The structure of d-threo-2,5-hexodiulosonic acid and derivatives in solution

The structure of d-threo-2,5-hexodiulosonic acid (1) and various derivatives in solution was determined by ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy to be a hydrated, pyranose form. The structures of the methyl ester of 1 and of its 5-(dimethyl acetal) were confirmed by chemical means and by X-ray structure analysis.     

Acetalation of d-glucitol: 2,3:5,6-Di-O-isopropylidene-d-glucitol

The reaction of d-glucitol with acetone-zinc chloride gave a mixture of isopropylidene derivatives, from which the 2,3:5,6-diacetal (12) could be separated as its 1,4-dimesylate (13) or 1,4-ditosylate (14). The structure of 12 was proved by converting 14, via the 1-mono-iodide, into the known 1-deoxy-d-glucitol, and by mass-spectrometric investigation of the 1-deoxy-4-O-methyl diacetal. The terminally situated acetal group in 12 can be selectively hydrolyzed, and, on treatment with base, the 5,6-dihydroxy derivative obtained gives a d-galactitol 4,5-epoxide derivative.     

Chain elongation by a seemingly stereospecific cyanohydrin synthesis: the preparation and configurational assignment of 3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-talo- and -l-galacto-octose

2,6-Anhydro-d-glycero-l-manno-heptose (1) is converted by the cyanohydrin reaction into crystalline d-threo-l-talo-octononitrile (3), which shows mutarotation in water. The equilibrium mixture, as measured by ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy, contains about equal amounts of 3 and its epimer, d-threo-l-galacto-octononitrile. On evaporation of the aqueous mixture, pure, crystalline 3 is again obtained. Labelling experiments in ³H₂O proved that epimerization proceeds through reversible deprotonation. Stabilization of 3 in the solid state is explained by intramolecular hydrogen-bonding. In pyridine, rapid isomerization of 3 occurs. When acetylation of 3 is conducted in this solvent, the yield of 2,4,5,6,8-penta-O-acetyl-3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-talo-octono-nitrile (4) depends strongly on the conditions of acetylation. Acetylation after equilibration produces an equimolar mixture of 4 and its isomer 2,4,5,6,8-penta-O-acetyl-3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-galacto-octononitrile. Structural assignment for both was achieved by 360-Mhz, ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. Reduction of 4 in pyridine-acetic acid-water in the presence of N,N-diphenylethylenediamine yields a 1:2.36 mixture of 2,4,5,6,8-penta-O-acetyl-3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-talo-octose N,N-diphenylimidazolidine (6) and 2,4,5,6,8-penta-O-acetyl-3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-galacto-octose N,N-diphenylimidazolidine (8). Compounds 6 and 8 could be separated and obtained as crystalline solids, and their structure proved by ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. Hydrolysis of 6 and 8 gave 2,4,5,6,8-penta-O-acetyl-3,7-anhydro-d-threo-l-galacto-octose and -d-threo-l-talo-octose.     

Reaction of methyl β-d-glycero-l-manno-heptopyranoside with cyclohexanone: Synthesis of the 4- and 6-methyl ethers of d-glycero-l-manno-heptitol

Acid-catalysed condensation of methyl β-d-glycero-l-manno-heptopyranoside with cyclohexanone yielded an approximately 3:1 mixture of the 2,3:6,7- and 2,3:4,7-di-O-cyclohexylideneheptosides (1 and 2), which could be separated either as their benzoates (3 and 4) or as their methyl ethers (5 and 6). The latter compounds afforded the 4- and 6-methyl ethers (7 and 8) of d-glycero-l-manno-heptitol.     

Studies on aroyl- and aryl-hydrazide derivatives from d-glycero-d-gulo-heptono-1,4-lactone

A series of aroyl- and aryl-hydrazide derivatives was prepared from d-glycero-d-gulo-heptono-1,4-lactone (1). The reactivity of the NH proton in these hydrazides, in terms of their dissociation constants (pK_a), was determined from their electronic spectra, and correlated to the Hammett σ values of the substituents. Comparable reactivities of the NH protons for the compounds, and the effect of the substituent, were studied by n.m.r. spectroscopy. Decomposition of the aroylhydrazides with copper(II) sulfate or nitrous acid resulted in the regeneration of 1.     

