Asymmetric Synthesis of Chromans Through Bifunctional Enamine-Metal Lewis Acid Catalysis.

Cooperative enamine-metal Lewis acid catalysis has emerged as a powerful tool to construct carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions. A concise synthetic method for asymmetric synthesis of chromans from cyclohexanones and salicylaldehydes has been developed to afford tricyclic chromans containing three consecutive stereogenic centers in good yields (up to 87 %) and stereoselectivity (up to 99 % ee and 11 : 1 : 1 dr). This difficult organic transformation was achieved through bifunctional enamine-metal Lewis acid catalysis. It is believed that the strong activation of the salicylaldehydes through chelating to the metal Lewis acid and the bifunctional nature of the catalyst accounts for the high yields and enantioselectivity of the reaction. The absolute configurations of the chroman products were established through X-ray crystallography. DFT calculations were conducted to understand the mechanism and stereoselectivity of this reaction.

Deciphering structural bases of intestinal and hepatic selectivity in targeting pregnane X receptor with indole-based microbial mimics.

Microbial metabolite mimicry is a new concept that promises to deliver compounds that have minimal liabilities and enhanced therapeutic effects in a host. In a previous publication, we have shown that microbial metabolites of L-tryptophan, indoles, when chemically altered, yielded potent anti-inflammatory pregnane X Receptor (PXR)-targeting lead compounds, FKK5 and FKK6, targeting intestinal inflammation. Our aim in this study was to further define structure-activity relationships between indole analogs and PXR, we removed the phenyl-sulfonyl group or replaced the pyridyl residue with imidazolopyridyl of FKK6. Our results showed that while removal of the phenyl-sulfonyl group from FKK6 (now called CVK003) shifts agonist activity away from PXR towards the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), the imidazolopyridyl addition preserves PXR activity in vitro. However, when these compounds are administered to mice, that unlike the parent molecule, FKK6, they exhibit poor induction of PXR target genes in the intestines and the liver. These data suggest that modifications of FKK6 specifically in the pyridyl moiety can result in compounds with weak PXR activity in vivo. These observations are a significant step forward for understanding the structure-activity relationships (SAR) between indole mimics and receptors, PXR and AhR.

Targeting the pregnane X receptor using microbial metabolite mimicry.

The human PXR (pregnane X receptor), a master regulator of drug metabolism, has essential roles in intestinal homeostasis and abrogating inflammation. Existing PXR ligands have substantial off-target toxicity. Based on prior work that established microbial (indole) metabolites as PXR ligands, we proposed microbial metabolite mimicry as a novel strategy for drug discovery that allows exploiting previously unexplored parts of chemical space. Here, we report functionalized indole derivatives as first-in-class non-cytotoxic PXR agonists as a proof of concept for microbial metabolite mimicry. The lead compound, FKK6 (Felix Kopp Kortagere 6), binds directly to PXR protein in solution, induces PXR-specific target gene expression in cells, human organoids, and mice. FKK6 significantly represses pro-inflammatory cytokine production cells and abrogates inflammation in mice expressing the human PXR gene. The development of FKK6 demonstrates for the first time that microbial metabolite mimicry is a viable strategy for drug discovery and opens the door to underexploited regions of chemical space.

Multicomponent reaction through cooperative trio catalysis incorporating enamine, Brønsted acid and metal Lewis acid catalysis: a concise route to access chromans.

An atom-economical multicomponent cascade reaction of salicylaldehydes, cyclohexanones and arylamines has been developed for the synthesis of three-ring fused chromans. This reaction was achieved through cooperative enamine-metal Lewis acid assisted Brønsted acid catalysis, furnishing the products in excellent yields with good diastereoselectivity.

Chiral Bimetallic Catalysts Derived from Chiral Metal Phosphates: Enantioselective Three-Component Asymmetric Aza-Diels-Alder Reactions of Cyclic Ketones.

A new type of chiral bimetallic catalyst is disclosed. These chiral bimetallic catalysts are easily formed through mixing a metal Lewis acid and a metal binaphthyl phosphate (MLA/M[P]3) in solution. (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis reveal a bimetallic structure of the Y(Yb)(III)/Y[P]3 complexes with bridging binaphthyl phosphate ligands. The Lewis acidity of these chiral bimetallic catalysts is readily tuned by changing either the metal Lewis acid or the chiral metal phosphate. Through cooperative metal Lewis acid-enamine catalysis, asymmetric three-component aza-Diels-Alder reactions of 5-, 6-, and 7-membered cyclic ketones, unsaturated ketoesters, and arylamines were successfully achieved to afford fused bicyclic dihydropyridines in high yields (up to 94%) with high enantioselectivity (up to 99% enantiomeric excess) and excellent chemoselectivity.

