyclohexenyl unit. Through several iterative and selective manipulations of various hydroxyl groups, uvacalol A, uvacalol B, uvacalol C, uvacalol E and uvacalol G were synthesized. A comparison of the (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR data of these synthesized molecules with the reported data, revealed that the reported structures of uvacalols A­C are correct and those of uvacalols E and G are wrong.

Regiodivergent addition of phenols to allylic oxides: control of 1,2- and 1,4-additions for cyclitol synthesis.

Control of 1,2- and 1,4-addition of substituted phenols to allylic oxides is achieved by intercepting palladium π-allyl complexes. The interconversion of palladium complexes results in the total synthesis of MK 7607, cyathiformine B type, streptol, and a new cyclitol.

Some synthetic cyclitol derivatives alleviate the effect of water deficit in cultivated and wild-type chickpea species.

Cyclitols were prepared from corresponding allylic hydroperoxides, synthesized by photooxygenation of the appropriate cyclic alkenes. These hydroperoxides were then separately treated with a catalytic amount of OsO4. Synthesized dl-cyclopentane-1,2,3-triol 9 (A), dl-cyclohexane-1,2,3-triol 12 (B), and dl-cycloheptane-1,2,3-triol 15 (C) were used in the investigation of plant stress. Antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, and water status of chickpea species exposed to synthetic cyclitols under water deficit were examined. Cyclitol derivatives significantly decreased leaf water potential, lipid peroxidation and H2O2 levels of wild and cultivated species under water deficit. Cyclitol treatments affected antioxidant enzyme activities differently in both species under water deficit. The highest SOD activity was found in A10-treated Cicer arietinum (cultivar) and C10-treated Cicer reticulatum (wild type) under water deficit. CAT activity increased in C. arietinum exposed to A cyclitols, while it increased slightly and then decreased in cyclitol-treated C. reticulatum under stress conditions. AP and GR activities were significantly increased in C. arietinum under water deficit. AP activity increased in C derivatives-treated C. arietinum, while it remained unchanged in C. reticulatum on day 1 of water deficit. GR activity was increased in A derivaties-treated C. arietinum and C derivatives-treated C. reticulatum on day 1 of water deficit and decreased with severity of stress (except for B10-treated C. arietinum). The level of AsA in C treatments and GSH in A treatments increased in C. arietinum on day 1 of water deficit, while in C. reticulatum, AsA and GSH levels decreased under stress conditions. We conclude that exogenous synthetic cyclitol derivatives are biologically active and noncytotoxic, resulting in higher antioxidant activities and lower water potential, thus increasing the water deficit tolerance of chickpea under water deficit, especially of cultivated chickpea. We also propose that synthetic cyclitol derivatives can reduce reactive oxygen species and membrane damage and are beneficial for stress adaptation.

Bio-inspired synthesis of rare and unnatural carbohydrates and cyclitols through strain driven epimerization.

We report a bio-inspired, strain driven epimerization of trans-ketals to cis-ketals through an enolate intermediate. Swern oxidation of a hydroxyl group adjacent to a trans-ketal effects both oxidation and its epimerization to cis-ketal. This novel and general strategy allows inversion of up to three contiguous stereocenters and has been illustrated by the synthesis of several unnatural/rare isomers of carbohydrates/cyclitols from their naturally abundant isomers.

Aldolase-catalyzed synthesis of conformationally constrained iminocyclitols: preparation of polyhydroxylated benzopyrrolizidines and cyclohexapyrrolizidines.

A straightforward chemo-enzymatic synthesis of new polyhydroxylated benzopyrrolizidines and cyclohexapyrrolizidines is developed. The two-step strategy consists of l-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase variant F131A-catalyzed aldol addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to rac-N-benzyloxycarbonylindoline-2-carbaldehyde as well as (2S*,3aS*,7aS*)- and (2S*,3aR*,7aR*)-N-benzyloxycarbonyloctahydroindole-2-carbaldehydes and a subsequent one-step catalytic deprotection-reductive amination.

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of tetrodotoxin from myo-inositol and D-glucose by three routes: aspects for constructing complex multi-functionalized cyclitols with branched-chain structures.

This report describes the stereocontrolled total synthesis of the multi-functionalized cyclitol derivative, tetrodotoxin, containing eight asymmetric carbons and different types of branched-chains, from myo-inositol and D-glucose using three different methods. The tetrodotoxin derivatives possess a relatively small molecular weight but unique structural and chemical properties. Selection of the appropriate synthetic method may be useful not only for compounds related to TTX (including related derivatives), but also for other highly complex multi-functionalized cyclitols containing branched-chains.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of a compound library of triazolylcyclitols.

A small library of compounds was prepared by a combination of toluene dioxygenase (TDO)-catalyzed enzymatic dihydroxylation and copper(I)-catalyzed Hüisgen cycloaddition. Some compounds were obtained by coupling an alkyne and a conduritol derivative, while more complex structures were obtained by a double Hüisgen reaction of a dialkyne and two molecules of the cyclitol. The compounds were fully characterized and subjected to preliminary biological screening.

Five-membered iminocyclitol α-glucosidase inhibitors: synthetic, biological screening and in silico studies.