1,4-Dioxane-2,5-dione-type monomers derived from l-ascorbic and d-isoascorbic acids. Synthesis and polymerisation

l-Ascorbic and d-isoascorbic acids have been used as the starting materials for the preparation of (3R,4′S)-3-(2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (IPTA), (3R and S, 4′S,6R)-3-methyl-6-(2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (IPTP) and (3R,4′R)-3-(2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (IPEA), three novel 1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione-type monomers. Ring-opening homopolymerisation and copolymerisation of the IPTA monomer, derived from l-ascorbic acid, with d,l-lactide have been performed. The polymers were characterised by elemental microanalysis, as well as IR and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. GPC was used to estimate product molecular weights, and thermal studies (DSC and TGA) revealed that all the polymers were amorphous, being stable up to 250 °C under nitrogen.     

2-amino-2,5-anhydro-2-deoxy-DL-ribitol: an amino sugar derivative having nitrogen in the ring

A direct, high-yielding route for synthesis of a pyrrolidine analog of a 2-deoxy-erythro-pentose is reported. The synthesis involves modification of pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid by reduction followed by a hydroxylation step. The structure and stereochemistry of 2,5-anhydro-2-deoxy-2-p-toluenesulfonamido-DL-ribitol (5a) was established by chemical transformations and by ¹³C n.m.r. data.     

Synthesis of acetylenic sugars and uronic acids via two-carbon chain extension of d-ribose

Treatment of methyl β-d-ribofuranoside with acetone gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside (1, 90%), whereas methyl α-d-ribofuranoside gave a mixture (30%) of 1 and methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-ribofuranoside (1a). On oxidation, 1 gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (2), whereas no similar product was obtained on oxidation of 1a. Ethynylmagnesium bromide reacted with 2 in dry tetrahydrofuran to give a 1:1 mixture (95%) of methyl 6,7-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-allo- (3) and -α-l-talo-hept-6-ynofuranoside (4). Ozonolysis of 3 and 4 in dichloromethane gave the corresponding d-allo- and l-talo-uronic acids, characterized as their methyl esters (5 and 6) and 5-O-formyl methyl esters (5a and 6a). Ozonolysis in methanol gave a mixture of the free uronic acid and the methyl ester, and only a small proportion of the 5-O-formyl methyl ester. Malonic acid reacted with 2 to give methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-trans-hept-5-enofuranosiduronic acid (7).     

Equilibria of the anomeric and ring forms of ammonium 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate in deuterium oxide

The tautomeric composition of a solution of ammonium 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate (KDO, 1a) in D₂O at 28° was assessed by means of ¹³ C-F.t.-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The results revealed the presence of 6?0 and 11 % of the α and β anomers of the pyranose, and 20 and 9 % of the two furanoses, and suggested, but did not unequivocally prove, that the major furanose form is the α anomer. To facilitate interpretation of the spectral results for 1, ammonium 3,5-dideoxy-d-arabino(or ribo)-octulosonate (3a) was prepared by the reaction of 5-deoxy-d-erythro-pentose with sodium oxalacetate at pH 11. A chromatographically homogeneous, noncrystalline sample of 3 was obtained by lyophilization, and characterized as its (4-nitrophenyl)hydrazone (m.p. 162-163°). The ¹³C-n.m.r. spectrum of a solution of 3a in D₂O revealed it to be substantially all in the α-pyranose form. No signals were obtained for the possible 1,4-lactone of 3. As the 1,5-lactone and furanose forms are impossible for 3, it exhibited no signals analogous to those attributed to furanoid 1. On the basis of these results for 3, the two lactone forms of 1 were excluded from consideration, and the three pairs of ¹³C-n.m.r. signals observed at ≈45, 86, and 104 p.p.m. were assigned to the furanose forms of 1.     

