(R)-α-Trifluoromethylalanine as a 19 F NMR Probe for the Monitoring of Protease Digestion of Peptides.

Fluorinated non-natural amino acids are useful tools for improving the bioavailability of peptides but can also serve as fluorinated probes in 19 F NMR-based enzymatic assays. We report herein that the use of the non-natural α-quaternarized (R)-α-trifluoromethylalanine ((R)-α-TfmAla) provides convenient and accurate monitoring of trypsin proteolytic activity and increases resistance towards pepsin degradation.

Synthesis of enantiopure α-Tfm-proline and α-Tfm-pipecolic acid from oxazolo-pyrrolidines and -piperidines.

Enantiopure α-Tfm-proline and α-Tfm-pipecolic acid were synthesized starting from commercially available diesters and ethyl trifluoroacetate. A Strecker type reaction on intermediate chiral Tfm-oxazolo-pyrrolidine and -piperidine provided the corresponding nitrile precursor of enantiopure (R) and (S) α-Tfm-proline and α-Tfm-pipecolic acid. The C-terminal peptide coupling reaction of α-Tfm-pipecolic acid has been successfully achieved.

Probing the Outstanding Local Hydrophobicity Increases in Peptide Sequences Induced by Incorporation of Trifluoromethylated Amino Acids.

In order to achieve accurate determination of the local hydrophobicity increases in peptide sequences produced by incorporation of trifluoromethylated amino acids (TfmAAs), the chromatographic hydrophobicity indexes (ϕ0 ) of three series of tripeptides containing three unnatural trifluoromethylated amino acids have been measured and compared with those of their non-fluorinated analogues. The hydrophobic contribution of each fluorinated amino acid was quantified by varying the position and the protection of (R)- and (S)-α-trifluoromethylalanine (TfmAla), (R)-trifluoromethylcysteine (TfmCys), and (S)-trifluoromethionine (TFM) in a short peptide sequence. As a general trend, strong increases in hydrophobicity were precisely measured, even exceeding the high hydrophobic contribution of the natural amino acid isoleucine. This study validates the incorporation of trifluoromethylated amino acids into peptide sequences as a rational strategy for the fine-tuning of hydrophobic peptide-protein interactions.

Synthesis of protected enantiopure (R) and (S)-α-trifluoromethylalanine containing dipeptide building blocks ready to use for solid phase peptide synthesis.

Considering the increasing importance of fluorinated peptides, the development of efficient and reliable synthetic methods for the incorporation of unnatural fluorinated amino acids into peptides is a current matter of interest. In this study, we report the convenient Boc/benzyl and Cbz/tert-butyl protection of both enantiomers of the quaternarized amino acid α-trifluoromethylalanine [(R)- and (S)-α-Tfm-Ala]. Because of the deactivation of the nitrogen atom of this synthetic amino acid by the strong electron withdrawing trifluoromethyl group, the peptide coupling on this position is a challenge. In order to provide a robust synthetic methodology for the incorporation of enantiopure (R)- and (S)-α-trifluoromethylalanines into peptides, we report herein the preparation of dipeptides ready to use for solid phase peptide synthesis. The difficult peptide coupling on the nitrogen atom of the α-trifluoromethylalanines was performed in solution phase by means of highly electrophilic amino acid chlorides or mixed anhydrides. The synthetic effectiveness of this fluorinated dipeptide building block strategy is illustrated by the solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) of the Ac-Ala-Phe-(R)-α-Tfm-Ala-Ala-NH2 tetrapeptide.

(R)-α-trifluoromethylalanine containing short peptide in the inhibition of amyloid peptide fibrillation.