Conformational changes associated with post-translational modifications of Pro(143) in Skp1 of Dictyostelium--a dipeptide model system.

Prolyl hydroxylation and subsequent glycosylation of the E3(SCF) ubiquitin ligase subunit Skp1 affects its conformation and its interaction with F-box proteins and, ultimately, O2-sensing in the organism. Taking a reductionist approach to understand the molecular basis for these effects, a series of end-capped Thr-Pro dipeptides was synthesized, tracking the sequential post-translational modifications that occur in the protein. The conformation of the pyrrolidine ring in each compound was gauged via coupling constants ((3)JHα,Hß) and the electronegativity of the Cγ-substituents by chemical shifts ((13)C). The equilibrium between the cis-trans conformations about the central prolyl peptide bond was investigated by integration of signals corresponding to the two species in the (1)H NMR spectra over a range of temperatures. These studies revealed an increasing preference for the trans-conformation in the order Pro < Hyp < [α-(1,4)GlcNAc]Hyp. Rates for the forward and reverse reactions, determined by magnetization transfer experiments, demonstrated a reduced rate for the trans-to-cis conversion and a significant increase in the cis-to-trans conversion upon hydroxylation of the proline residue in the dipeptide. NOE experiments suggest that the Thr side chain pushes the sugar away from the pyrrolidine ring. These effects, which depended on the presence of the N-terminal Thr residue, offer a mechanism to explain altered properties of the corresponding full-length proteins.

Glycosides of hydroxyproline: some recent, unusual discoveries.

Glycosides of hydroxyproline (Hyp) in the plant cell wall matrix were discovered by Lamport and co-workers in the 1960s. Since then, much has been learned about these Hyp-rich glycoproteins. The intent of this review was to compare and contrast some less common structural motifs, in nontraditional roles, to uncover themes. Arabinosylation of short-peptide plant hormones is essential for growth, cell differentiation and defense. In a very recent development, prolyl hydroxylase and arabinosyltransferase activity has been shown to have a direct impact on the growth of root hairs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Pollen allergens of mugwort and ragweed contain proline-rich domains that are hydroxylated and glycosylated and play a structural role. In the case of mugwort, this domain also presents a significant immunogenic epitope. Major crops, including tobacco and maize, have been used to express and produce recombinant proteins of mammalian origin. The risks of plant-imposed glycosylation are discussed. In unicellular eukaryotes, Skp1 (a subunit of the E3(SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex) harbors a key Hyp residue that is modified by a linear pentasaccharide. These modifications may be involved in sensing oxygen levels. A few studies have probed the impact of glycosylation on the structure of Hyp-containing peptides. These have necessarily looked at small, synthetic molecules, since natural peptides and proteins are often isolable in only minuscule amounts and/or are heterogeneous in nature. The characterization of native structural motifs, together with the determination of glycopeptide conformation and properties, holds the key to rationalizing nature's architectural design.

Requirements for Skp1 processing by cytosolic prolyl 4(trans)-hydroxylase and α-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase enzymes involved in O2 signaling in dictyostelium.

The social amoeba Dictyostelium expresses a hypoxia inducible factor-α (HIFα) type prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H1) and an α-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (Gnt1) that sequentially modify proline-143 of Skp1, a subunit of the SCF (Skp1/Cullin/F-box protein) class of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Prior genetic studies have implicated Skp1 and its modification by these enzymes in O(2) regulation of development, suggesting the existence of an ancient O(2)-sensing mechanism related to modification of the transcription factor HIFα by animal prolyl 4-hydroxylases (PHDs). To better understand the role of Skp1 in P4H1-dependent O(2) signaling, biochemical and biophysical studies were conducted to characterize the reaction product and the basis of Skp1 substrate selection by P4H1 and Gnt1. (1)H NMR demonstrated formation of 4(trans)-hydroxyproline as previously found for HIFα, and highly purified P4H1 was inhibited by Krebs cycle intermediates and other compounds that affect animal P4Hs. However, in contrast to hydroxylation of HIFα by PHDs, P4H1 depended on features of full-length Skp1, based on truncation, mutagenesis, and competitive inhibition studies. These features are conserved during animal evolution, as even mammalian Skp1, which lacks the target proline, became a good substrate upon its restoration. P4H1 recognition may depend on features conserved for SCF complex formation as heterodimerization with an F-box protein blocked Skp1 hydroxylation. The hydroxyproline-capping enzyme Gnt1 exhibited similar requirements for Skp1 as a substrate. These and other findings support a model in which the protist P4H1 conditionally hydroxylates Skp1 of E3(SCF)ubiquitin ligases to control half-lives of multiple targets, rather than the mechanism of animal PHDs where individual proteins are hydroxylated leading to ubiquitination by the evolutionarily related E3(VBC)ubiquitin ligases.