Isolation and characterization of highly (R)-specific N-acetyl-1-phenylethylamine amidohydrolase, a new enzyme from Arthrobacter aurescens AcR5b

A new amidohydrolase deacetylating several N-acetyl-1-phenylethylamine derivatives (R)-specifically was found in Arthrobacter aurescens AcR5b. The strain was isolated from a wet haystack by enrichment culture with (R)-N-acetyl-1-phenylethylamine as the sole carbon source. (R) and (S )-N-acetyl-1-phenylethylamine do not serve as inducers for acylase formation. By improving the growth conditions the enzyme production was increased 47-fold. The amidohydrolase was purified to homogeneity leading to a 5.2-fold increase of the specific activity with a recovery of 67%. A molecular mass of 220 kDa was estimated by gel filtration. Sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophorosis shows two subunits with molecular masses of 16 kDa and 89 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature were pH 8 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the range of pH 7–9 and at temperatures up to 30 °C. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺, and this inhibition was reversed by EDTA.M Received: 20 September 1996 / Received version: 23 December 1996 / Accepted: 30 December 1996     

Enantiomers of 2-methyl- and 2,4-dimethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid: Preparation by resolution,determination of absolute configuration,and Curtius rearrangement

Both enantiomers of 2-methyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid 2 and 2,4-dimethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid 3 were prepared via resolution of the corresponding racemic carboxylic acids with (R)- and (S)-1-phenylethylamine, respectively. Absolute configuration of (−)-(R)-2-methyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid was determined by X-ray crystallography. Curtius rearrangement of acyl azides prepared from enantiomers of these heterocyclic carboxylic acids carried out in benzyl alcohol afforded enantiomers of the corresponding benzyl carbamates, which upon hydrogenolysis gave racemic 2-amino-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one 4 and 2-amino-2,4-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4h-benzoxazin-3-one 5. Chirality 10:791–799, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Enantiomer selection in the reaction of N-methyl-α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride and 3-methyl-5-substituted hydantoin: A model reaction for the stereoselective polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride

The addition reaction to N-methyl-(S)-alanine or N-methyl-(S)-phenylalanine N-car-boxyanhydride (NCA) of 3-methyl-5-substituted hydantoin (HDT) catalyzed by a tertiary amine was investigated as a model reaction for the propagation reaction of NCA according to the activated-NCA mechanism. Several activated HDTs having the (S)-configuration of the asymmetric carbon atom were found to react more rapidly than their activated enantiomers. This experimental result indicates that the enantiomer selection by terminal-unit control takes place in the propagation reaction according to the activated-NCA mechanism in which an activated NCA is added to a terminal acylated NCA ring of the growing chain. The enantiomer excess of the HDT recovered from the reaction mixture of N-methyl-(S)-phenylalanine NCA and racemic HDTs activated by a tertiary amine was determined. The extent of the enantiomer selection in the polymerization was found to be 3–10 times as large as that in the model reaction. From these results, it was concluded that the chirality of the penultimate unit, as well as that of the terminal NCA ring, plays an important role in determining the enantiomer selection in the NCA polymerization.     

Highly enantioselective bioreduction of N-methyl-3-oxo-3-(thiophen-2-yl) propanamide for the production of (S)-duloxetine

Whole cells of Rhodotorula glutinis reduced N-methyl-3-oxo-3-(thiophen-2-yl) propanamide at 30 g/l to (S)-N-methyl-3-hydroxy-3-(2-thienyl) propionamide, an intermediate in the production of (S)-duloxetine, a blockbuster antidepressant drug, in 48 h. The reaction had excellent enantioselectivity (single enantiomer, >99.5% enantiomeric excess [ee]) with a >95% conversion.     

