Iodine-sodium cyanoborohydride-mediated reductive ring opening of 4,6-O-benzylidene acetals of hexopyranosides

A quick, efficient and convenient method for the regiospecific reductive ring opening of 4,6-O-benzylidene acetals of O-/S-alkyl/aryl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides, leading to the exclusive formation of the corresponding 6-O-benzyl ethers, using sodium cyanoborohydride in the presence of molecular iodine, is reported. It has been observed that common protecting groups such as ethers and esters are well tolerated under the conditions studied. The reaction was proved unsuccessful when applied to a glucosamine-derived benzylidene acetal.     

Regioselective reductive openings of 4,6-benzylidene acetals: synthetic and mechanistic aspects

The use of benzylidene acetals as protecting groups in carbohydrate chemistry is utterly important. The main advantage of benzylidene acetal is the ability for regioselective openings. 4,6-benzylidene acetal can be opened selectively under reductive conditions to yield either free 4-OH or 6-OH. There are a plethora of methods available for regioselective openings, but only a few of these are widely used. In recent years, the mechanism has been investigated for borane mediated openings and it seems likely that the regioselectivity is determined by borane, rather than Lewis acid. When borane is activated by Lewis acids, borane is the most electrophilic species that consequently coordinates to the most nucleophilic oxygen of the acetals, usually O-6. This results in the formation of 6-O-benzyl ethers. If borane is not activated, Lewis acid is the most electrophilic species that thus adds to O-6 and hence generates the 4-O-benzyl ether.     

The presence of water improves reductive openings of benzylidene acetals with trimethylaminoborane and aluminium chloride

The acidic reagent formed in situ from anhydrous AlCl(3) and H(2)O in 3:1 ratio is much more efficient for the reductive openings of the cyclic benzylidene acetals with Me(3)N x BH(3) in tetrahydrofurane than the AlCl(3) alone. Under proposed conditions, the dioxane-type 4,6-O-bezylidene acetals of hexopyranosides give regioselectively the corresponding 4-hydroxy,6-O-benzyl derivatives in excellent yields. Reductive openings of the dioxolane-type 3,4-O-benzylidene acetals of galactopyranoside are also very efficient and regioselective and give either 3-O-benzyl derivative (from 3,4-O-exo-benzylidene acetal) or 4-O-benzyl derivative (from 3,4-O-endo-benzylidene acetal) depending on the configuration of the acetal carbon atom.     

DIBALH mediated reduction of the acetal moiety on perhydrofuro[2,3-b]pyran derivatives.

The reaction of DIBALH with bis(heteroannulated)-pyranosides containing the perhydrofuro[2,3-b]pyran moiety is described. The hydride attack at the anomeric carbon (C-9a) resulted in the exclusive tetrahydrofuran ring opening. The selectivity of this reaction has been evaluated as other benzylidene acetals built on these substrates remain practically or partially unaltered in these conditions depending on the steric volume of the O-protecting group located at C-4 (TBDMS vs. Me). This protocol can be considered as a new entry for the synthesis of chiral and highly functionalized cyclopentanes.     

Synthesis of O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1 leads to 2)-O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1 leads to 2)-D-mannose, the repeating unit of the O8-antigen of Escherichia coli

The trisaccharide α- d-Man p-(1→2)-α- d-Man p-(1→2)- d-Man was synthesised by using a stepwise method. A key reaction in the preparation of the intermediates was the selective hydrogenolysis of mannopyranoside derivatives having both dioxane- and dioxolane-type benzylidene acetals, resulting in the exclusive cleavage of the former acetal rings.     

The preparation of cyclohexanepentols from inositols by deoxygenation

Several cyclohexanepentols have been synthesized from inositols by blocking all but one hydroxyl group, converting the free hydroxyl group into its S-methyl dithiocarbonate, and treating it with tributylstannane. Suitable blocking-groups are methyl, benzyl, and methylthiomethyl ethers, and acetals. One cyclohexanepentol was prepared by the reductive deamination of an aminodeoxyinositol.     

