Christopher Lehmann

Structures of glycopeptide antibiotics with peptides that model bacterial cell-wall precursors

The vancomycin-related antibiotics balhimycin and degluco-balhimycin have been crystallized in complexes with di-, tri- and pentapeptides that emulate bacterial cell-wall precursors, and four structures determined at atomic resolution (<1 A). In addition to the features expected from previous structural and spectroscopic studies, two new motifs were observed that may prove important in the design of antibiotics modified to overcome bacterial resistance. A changed binding mode was found in two dipeptide complexes, and a new type of face-to-face oligomerization (in addition to the well-established back-to-back dimerization) was seen when the model peptide reaches a critical fraction of the size of the cell-wall precursor pentapeptide. The extensive interactions involving both antibiotic and peptide molecules in this interface should appreciably enhance the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the complexes. In the pentapeptide complex, the relative positions of the peptides are close to those required for d-Ala elimination, so this structure may provide a realistic model for the prevention of the enzyme-catalyzed cell-wall crosslinking by antibiotic binding.

HYDRIDO(CARBENE), HYDRIDO(DIAZOALKANE), AQUA-(CARBENE), AND VINYL(CARBENE)COMPLEXES OF OSMIUM(II)

The five-coordinate compound [OsHCl(CO)(PiPr3)2] (1) reacts with CH2N2 and other diazoalkanes RCHN2 (R = Ph, CO2Et, SiMe3) in ether or toluene at 25 °C to give instead of the expected insertion products [Os(CH2R)Cl(CO)(PiPr3)2] the isomeric hydrido(carbene)osmium(II) complexes [OsHCl(=CHR)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (2–5) in excellent yields. With Me3SiCHN2 as the substrate, the 1:1 adduct [OsHCl(N2CHSiMe3)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (6) was detected at low temperature as an intermediate. The reactions of 1 with Ph2CN2 and Cl4C5N2 afford the hydrido(diazoalkane)compounds [OsHCl(N2CR2)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (7, 8), which are quite stable and do not eliminate N2 to give the corresponding hydrido(carbene)metal derivatives. Treatment of 3 (R = Ph) with either HCl or HBF4/H2O leads to the cleavage of the Os-H bond and results in the formation of [OsCl2(=CHPh)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (10) and [OsCl(=CHPh)(OH2)(CO)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (11), respectively. The vinyl compound [OsCl(CH=CHPh)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (12) behaves similarly to 1 and affords the carbene complex [OsCl(CH=CHPh)(=CHPh)(CO)(PiPr3)2] (13) upon treatment with PhCHN2. Compound 13 rearranges in solution at room temperature to give the π-allyl complex [Os(η3-PhCHCHCHPh)Cl(CO)(PiPr3)2] (14) as the dominating species. The crystal and molecular structures of 4, 5, 10, and 11 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.

Stereoselective Multiple Functionalization of Pyrylium Salts by Domino Reactions with 2‐Silyloxybuta‐1,3‐dienes

Six at a time! Up to six stereogenic centers can be diastereoselectively formed in one step in three-component domino reactions of 4-silyloxypyrylium triflates with 2-silyloxybuta-1,3-dienes. Annulated or bridged ring systems such as 1 and 2, respectively, can be formed with high selectivity. R1 =silyl group; R2 , R3 =organyl group.