Purification and characterization of enantioselective N-acetyl-β-Phe acylases from Burkholderia sp. AJ110349

For the production of enantiopure β-amino acids, enantioselective resolution of N-acyl β-amino acids using acylases, especially those recognizing N-acetyl-β-amino acids, is one of the most attractive methods. Burkholderia sp. AJ110349 had been reported to exhibit either (R)- or (S)-enantiomer selective N-acetyl-β-Phe amidohydrolyzing activity, and in this study, both (R)- and (S)-enantioselective N-acetyl-β-Phe acylases were purified to be electrophoretically pure and determined the sequences, respectively. They were quite different in terms of enantioselectivities and in their amino acids sequences and molecular weights. Although both the purified acylases were confirmed to catalyze N-acetyl hydrolyzing activities, neither of them show sequence similarities to the N-acetyl-α-amino acid acylases reported thus far. Both (R)- and (S)-enantioselective N-acetyl-β-Phe acylase were expressed in Escherichia coli. Using these recombinant strains, enantiomerically pure (R)-β-Phe (>99% ee) and (S)-β-Phe (>99% ee) were obtained from the racemic substrate.     

Characterization of (2S,2'R,3'R)-2-(2',3'-[3H]-Dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine Binding in Rat Brain

Abstract: [(2S,2′R,3′R)-2-(2′,3′-[³H]Dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine ([³H]DCG IV) binding was characterized in vitro in rat brain cortex homogenates and rat brain sections. In cortex homogenates, the binding was saturable and the saturation isotherm indicated the presence of a single binding site with a K_D value of 180 ± 33 nM and a B_max of 780 ± 70 fmol/mg of protein. The nonspecific binding, measured using 100 µM LY354740, was <30%. NMDA, AMPA, kainate, l (?)-threo-3-hydroxyaspartic acid, and (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine were all inactive in [³H]DCG IV binding up to 1 mM. However, several compounds inhibited [³H]DCG IV binding in a concentration-dependent manner with the following rank order of potency: LY341495 = LY354740 > DCG IV = (2S,1′S,2′S)-2-(2-carboxycyclopropyl)glycine > (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid > (2S,1′S,2′S)-2-methyl-2-(2-carboxycyclopropyl)glycine > l -glutamate = ibotenate > quisqualate > (RS)-α-methyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine = l (+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid > (S)-α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine > (2S)-α-ethylglutamic acid > l (+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid. N-Acetyl-l -aspartyl-l -glutamic acid inhibited the binding in a biphasic manner with an IC₅₀ of 0.2 µM for the high-affinity component. The binding was also affected by GTPγS, reducing agents, and CdCl₂. In parasagittal sections of rat brain, a high density of specific binding was observed in the accessory olfactory bulb, cortical regions (layers 1, 3, and 4 > 2, 5, and 6), caudate putamen, molecular layers of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus, subiculum, presubiculum, retrosplenial cortex, anteroventral thalamic nuclei, and cerebellar granular layer, reflecting its preferential (perhaps not exclusive) affinity for pre- and postsynaptic metabotropic glutamate mGlu2 receptors. Thus, the pharmacology, tissue distribution, and sensitivity to GTPγS show that [³H]DCG IV binding is probably to group II metabotropic glutamate receptors in rat brain.     

Structure-activity relationship study towards non-peptidic positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer for gastrin releasing peptide receptors: Development of [18F] (S)-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-N-[1-[5-(2-fluoroethoxy)pyridin-2-yl]cyclohexylmethyl]-2-methyl-2-[3-(4-nitrophenyl)ureido]propionamide

Gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRP-Rs, also known as bombesin 2 receptors) are overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, including prostate cancer, and therefore they represent a promising target for in vivo imaging of tumors using positron emission tomography (PET). Structural modifications of the non-peptidic GRP-R antagonist PD-176252 ((S)-1a) led to the identification of the fluorinated analog (S)-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-N-[1-[5-(2-fluoroethoxy)pyridin-2-yl]cyclohexylmethyl]-2-methyl-2-[3-(4-nitrophenyl)ureido]propionamide ((S)-1m) that showed high affinity and antagonistic properties for GRP-R. This antagonist was stable in rat plasma and towards microsomal oxidative metabolism in vitro. (S)-1m was successfully radiolabeled with fluorine-18 through a conventional radiochemistry procedure. [¹⁸F](S)-1m showed high affinity and displaceable interaction for GRP-Rs in PC3 cells in vitro.     