Rapid assembly of gp120 oligosaccharide moieties via one-pot glycosidation-deprotection sequences

Mannosyl trihaloacetimidate donors equipped with a 2-O-Fmoc group can be effectively activated by catalytic Bi(OTf)₃ in glycosidations. Despite the expected participating effect of the Fmoc group, the reaction solvent was found to be decisive for obtaining highly selective α-mannosylations. The Fmoc 2-O-protecting group can be then simply removed from the obtained di-oligosaccharide in the same vessel where the glycosidation is conducted. The resulting oligosaccharide can thus be directly employed as a glycosyl acceptor for further elongation. The preparation of biologically important linear and branched oligomannoses incorporated into HIV gp120 demonstrates that iteration of this one-pot sequence leads to very straightforward oligosaccharide assembly. As an additional result, a rapid approach has been disclosed for accessing a 3,6-OH mannose building-block to be incorporated in branched structures. This relies on a double reductive opening of a di-O-benzylidene mannose intermediate whose regioselectivity appears to be independent of the configuration of the five-membered benzylidene.     

Novel ether derivatives of mannopeptimycin glycopeptide antibiotic

Novel ether derivatives of mannopeptimycin glycopeptide were synthesized to probe their SAR. Many of these derivatives exhibited potent antibacterial activity against methicillin resistant and vancomycin resistant strains. These ether derivatives were prepared via reductive ring cleavage of acetals to give a mixture of 6-O, 4-O, 3-O, and 2-O-ether isomers. Both 6-O-ether and 4-O-ether showed significantly enhanced antibacterial activity over the parent and the isovalerate esters.     

Benzylidene acetal structural elucidation by N.M.R. Spectroscopy: Application of carbon-13. N.M.R.-Spectral parameters

The ₁₃C-n.m.r. spectra of 19 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane, -1,3-dioxane and -1,3-dioxopane derivatives were examined and it was found that both the ₁₃C-n.m.r. chemical shift for the acetal carbon atom and the one-bond coupling constant between the acetal carbon atom and the acetal proton had values that could be used to distinguish between acetals having different ring sizes. In addition, the presence of axial substituents at positions 4 or 6 in substituted 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxane rings and 4 or 7 in substituted 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxepane rings could be readily detected. The structures of a number of carbohydrate examples were determined by using these two parameters and also the chemical shift of the acetal proton from ₁H-n.m.r. spectra. The use of all three parameters made assignment of benzylidene acetal ring-size unambiguous.     

Synthesis of D‐Altritol Nucleosides with a 3′‐O‐Tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl Protecting Group

Four D‐altritol nucleosides with a 3′‐O‐tert‐butyldimethylsilyl protecting group are synthesized (base moieties are adenine, guanine, thymine and 5‐methylcytosine). The nucleosides are obtained by ring opening reaction of 1,5:2,3‐dianhydro‐4,6‐O‐benzylidene‐D‐allitol. Optimal reaction circumstances (NaH, LiH, DBU, phase transfer, microwave irridation) for the introduction of the heterocycles are base‐specific. For the introduction of the 3′‐O‐silyl protecting group, long reaction times and several equivalents of tert‐butyldimethylsilyl chloride are needed.     

Analysis of a pyruvic acid acetal-containing polysaccharide by the reductive-cleavage method.

The applicability of the reductive-cleavage method to the analysis of polysaccharides bearing pyruvic acid acetals has been demonstrated. Direct reductive cleavage of fully methylated gum xanthan yielded the expected products, including 1,5-anhydro-4,6-O-[(S)-1-methoxycarbonylethylidene]-2,3-di-O-methy l-D- mannitol. The latter product was not observed when reductive cleavage was performed subsequent to reduction of ester groups in the fully methylated polysaccharide and mild hydrolysis to remove pyruvic acid acetal substituents. Instead, the latter experiment yielded 1,5-anhydro-2,3-di-O-methyl-D-mannitol, establishing the presence in the polysaccharide of terminal (nonreducing) D-mannopyranosyl groups bearing 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene) substituents. The products of reductive cleavage were characterized, where appropriate, by comparison of the gas chromatographic retention times and chemical ionization- and electron ionization-mass spectra of their acetates to those of authentic standards. Alternatively, the products of reductive cleavage could be characterized without resort to comparison with authentic standards by analysis of the 1H-n.m.r. spectra of their benzoates, which were obtained in pure form by high-performance liquid chromatography. By either method of product characterization, this two-step procedure of analysis reveals the presence of pyruvic-acetal residues in polysaccharides and establishes both the identity of the sugar residue to which they are attached and their positions of attachment.     