Studies on the interconversion of 2,3'-anhydro-1-β-D-xylofuranosyluracil and 2,2'-anhydro-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil

2,3'-Anhydro-1-β-D-xylofuranosyluracil (10) is converted, reversibly, into 2,2'-anhydro-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (1) in the presence of sodium tert-butoxide. The reaction probably involves 2',3'-anhydrouridine as an intermediate and equilibrium is strongly in favour of 1. The behaviour of 1 and 10 towards sodium hydroxide and sodium methoxide is described. Reaction of 3-azido-3-deoxy-2,5-di-O-p-nitrobenzoyl-β-D-xylofuranosyl chloride with monochloromercuri-4-ethoxy-2(lH)-pyrimidinone afforded crystalline 1-(3-azido-3-deoxy-2,5-di-O-p-nitrobenzoyl-β-D-xylofura-nosyl)uracil (24) in 57% yield. Alkaline methanolysis of 24 gave crystalline 1-(3-azido-3-deoxy-β-D-xylofuranosyl)uracil, which yielded 1-(3-amino-3-deoxy-β-D-xylofuranosyl)uracil (27) on hydrogenation. Deamination of 27 with nitrous acid gave mainly uracil (55%) and not the epoxide 5 or compounds derived from it.     

Synthesis of crystalline derivatives of 6-deoxy-d-allo- and -l-talo-furanosyl bromide suitable for nucleoside synthesis

6-Deoxy-2,3,5-tri-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosyl bromide (6 and 11) have been synthesized from methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (1). Treatment of 1 with methyl Grignard reagent, followed by (p-nitrobenzoyl)ation, afforded two 5-epimers, methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosides (3 and 8) which were fractionally recrystallized. The l-talo isomer (8) separated first, and was treated with acid to remove the isopropylidene group, the product (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester reacted with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline compound 11. The mother liquor from the fractional recrystallization was treated with acid, whereby methyl 6-deoxy-5-O-p-nitrobenzoyl)-d-allofuranoside was isolated. It was (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester treated with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline bromide 6.     

O-Benzylated thio sugars. Derivatives of 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose suitable for use in oligosaccharide synthesis

The 4-O-benzoyl (15a) 4-O-p-nitrobenzoyl (15b) derivatives of 2,3, 6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose were synthesized from allyl 2,6-di-O-benzyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (1). In the first stage of the synthesis the 3-position of 1 was benzylated by an indirect route, and also by the direct reaction (preferred) of benzyl bromide with the 3,4-O-dibutylstannylene intermediate 7. The product 6 was sequentially isomerized (allyl → 1-propenyl), acylated at the 4-position, and hydrolyzed. The free sultars 11a and 11b were converted into the thio sugars by a standard sequence involving formation of the glycosyl halides 13a and 13b and the reaction of these with appropriate sulfur nucleophiles. A third derivative (29) of 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose, having a 4-O-allyl protecting group, was similarly made from the corresponding normal sugar 25. The key intermediate 22, precursor to 25, was prepared by two routes from methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (17).     

Substitution of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-mannitol derivatives by reactions with iodide

Reaction of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-2,5-di-O-mesyl- and -tosyl-D-mannitol with sodium iodide gave a 1:1 mixture of 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-diiodo-D-glucitol (12) and -L-iditol (22). 1,4:3,6-Dianhydro-2-deoxy-2-iodo-5-O-mesyl-D-glucitol (13) and the corresponding D-mannitol derivative (9) are formed as intermediates. Both 9 and 13, as well as 12 and 22, are rapidly isomerized to a mixture of the two in the presence of iodide, proving a fast iodo-iodo substitution reaction. This is restricted to starting materials having the mannitol configuration, as the corresponding 2,5-di-O-mesyl-D-glucitol derivative gives only the known 5-deoxy-5-iodo-L-iditol derivative. The possible mechanism of the unusual isomerization reactions is discussed.     