Determination of R- and S-3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate enantiomers in human plasma: suitable method for label enrichment analysis

A sensitive method for the determination of S- and R-3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate enantiomers (KMV, (α-keto-β-methylval-erate) in physiological fluids suitable for isotope enrichment analysis is described: after extraction with acid, 2-oxo acids are separated from interfering amino acids by cation-exchange chromatography. Reductive amination of the branched-chain 2-oxo acids by use of - leucine dehydrogenase yields the corresponding -amino acids. -Isoleucine and -alloisoleucine which are formed from S- and R-3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate, respectively, are then quantified by amino acid analysis. The method was used for determination of the R-/S-3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate ratio in plasma of healthy subjects and patients with diabetes mellitus and maple syrup urine disease. Applicability for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of ¹³C-label enrichment in plasma S-3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate is demonstrated.     

Azinyl sulfides — CXVIII. Antimicrobial activity of novel 1-methyl-3-thio-4-aminoquinolinium salts

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of novel 1-methyl-3-alkylthio-4-aminoquinolinium salts 2 and 1-methyl-3-acylthio-4-aminoquinolinium salts 4 are described. Compounds 2 were obtained by reacting 1-methyl-3,4-(dimethylthio)quinolinium chloride 1 with amines and by reacting 1-methyl-4-aminoquinolinium-3-thiolates 3 with alkylating agents. Compounds 4 were obtained by the reaction of 1-methyl-4-aminoquinolinium-3-thiolates 3 with acylating agents. Antimicrobial activity of compounds 2 and 4 was determined using G⁺ (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and G⁻ (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains as well as Candida albicans yeast. The compounds show greatest activity against S. aureus whereas the lowest against P. aeruginosa.     

Facile Method for the Preparation of 7-Methyl-8-oxoguanosines as an Immunomodulator¶

Abstract

Reaction of 9-(2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-7-methylguaninium iodide (2a) with hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid gave the corresponding 7-methyl-8-oxoguanosine derivative (3a) in good yield. Deprotection of 3a easily gave 7-methyl-8-oxoguanosine (1), which is well-known as an immunomodulator. Substitution of acetyl group at the N-position of guanine ring accelerated the oxidation reaction of the 7-methylguaninium iodide.

     

Simultaneous measurement of nicotinamide and its catabolites,nicotinamide N-oxide,N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide,and N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide,in mice urine

Nicotinamide N-oxide is a major nicotinamide catabolite in mice but not in humans and rats. A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous measurement of nicotinamide, nicotinamide N-oxide, N¹-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide, and N¹-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide in mice urine was developed by modifying the mobile phase of a reported method for measurement of nicotinamide N-oxide.     

Synthesis of Neu5Ac- and Neu5Gc-α-(2→6′)-lactosamine 3-aminopropyl glycosides

In order to prepare 3-aminopropyl glycosides of Neu5Ac-α-(2→6′)-lactosamine trisaccharide 1, and its N-glycolyl containing analogue Neu5Gc-α-(2→6′)-lactosamine 2, a series of lactosamine acceptors with two, three, and four free OH groups in the galactose residue was studied in glycosylations with a conventional sialyl donor phenyl [methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio- -glycero-α- and β- -galacto-2-nonulopyranosid]onates (3) and a new donor phenyl [methyl 4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-5-(N-tert-butoxycarbonylacetamido)-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio- -glycero-α- and β- -galacto-2-nonulopyranosid]onates (4), respectively. The lactosamine 4′,6′-diol acceptor was found to be the most efficient in glycosylation with both 3 and 4, while imide-type donor 4 gave slightly higher yields with all acceptors, and isolation of the reaction products was more convenient. In the trisaccharides, obtained by glycosylation with donor 4, the 5-(N-tert-butoxycarbonylacetamido) moiety in the neuraminic acid could be efficiently transformed into the desired N-glycolyl fragment, indicating that such protected oligosaccharide derivatives are valuable precursors of sialo-oligosaccharides containing N-modified analogues of Neu5Ac.     

