1. New synthesis of (RS)-carnitine chloride
S G Boots, M R Boots J Pharm Sci. 1975 Jul;64(7):1262-4. doi: 10.1002/jps.2600640737.
A four-step synthesis of (RS)-carnitine chloride was developed using extremely mild reaction conditions and versatile intermediates. Crotyl chloride was converted to tert-butyl 3-butenoate using tert-butyl alcohol and triethylamine in ether. Treatment of tert-butyl 3-butenoate with m-chloroperbenzoic acid in chloroform afforded tert-butyl 3,4-epoxybutyrate. Reaction of this compound with trimethylamine hydrochloride in methanol, followed by mild acid hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester, afforded (RS)-carnitine chloride.
2. Kinetic resolution of tert-butyl (RS)-3-alkylcyclopentene-1-carboxylates for the synthesis of homochiral 3-alkyl-cispentacin and 3-alkyl-transpentacin derivatives
Mark E Bunnage, Stephen G Davies, Richard M Parkin, Paul M Roberts, Andrew D Smith, Jonathan M Withey Org Biomol Chem. 2004 Nov 21;2(22):3337-54. doi: 10.1039/B407559E. Epub 2004 Oct 20.
High levels of stereocontrol are observed in the conjugate addition of lithium dibenzylamide to tert-butyl (RS)-3-alkylcyclopentene-1-carboxylates (alkyl = Et, Bn), with addition occurring exclusively anti- to the 3-alkyl substituent. Treatment of a range of tert-butyl (RS)-3-alkylcyclopentene-1-carboxylates (alkyl = Et, Bn, (i)Pr, (t)Bu) with lithium (RS)-N-benzyl-N-[small alpha]-methylbenzylamide indicates that good enantiorecognition is observed (E > 80) in their mutual kinetic resolution. In these reactions, conjugate addition of the lithium amide occurs exclusively anti- to the 3-alkyl substituent, with subsequent C(1)-protonation occurring preferably anti- to the 2-amino group in the 3-Et, 3-Bn and 3-(i)Pr cases, giving predominantly the corresponding 1,2-syn-2,3-anti-diastereoisomers. Conjugate addition to (RS)-3-tert-butyl cyclopentene-1-carboxylate results in exclusive 2,3-anti -addition and a reversal in C(1)-protonation selectivity, giving predominantly the 1,2-anti-2,3-anti-diastereoisomer. Furthermore, the kinetic resolution of the tert-butyl (RS)-3-alkylcyclopentene-1-carboxylates (alkyl = Et, Bn, (i)Pr, (t)Bu) with lithium (S)-N-benzyl-N-alpha-methylbenzylamide proceeds efficiently, giving, at between 47 and 51% conversion, the resolved 3-alkylcyclopentene-1-carboxylates in >85 to >98% ee and the beta-amino ester products of conjugate addition in high de, consistent with E > 80 in each case. Subsequent deprotection of the 1,2-syn-2,3-anti-3-alkyl-beta-amino esters (alkyl = Et, Bn, (i)Pr) by hydrogenolysis and ester hydrolysis gives the corresponding 1,2-syn-2,3-anti-3-alkylcispentacins in >98% de and 98 +/- 1% ee. Selective epimerisation of the 1,2-syn-2,3-anti-3-alkyl-beta-amino esters (alkyl = Et, Bn, (i)Pr, (t)Bu) by treatment with KO(t)Bu in (t)BuOH gives the corresponding 1,2-anti-2,3-anti-3-alkyl-beta-amino esters in quantitative yield and in >98% de, with subsequent deprotection by hydrogenolysis and ester hydrolysis giving the corresponding 1,2-anti-2,3-anti-3-alkylcispentacin hydrochlorides in >98% de.
3. Lipid peroxyl radicals mediate tyrosine dimerization and nitration in membranes
Silvina Bartesaghi, Jorge Wenzel, Madia Trujillo, Marcos López, Joy Joseph, Balaraman Kalyanaraman, Rafael Radi Chem Res Toxicol. 2010 Apr 19;23(4):821-35. doi: 10.1021/tx900446r.
Protein tyrosine dimerization and nitration by biologically relevant oxidants usually depend on the intermediate formation of tyrosyl radical ((*)Tyr). In the case of tyrosine oxidation in proteins associated with hydrophobic biocompartments, the participation of unsaturated fatty acids in the process must be considered since they typically constitute preferential targets for the initial oxidative attack. Thus, we postulate that lipid-derived radicals mediate the one-electron oxidation of tyrosine to (*)Tyr, which can afterward react with another (*)Tyr or with nitrogen dioxide ((*)NO(2)) to yield 3,3'-dityrosine or 3-nitrotyrosine within the hydrophobic structure, respectively. To test this hypothesis, we have studied tyrosine oxidation in saturated and unsaturated fatty acid-containing phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes with an incorporated hydrophobic tyrosine analogue BTBE (N-t-BOC l-tyrosine tert-butyl ester) and its relationship with lipid peroxidation promoted by three oxidation systems, namely, peroxynitrite, hemin, and 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride. In all cases, significant tyrosine (BTBE) oxidation was seen in unsaturated PC liposomes, in a way that was largely decreased at low oxygen concentrations. Tyrosine oxidation levels paralleled those of lipid peroxidation (i.e., malondialdehyde and lipid hydroperoxides), lipid-derived radicals and BTBE phenoxyl radicals were simultaneously detected by electron spin resonance spin trapping, supporting an association between the two processes. Indeed, alpha-tocopherol, a known reactant with lipid peroxyl radicals (LOO(*)), inhibited both tyrosine oxidation and lipid peroxidation induced by all three oxidation systems. Moreover, oxidant-stimulated liposomal oxygen consumption was dose dependently inhibited by BTBE but not by its phenylalanine analogue, BPBE (N-t-BOC l-phenylalanine tert-butyl ester), providing direct evidence for the reaction between LOO(*) and the phenol moiety in BTBE, with an estimated second-order rate constant of 4.8 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1). In summary, the data presented herein demonstrate that LOO(*) mediates tyrosine oxidation processes in hydrophobic biocompartments and provide a new mechanistic insight to understand protein oxidation and nitration in lipoproteins and biomembranes.