Enamine and pyrrole formation from 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate

Addition of 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose to dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate afforded an almost quantitative yield of amorphous 2-deoxy-2-(1,2-dimethoxycarbonylvinyl)amino-D-glucose (5). Acetylation of this adduct gave crystalline 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-[(Z)-1,2-dimethoxycarbonylvinyl]amino-α-D-glucopyranose (6a); the corresponding β-D anomer (6b) was obtained by addition of 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-β-Dglucopyranose to dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. O-Deacetylation of tetra-acetate 6a with barium methoxide in methanol occurred selectively at C-1, yielding enamine 6c derived from 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranose. Conversion of the crude adduct 5 into 3-methoxycarbonyl-5-(D-arabino-tetrahydroxybutyl)-2-pyrrolecarboxylic acid (7) took place by heating in water or in slightly basic media in yields up to 83%. Acetylation of 7 gave the tricyclic derivative 8, and its periodate oxidation afforded 5-formyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-2-pyrrolecarboxylic acid (9). Oxidation of 9 with alkaline silver oxide yielded 3-methoxy-carbonyl-2,5-pyrroledicarboxylic acid (10).     

1,6-diamino-2,5-anhydro-1,6-dideoxy-l-iditol and some derivatives thereof

1,6-Diamino-2,5-anhydro-1,6-dideoxy-l-iditol (31) and its derivatives were synthesized, starting from 2,4-O-benzylidene-1,6-di-O-tosyl-d-glucitol. The 1,6-bis-(acetamido)-l-talo epoxide was readily hydrolyzed to the corresponding l-iditol derivative under anchimeric assistance of the 1-acetamido group. On treatment with formaldehyde-formic acid, diamine 31 gave a tricyclic, 1,4:3,6-bis(N,O-methylene) derivative which was stable under acidic conditions but, according to ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy, was readily hydrolyzed to an equilibrium mixture in neutral, aqueous solution. The corresponding 1,6-bis(dimethylamino) derivative could be obtained by reducing this equilibrium mixture with borohydride. The different, quaternary salts obtained on methylation of the corresponding 1,6-bis(dimethylamino) derivatives with methyl iodide (aiming at the structure of epi-allo-muscarine) showed no muscarine-like, biological activity.     

Synthesis of 5-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 5-deoxy-l-arabino-hexose,and their conversion into adenine nucleosides

Anti-Markovnikov hydration of the olefinic bond of 5,6-dideoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-3-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α- d-xylo-hex-5-enofuranose (4) and methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-di-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α-l-arabino-hex-5-enofuranoside (11) by the addition of iodine trifluoroacetate, followed by hydrogenation in the presence of a Raney nickel catalyst in ethanol containing triethylamine, afforded 5-deoxy-1,2-O-ísopropylidene-3-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α-d-xylo-hexofuranose (6) and methyl 5-deoxy-2,3-di-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α-d-arabino-hexofuranoside (14), respectively. 5-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 5-deoxy-l-arabino-hexose were prepared from 6 and 14, respectively, by photolytic O-detosylation and acid hydrolysis. Syntheses of 9-(5-deoxy-β-d-xylo-hexofuranosyl)-adenine and 9-(5-deoxy-α-l-arabino-hexofuranosyl)adenine are also described. Application of the sodium naphthalene procedure, for O-detosylation, to 11 is reported in connection with an alternative synthetic route to methyl 5-deoxy-α-l-arabino- hexofuranoside.     