E-2(S)-amino-3-methyl-3-pentenoic acid from coniogramme intermedia

A new amino acid, E-2(S)-amino-3-methyl-3-pentenoic acid was isolated from Coniogramme intermedia. The structure was elucidated by elementary analysis, optical rotation, catalytic hydrogenation, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra.     

Nucleosides Having Quinolone Derivatives as Nitrogenated Base: Regiospecific and Stereospecific Ribosylation of 3-Carbethoxy-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinolines

Abstract

Ribosylation reactions of previously silylated 3-carbethoxy-8-methyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline (6a) and 3-carbethoxy-6-methyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline (6b) with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose (7), under Lewis acid catalysis, were studied. The method using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)/trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) mixture for silylation and anhydrous stannic chloride as catalyst for ribosylation failed to give any nucleoside product. On the other hand, the protected nucleoside 3-carbethoxy-6-methyl-1-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline (8b) was obtained in good yields using bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) containing 1% of TMCS and the same catalyst. Compound 8b was more easily isolated in higher yields with an improvement of the later method by replacing stannic chloride with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf).

De-O-benzoylation of 8b with methanolic sodium hydroxide solution afforded the free riboside 3-carbomethoxy-6-methyl-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline (9b). The structures of the obtained products were confirmed by their LTV, MS, IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR data.     

Synthesis of trans-4-Amino-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-butene from Isoprene

A novel synthetic pathway to trans-4-amino-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-butene (7), a useful synthetic intermediate of zeatin, is presented here. On selective monophthalimide formation, the trans-1, 4-dibromo-2-methyl-2-butene (10) prepared from isoprene (1) predominantly gives trans-1-bromo-2-methyl-4-phthalimido-2-butene (11). The compound (11) is converted to 7 via trans-1-acetoxy-2-methyl-4-phthalimido-2-butene (6). The overall yield of 7 from 1 is 33.6%. Base-catalyzed hydrolysis of 11 also gives 7 directly. Zeatin can be prepared by the condensation of 7 with 6-chloropurine.     

1-Alkyl-3-amino-5-aryl-1H-[1,2,4]triazoles: novel synthesis via cyclization of N-Acyl-S-methylisothioureas with alkylhydrazines and their potent corticotropin-Releasing factor-1 (CRF1) receptor antagonist activities

Cyclizations of alkylhydrazines with N-acyl-S-methylisothioureas, readily synthesized from acyl chlorides, sodium thioisocyanate, dialkylamines then methyl iodide in a one-pot reaction, gave 1-alkyl-3-dialkylamino-5-phenyltriazoles 7 as major products. The regioisomers were assigned through the use of NOE NMR experiments. While bearing a N-bis(cyclopropyl)methyl-N-propylamino group, this series of compounds shows very good binding affinity on the human CRF₁ receptor. Among them, 1-methyl-3-[N-bis(cyclopropyl)methyl-N-propylamino]-5-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazole 7a had the best binding affinity for the CRF₁ receptor (K_i=9 nM).     