Transglucosidation of methyl and ethyl D-glucofuranosides by alcoholysis

The acid catalyzed ethanolysis of methyl 5-O-methyl-alpha- and -beta-D-glucofuranoside and the analogous methanolysis of ethyl 5-O-methyl-alpha- and -beta-D-glucofuranoside have been investigated. For all four reactions, the primarily formed transglycosylation product was a single glycoside that had the opposite anomeric configuration to the starting material. This strongly indicates that a D-glucose methyl ethyl acetal is first formed and is then ring closed by a nucleophilic attack by HO-4, giving either the starting material or a transglycosylation product with the opposite anomeric configuration. Low percentages of the methyl ethyl acetals and of dimethyl acetals were also observed in the reaction product during the methanolysis reactions.     

Model studies on the analysis of pyruvic acid acetal-containing polysaccharides by the reductive-cleavage method

The 4,6-O-(1-methoxycarbonylethylidene), -(hydroxyisopropylidene), and -(methoxyisopropylidene) acetals of methyl 2,3-di-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside were subjected to reductive cleavage in the presence of triethylsilane and trimethylsilyl methanesulfonate-boron trifluoride etherate (Me3SiOMs-BF3.Et2O), BF3.Et2O, or trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (Me3SiOSO2CF3) and the mole fractions of products were determined as a function of reaction time. The 4,6-(1-methoxycarbonylethylidene) acetal was quite stable to reductive-cleavage conditions but isomerization of the initial R,S mixture of diastereomers to the more-stable S diastereoisomer was noted. In addition, a slow, regiospecific, reductive ring-opening of the acetal was observed to give 6-O-[1-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl] derivatives. The 4,6-(hydroxyisopropylidene) acetal was very unstable under reductive-cleavage conditions. Both Me3SiOMs-BF3.Et2O and Me3SiOSO2CF3 catalyzed complete removal of the group, via the intermediate 6-[1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl] ether, but BF3.Et2O gave a mixture of products. The 4,6-(methoxyisopropylidene) acetal was also very labile under reductive-cleavage conditions; Me3SiOMs-BF3.Et2O catalyzed complete removal of the acetal, via the intermediate 6-[1-(methoxymethyl)ethyl]ether, but the intermediate ether was quite stable in the presence of either BF3.Et2O or Me3SiOSO2CF3. It is concluded from these studies that polysaccharides bearing 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene) substituents can be analyzed directly by sequential permethylation and reductive cleavage. It is proposed that the identity of the substituted monomer and the positions of substitution of the acetal can be determined by sequential permethylation, ester reduction, and reductive cleavage.     

A kinetic study on the reductive opening of the diphenylmethylene acetal in methyl 2,3-O-diphenylmethylene-α-L-rhamnopyranoside

Reductive opening of the diphenylmethyl acetal in methyl 2,3-O-diphenylmethylene-α-l-rhamnopyranoside has been investigated by kinetic studies, and the results have been compared to those recently obtained by quantum chemical calculations. In contrast to the previous theoretical calculations which related only to the presumably rate limiting step of the reductive opening, the reaction system LiAlH(4), AlCl(3), and the title compound consists of at least four simultaneous reactions. Nevertheless, reasonable agreement can be found between the activation Gibbs free energy obtained from kinetic measurements and the theoretically calculated ones in spite of the experimental errors and the approximate nature of theoretical calculations.     