The design and synthesis of a small library of pyrrolidine iminocyclitol inhibitors with a structural similarity to 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-arabitol (DAB-1) is reported. This library was specifically designed to gain a better insight into the mechanism of inhibition of glycosidases by polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines or iminocyclitols. Pyrrolidine-3,4-diol 15a and pyrrolidine-3,4-diol diacetate 15b had emerged as the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitors in the series. Docking studies performed with an homology model of α-glucosidase disclosed binding poses for compounds 15a, 15b, 16a, and 16a' occupying the same region as the NH group of the terminal ring of acarbose and suggest a closer and stronger binding of compound 15a and 15b with the enzyme active site residues. Our studies indicate that 2 or 5-hydroxyl substituents appear to be vital for high inhibitory activity.

Design, synthesis, and biological activities of some branched carbasugars: construction of a substituted 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]nonane skeleton.

Transformation of cyclohexa-2,4-diene-1,2-diylbis(methylene) diacetate to various carbasugars is described. Photooxygenation of a cyclohexadiene derivative gave a bicyclicendoperoxide, which was reduced with thiourea to [2-[(acetyloxy)methyl]cyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-yl]methyl acetate. Epoxidation of the remaining double bond followed by epoxide ring-opening and hydrolysis of the acetate groups gave one of the target hexols. The bicyclic endoperoxide was rearranged to a diepoxide with CoTPP. The diepoxide was reacted with sulfamic acid in acetic anhydride, resulting in the formation of a new branched carbasugar as well as in the formation of cyclitols with a 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]nonane skeleton. The mechanism of the formation of the products is discussed. The inhibition activity of six cyclitol derivatives was tested against α-glycosidase.

Potent aminocyclitol glucocerebrosidase inhibitors are subnanomolar pharmacological chaperones for treating gaucher disease.

Amino-myo-inositol derivatives have been found to be potent inhibitors of glucocerebrosidase (GCase), the ß-glucosidase enzyme deficient in Gaucher disease (GD). When tested using lymphoblasts derived from patients with GD homozygous for N370S or L444P mutations, the compounds enhanced GCase activity at very low concentrations. The most potent inhibitor, (1R,2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-5-(nonylamino)-6-(nonyloxy)cyclohexane-1,2,3,4-tetraol had a K(i) of 1 nM using isolated enzyme and an IC(50) of 4.3 nM when assayed in human fibroblast cell culture. This aminocyclitol produced maximum increases of GCase activities of 90% in N370S lymphoblasts at 1 nM and 40% in L444P at 0.01 nM following a three-day incubation. In addition to inhibitory potency, this compound has the permeability, subcellular distribution, and cell metabolism characteristics that are important for use as a pharmacological chaperone. It is a remarkable finding that picomolar concentrations of aminocyclitols are sufficient to enhance activity in the L444P variant, which produces a severe neuronopathic form of GD without clinical treatment.

Regioselectivity in the ring opening of epoxides for the synthesis of aminocyclitols from D-(-)-quinic acid.

Efficient syntheses of four aminocyclitols are reported. Each synthesis is accomplished in eight steps starting from D-(-)-quinic acid. The key step involves a highly regioselective ring opening of epoxides by sodium azide.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: inhibition of human and bovine isoenzymes by benzenesulphonamides, cyclitols and phenolic compounds.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) are a class of pharmaceuticals used as anti-glaucoma agents, diuretics and anti-epileptics. We report here the inhibitory capacities of benzenesulphonamides, cyclitols and phenolic compounds 1-11 against three human CA isozymes (hCA I, hCA II and hCA VI) and bovine skeletal muscle carbonic anhydrase III (bCA III). The four isozymes showed quite diverse inhibition profiles with K(i) values ranging from low micromolar to millimolar concentrations against all isoenzymes. Compound 5 and 6 had more powerful inhibitory action against hCA I and very similar action against hCA II and hCA VI as compared with acetazolamide (AZA) and sulphapyridine (SPD), specific CAIs. Probably the inhibition mechanism of the tested compounds is distinct of the sulphonamides with RSO(2)NH(2) groups and similar to that of the coumarins/lacosamide, i.e. binding to a distinct part of the active site than that where sulphonamides bind. These data may lead to drug design campaigns of effective CAIs possessing a diverse inhibition mechanism compared to other sulphonamide/sulphamate inhibitors.

Galacto-configured aminocyclitol phytoceramides are potent in vivo invariant natural killer T cell stimulators.

A new class of α-galactosylceramide (αGC) nonglycosidic analogues bearing galacto-configured aminocyclitols as sugar surrogates have been obtained. The aminocyclohexane having a hydroxyl substitution pattern similar to an α-galactoside is efficiently obtained by a sequence involving Evans aldol reaction and ring-closing metathesis with a Grubbs catalyst to give a key intermediate cyclohexene, which has been converted in galacto-aminocyclohexanes that are linked through a secondary amine to a phytoceramide lipid having a cerotyl N-acyl group. Natural Killer T (NKT) cellular assays have resulted in the identification of an active compound, HS161, which has been found to promote NKT cell expansion in vitro in a similar fashion but more weakly than αGC. This compound stimulates the release of Interferon-γ (IFNγ) and Interleukin-4 (IL-4) in iNKT cell culture but with lower potency than αGC. The activation of Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells by this compound has been confirmed in flow cytometry experiments. Remarkably, when tested in mice, HS161 selectively induces a very strong production of IFN-γ indicative of a potent Th1 cytokine profile. Overall, these data confirm the agonist activity of αGC lipid analogues having charged amino-substituted polar heads and their capacity to modulate the response arising from iNKT cell activation in vivo.