Synthesis of methyl O-(3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)-β- -galactopyranoside and methyl O-(3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)-O-β- -galactopyranosyl-(1→6)-β- -galactopyranoside

Condensation of 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-α- -galactopyranosyl bromide (3) with methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β- -galactopyranoside (4) gave a fully acetylated (1→6)-β- -galactobiose fluorinated at the 3′-position which was deacetylated to give the title disaccharide. The corresponding trisaccharide was obtained by reaction of 4 with 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-chloroacetyl-α- -galactopyranosyl bromide (5), dechloroacetylation of the formed methyl O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-chloroacetyl-β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)- 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β- -galactopyranoside to give methyl O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)-2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β- -galactopyranoside (14), condensation with 3, and deacetylation. Dechloroacetylation of methyl O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-chloroacetyl-β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- β- -galactopyranosyl)-(1→6)-2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-β- -galactopyranoside, obtained by condensation of disaccharide 14 with bromide 5, was accompanied by extensive acetyl migration giving a mixture of products. These were deacetylated to give, crystalline for the first time, the methyl β-glycoside of (1→6)-β- -galactotriose in high yield. The structures of the target compounds were confirmed by 500-MHz, 2D, ¹H- and conventional ¹³C- and ¹⁹F-n.m.r. spectroscopy.     

Improved synthesis and the crystal structure of methyl 4,6-dideoxy-4-(3-deoxy- -glycero-tetronamido)-α- -mannopyranoside, the methyl α-glycoside of the intracatenary repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide of Vibrio cholerae O:1

The crude product of deamination of the commercially available -homoserine was acetylated and the 2-O-acetyl-3-deoxy- -glycero-tetronolactone (18) formed was used to N-acylate methyl perosaminide (methyl 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-α- -mannopyranoside, 12) and its 2,3-O-isopropylidene derivative. The major product isolated from the reaction was the crystalline methyl 4-(4-O-acetyl-3-deoxy- -glycero-tetronamido)-4,6-dideoxy-α- -mannopyranoside (1, 70–75%) resulting from acetyl group migration in the initially formed 2'-O-acetyl derivative. O-Deacetylation of 1 gave the title amide 2. Compound 2, obtained crystalline for the first time, was fully characterized, and its crystal structure was determined. Deoxytetronamido derivatives diastereomeric with 1 and 2, respectively, were obtained by the acylation of 12 with 2-O-acetyl-3-deoxy- -glycero-tetronolactone (prepared from -homoserine), and subsequent deacetylation. Structures of several byproducts of the reaction of 12 with 18 have been deduced from their spectral characteristics. Since these byproducts were various O-acetyl derivatives of 2, the title compound could be obtained in ≈ 90% yield by deacetylating (Zemplén) the crude mixture of N-acylation products, followed by chromatography.     

The chemistry of some 1-mercury(II)thio-d-glucose compounds; a new synthesis of 1-thio sugars

Treatment of tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamate (1) with phenylmercury(II) acetate gives tetra-O-acetyl-1-phenylmercury(II)thio-β-d-glucopyranose (3), which can also be made in high yield from other dithiocarbamates, from tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranose, and from its S-acetyl derivative. The p-diethylamino derivative (7) of compound 3 displays significantly different properties and is readily convertible into bis(tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranosyl)mercury(II) (8), which is also obtainable by treatment of tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranose with mercury(II) acetate. Aspects of the chemistry of compounds 3, 7, and 8 are reported; demercuration of 3 affords a convenient synthesis of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-β-d-glucose.     

Anti HIV-1 agents 5: Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of some N-arylsulfonyl-3-acetylindoles in vitro

In continuation of our program aimed at the discovery and development of compounds with superior anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activity, 21N-arylsulfonyl-3-acetylindole analogs (2a–u) were synthesized and preliminarily evaluated as HIV-1 inhibitors in vitro. Among of all the analogs, several compounds exhibited significant anti-HIV-1 activity, especially N-phenylsulfonyl-3-acetyl-6-methylindole (2j) and N-(p-ethyl)phenylsulfonyl-3-acetyl-6-methylindole (2n) showed the most potent anti-HIV-1 activity with EC₅₀ values of 0.36 and 0.13 μg/mL, and TI values of >555.55 and 791.85, respectively. It demonstrated that introduction of the acetyl group at the 3-position of N-arylsulfonyl-6-methylindoles could generally lead to the more potent analogs.