Synthesis and antileukemic activity of certain d-fucopyranosyl nucleosides

Based upon previously discovered antileukemic properties of 9-β-d-fucopyranosyladenine (1) in cell culture, four new nucleosides containing naturally occurring bases have been prepared from d-fucose. α-d-Fucopyranose tetraacetate was condensed with the silylated bases in either acetonitrile or 1,2-dichloroethane with tin(IV) chloride as the catalyst. The intermediates blocked nucleosides were obtained in crystalline form and deacetylated with methanolic sodium methoxide. 1-β-d-Fucopyranosyluracil (8), 1-β-d-fucopyranosylthymine (9), 1-β-d-fucopyranosylcytosine (10) as the hydrochloride salt, and 7-β-d-fucopyranosylguanine (11) were crystallized, and their structures were verified by spectroscopic techniques. Nucleosides 8 and 9 had only borderline activity against leukemia L1210 cells grown in culture, whereas nucleoside 11 had activity equal to 1. However, nucleoside 10 proved to be twice as active as either 1 or 11. The antileukemic activity, which was due to the inhibition of cell division, was reversible by transfer of the arrested cells to fresh media or by the addition of cytidine.     

The deamination of methyl 5-amino-5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-L-talo- and -β-D-allo-furanoside with nitrous acid

Deamination of methyl 5-amino-5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-L-talofuranoside (6) with sodium nitrite in 90% acetic acid at ≈0° gave methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-L-talofuranoside (8a) and methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-allofuranoside (9a) (combined yield, 12.3%), the corresponding 5-acetates 8b (2.9%) and 9b (26.4%), and the unsaturated sugar methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribo-hex-5-enofuranoside (10) (43.5%). Similar deamination of methyl 5-amino-5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-allofuranoside (7) gave 8a and 9a (combined yield, 20.4%), 8b (12.5%), 9b (25.8%), 10 (7.7%), and the rearranged products 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-O-methyl-L-talofuranose (13a, 17.5%) and the corresponding 1-acetate 13b (14.1%). A synthesis of 13a was accomplished by successive methylation and debenzylation of the conveniently prepared benzyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-L-talofuranoside (15b). Differences between the two sets of deamination products can be rationalized by assuming that the carbonium-ion intermediate reacts in the initial conformation assumed, before significant interconversion to other conformations occurs.     

Stereoselective entry into the d-GalNAc series starting from the d-Gal one: a new access to N-acetyl-d-galactosamine and derivatives thereof

A new stereoselective preparation of N-aceyl-d-galactosamine (1b) starting from the known p-methoxyphenyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-6-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside (10) is described using a simple strategy based on (a) epimerization at C-2 of 10 via oxidation-reduction to give the talo derivative 11, (b) amination with configurational inversion at C-2 of 11 via a S_N2-type reaction on its 2-imidazylate, (c) anomeric deprotection of the p-methoxyphenyl β-d-galactosamine glycoside 14, (d) complete deprotection. Applying the same protocol to 2,3:5,6:3′,4′-tri-O-isopropylidene-6′-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-lactose dimethyl acetal (4), directly obtained through acetonation of lactose, the disaccharide β-d-GalNAcp-(1→4)-d-Glcp (1a) was obtained with complete stereoselectivity in good (40%) overall yield from lactose.     

Design,synthesis, and evaluation of l-cystine diamides as l-cystine crystallization inhibitors for cystinuria

To overcome the chemical and metabolic stability issues of l-cystine dimethyl ester (CDME) and l-cystine methyl ester (CME), a series of l-cystine diamides with or without N^α-methylation was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibitory activity of l-cystine crystallization. l-Cystine diamides 2a–i without N^α-methylation were found to be potent inhibitors of l-cystine crystallization while N^α-methylation of l-cystine diamides resulted in derivatives 3b–i devoid of any inhibitory activity of l-cystine crystallization. Computational modeling indicates that N^α-methylation leads to significant decrease in binding of the l-cystine diamides to l-cystine crystal surface. Among the l-cystine diamides 2a–i, l-cystine bismorpholide (CDMOR, LH707, 2g) and l-cystine bis(N′-methylpiperazide) (CDNMP, LH708, 2h) are the most potent inhibitors of l-cystine crystallization.