Synthesis of 5-O-β-D-galactofuranosyl-D-galactofuranose

Conversion of benzyl αβ-D-galactofuranoside into the 5,6-O-[α-(dimethyl-amino)benzylidene] derivative, followed by acetylation of HO-2 and HO-3, and selective ring opening or the acetal, gave benzyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-6-O-benzoyl-αβ-D-galactofuranoside(4). The title disaccharide was synthesised from4 by reaction with 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-α-D-galactofuranose 1,2-(methyl orthoacetate) followed by removal of protecting groups     

3-Hydroxymaackiainisoflavan,a pisatin metabolite produced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi

3,7,2′-Trihydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyisoflavan, a novel fungal metabolite of pisatin, was identified on the basis of NMR and MS data. The isoflavan arises by reductive opening of the dihydrofuran ring in the pterocarpan 6a-hydroxymaackiain, the first breakdown product of pisatin. The trivial name 3-hydroxymaackiainisoflavan is proposed for this substance.     

Long-chain cyclic acetals of glycerol: metabolism of the stereomeric 1,3-dioxanes and 1,3-dioxolanes in myelinating rat brain

The metabolism of the stereomeric cyclic glycerol acetals of [1-(14)C]hexadecanal was studied in myelinating rat brain. It was found that the four isomers, cis- and trans-2-pentadecyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-dioxanes and cis- and trans-2-pentadecyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolanes, were utilized by the tissue at different rates. The acetals were primarily metabolized via a ring-opening mechanism leading to palmitic acid, some of which was subsequently elongated-desaturated. Only the five-membered ring isomers were incorporated as intact acetals into both neutral and polar brain lipids.     

Amidohydrolases of the reductive pyrimidine catabolic pathway purification, characterization, structure, reaction mechanisms and enzyme deficiency

In the reductive pyrimidine catabolic pathway uracil and thymine are converted to beta-alanine and beta-aminoisobutyrate. The amidohydrolases of this pathway are responsible for both the ring opening of dihydrouracil and dihydrothymine (dihydropyrimidine amidohydrolase) and the hydrolysis of N-carbamyl-beta-alanine and N-carbamyl-beta-aminoisobutyrate (beta-alanine synthase). The review summarizes what is known about the properties, kinetic parameters, three-dimensional structures and reaction mechanisms of these proteins. The two amidohydrolases of the reductive pyrimidine catabolic pathway have unrelated folds, with dihydropyrimidine amidohydrolase belonging to the amidohydrolase superfamily while the beta-alanine synthase from higher eukaryotes belongs to the nitrilase superfamily. beta-Alanine synthase from Saccharomyces kluyveri is an exception to the rule and belongs to the Acyl/M20 family.     

A kinetic study on the reductive opening of the diphenylmethylene acetal in methyl 2,3-O-diphenylmethylene-α-l-rhamnopyranoside

Reductive opening of the diphenylmethyl acetal in methyl 2,3-O-diphenylmethylene-α-l-rhamnopyranoside has been investigated by kinetic studies, and the results have been compared to those recently obtained by quantum chemical calculations. In contrast to the previous theoretical calculations which related only to the presumably rate limiting step of the reductive opening, the reaction system LiAlH₄, AlCl₃, and the title compound consists of at least four simultaneous reactions. Nevertheless, reasonable agreement can be found between the activation Gibbs free energy obtained from kinetic measurements and the theoretically calculated ones in spite of the experimental errors and the approximate nature of theoretical calculations.     

Study of the ribosome mRNA-binding region during different stages of translation. I. Functional activity of mRNA analogs, AUGU6 and its benzylidene derivatives, in ribosome-dependent protein synthesis

Hexaribouridylic acid, prepared by digestion of poly(U) with cobra venom endonuclease, and trinucleotide AUG synthesized chemically by triester approach were joined by RNA-ligase to yield a nonaribonucleotide AUGU6 bearing the initiation codon at its 5'-terminus. 2',3'-O-(4-[N-(2-chloro(or hydroxy) ethyl-N-Methylamino])- benzylidene residues were introduced at the 3'-terminus of oligonucleotide AUGU6 and its benzylidene derivatives AUGU6CHRCl or AUGU6CHROH were obtained. The mRNA analogs synthesized were tested for their template activity in the formation of 70S initiation complex. AUGU6, AUGU6CHRC1 and AUGU6CHROH were shown to stimulate factor-dependent binding of fMet-tRNA to ribosomes. The effect of benzylidene fragment on the template activity of AUGU6CHROH in the course of translation process was studied. It was shown that AUGU6CHROH stimulates synthesis of di- and tripeptides with the same efficiency as AUGU6.