The extracellular deposition of insoluble amyloid fibrils resulting from the aggregation of the amyloid-ß (Aß) is a pathological feature of neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Numerous small molecules have been reported to interfere with the process of Aß aggregation. Compounds containing aromatic structures, hydrophobic amino acids and/or the α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) as ß-sheet breaker elements have been reported to be effective inhibitors of Aß aggregation. We synthesized two peptides, one containing the Aib amino acid and the other including its trifluoromethylated analog (R)-α-Trifluoromethylalanine ((R)-Tfm-Alanine) and we evaluated the impact of these peptides on Aß amyloid formation. The compounds were tested by standard methods such as thioflavin-T fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy but also by circular dichroism, liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and NMR saturation transfer difference (STD) experiments to further characterize the effect of the two molecules on Aß structure and on the kinetics of depletion of monomeric, soluble Aß. Our results demonstrate that the peptide containing Aib reduces the quantity of aggregates containing ß-sheet structure but slightly inhibits Aß fibril formation, while the molecule including the trifluoromethyl (Tfm) group slows down the kinetics of Aß fibril formation, delays the random coil to ß-sheet structure transition and induces a change in the oligomerization pathway. These results suggest that the hydrophobic Tfm group has a better affinity with Aß than the methyl groups of the Aib and that this Tfm group is effective and important in preventing the Aß aggregation.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of selective Pepstatin based trifluoromethylated inhibitors of Cathepsin D.

Cathepsin D (CD) is overexpressed in several types of cancer and constitutes an important biological target. Pepstatin A, a pentapeptide incorporating two non-proteinogenic statin residues, is among the most potent inhibitor of CD but lacks selectivity and suffers from poor bioavailability. Eight analogues of Pepstatin A, were synthesized, replacing residues in P3 or P1 position by non-canonical (S)- and (R)-α-Trifluoromethyl Alanine (TfmAla), (S)- and (R)-Trifluoromethionine (TFM) or non-natural d-Valine. The biological activities of those analogues were quantified on isolated CD and Pepsin by fluorescence-based assay (FRET) and cytotoxicity of the best fluorinated inhibitors was evaluated on SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell line. (R)-TFM based analog of Pepstatin A (compound 6) returned a sub-nanomolar IC50 against CD and an increased selectivity. Molecular Docking experiments could partially rationalize these results. Stabilized inhibitor 6 in the catalytic pocket of CD showed strong hydrophobic interactions of the long and flexible TFM side chain with lipophilic residues of S1 and S3 sub-pockets of the catalytic pocket. The newly synthesized inhibitors returned no cytotoxicity at IC50 concentrations on SKOV3 cancer cells, however the compounds derived from (S)-TfmAla and (R)-TFM led to modifications of cells morphologies, associated with altered organization of F-actin and extracellular Fibronectin.

Enantiopure 5-CF3-Proline: Synthesis, Incorporation in Peptides, and Tuning of the Peptide Bond Geometry.

The straightforward synthesis of enantiopure 5-(R)-and 5-(S)-trifluoromethylproline is reported. The key steps are a Ruppert-Prakash reagent addition on l-pyroglutamic esters followed by an elimination reaction and a selective reduction. The solution-phase and solid-phase incorporation of this unprotected enantiopure fluorinated amino acid in a short peptide chain was demonstrated. Compared to proline, the CF3 group provides a decrease of the trans to cis amide bond isomerization energy and an increase of the cis conformer population.

Enantiopure α-Trifluoromethylated Aziridine-2-carboxylic Acid (α-TfmAzy): Synthesis and Peptide Coupling.

A straightforward synthesis of enantiopure α-trifluoromethyl aziridine-2-carboxylic acid (α-TfmAzy) is reported from a trifluoropyruvate derived enantiopure oxazolidine. A key Strecker-type synthetic step and a late cyanide basic hydrolysis gave the target compounds in six steps and 41% yield. A final peptide coupling was performed to demonstrate the usefulness of this highly constrained fluorinated unnatural amino acid.

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of enantiopure ß-trifluoromethyl ß-amino alcohols from chiral trifluoromethyl oxazolidines (Fox).

The organolithium species addition to 2-hydroxymethyl fluorinated oxazolidines (Fox) provides a highly diastereoselective and straightforward route for the synthesis of enantiopure trifluoromethyl ß-amino alcohols quaternarized at the ß-position.