Umberto Piarulli

Supramolecular ligand–ligand and ligand–substrate interactions for highly selective transition metal catalysis

The use of non covalent supramolecular ligand-ligand and ligand-substrate interactions in transition metal-catalysed transformations is a new, rapidly emerging area of research. Non-covalent interactions between monodentate ligands such as hydrogen bonding, coordinative bonding, ion pairing, π-π interactions and the formation of inclusion compounds, have been shown to impart higher activity and chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity to the corresponding transition metal complexes in a number of catalytic applications. Analogously, supramolecular ligand-substrate interactions, and particularly hydrogen bonding, have been used to direct the regio- and stereochemistry of several metal-catalysed reactions. The catalytic systems relying on supramolecular interactions are generally capable of self-assembling from simpler components in the environment where catalysis is to take place, and are therefore very well-suited for combinatorial catalyst discovery strategies and high-throughput screening.

Discovery of a New Efficient Chiral Ligand for Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Michael Additions by High‐Throughput Screening of a Parallel Library

A combinatorial library of 125 chiral Schiff base ligands 5 was synthesized with the use of solution-phase parallel synthesis and solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques to scavenge excess reagents and reaction by-products and avoid chromatography. The synthetic methodology coupled five N-Boc-protected beta-amino sulfonyl chlorides 1a-e with five different amines 2f-j to give 25 N-Boc sulfonamides 3, which were in turn deprotected and coupled with five salicylaldehydes 4p-t to give 125 ligands 5 in good yields and of sufficient purity to be used in ligand-catalyzed reactions. These ligands were tested in the copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc to cyclic and acyclic enones. A multisubstrate high-throughput screening of the library was performed with an equimolar mixture of 2-cyclohexenone and 2-cycloheptenone (9 and 10, respectively, 0.2 mmol total), with 5.5 mol% ligand 5 (0.011 mmol) and 5 mol% Cu(OTf)2 (OTf= OSO2CF3) (0.010 mmol) in 1:1 toluene/ hexane at - 20 degrees C. From the screening of the library, 5bhr was identified as the best ligand, which yielded 3-ethylcyclohexanone (12) and 3-ethylcycloheptanone (13) in 82% and 81% ee, respectively, and complete conversions. Under optimized conditions (2.75 mol% 5bhr, 2.5 mol% copper(i) triflate, toluene as reaction solvent), improved results were obtained for 12 (90% ee, 93% yield) and for 13 (91% ee, 95% yield). Selected ligands 5 were also tested in the addition of Me2Zn to 2-cyclohexenone (9, ee up to 79%), of Et2Zn to 2-cyclopentenone (11, ee up to 80%) and to acyclic enones 16 and 17 (ee up to 50%).

Cyclic RGD-Peptidomimetics Containing Bifunctional Diketopiperazine Scaffolds as New Potent Integrin Ligands

The synthesis of eight bifunctional diketopiperazine (DKP) scaffolds is described; these were formally derived from 2,3-diaminopropionic acid and aspartic acid (DKP-1-DKP-7) or glutamic acid (DKP-8) and feature an amine and a carboxylic acid functional group. The scaffolds differ in the configuration at the two stereocenters and the substitution at the diketopiperazinic nitrogen atoms. The bifunctional diketopiperazines were introduced into eight cyclic peptidomimetics containing the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence. The resulting RGD peptidomimetics were screened for their ability to inhibit biotinylated vitronectin binding to the purified integrins α(v)β(3) and α(v)β(5), which are involved in tumor angiogenesis. Nanomolar IC(50) values were obtained for the RGD peptidomimetics derived from trans DKP scaffolds (DKP-2-DKP-8). Conformational studies of the cyclic RGD peptidomimetics by (1)H NMR spectroscopy experiments (VT-NMR and NOESY spectroscopy) in aqueous solution and Monte Carlo/Stochastic Dynamics (MC/SD) simulations revealed that the highest affinity ligands display well-defined preferred conformations featuring intramolecular hydrogen-bonded turn motifs and an extended arrangement of the RGD sequence [Cβ(Arg)-Cβ(Asp) average distance ≥8.8 Å]. Docking studies were performed, starting from the representative conformations obtained from the MC/SD simulations and taking as a reference model the crystal structure of the extracellular segment of integrin α(v)β(3) complexed with the cyclic pentapeptide, Cilengitide. The highest affinity ligands produced top-ranked poses conserving all the important interactions of the X-ray complex.

A new method for the solution and solid phase synthesis of chiral β-sulfonopeptides under mild conditions

Abstract Chiral β-sulfonopeptides were synthesized both in solution and in the solid phase using the sulfonyl chlorides derived from enantiomerically pure 2-substituted taurines under mild coupling conditions [cat. 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and excess methyl trimethylsilyl dimethylketene acetal (MTDA) as a proton trap].

Discovery of a New Efficient Chiral Ligand for Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective Michael Additions by High-Throughput Screening of a Parallel Library

A combinatorial library of 125 chiral Schiff base ligands 5 was synthesized with the use of solution-phase parallel synthesis and solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques to scavenge excess reagents and reaction by-products and avoid chromatography. The synthetic methodology coupled five N-Boc-protected β-amino sulfonyl chlorides 1 a–e with five different amines 2 f–j to give 25 N-Boc sulfonamides 3, which were in turn deprotected and coupled with five salicylaldehydes 4 p–t to give 125 ligands 5 in good yields and of sufficient purity to be used in ligand-catalyzed reactions. These ligands were tested in the copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc to cyclic and acyclic enones. A multisubstrate high-throughput screening of the library was performed with an equimolar mixture of 2-cyclohexenone and 2-cycloheptenone (9 and 10, respectively, 0.2 mmol total), with 5.5 mol % ligand 5 (0.011 mmol) and 5 mol % Cu(OTf)2 (OTf= OSO2CF3) (0.010 mmol) in 1:1 toluene/hexane at −20 °C. From the screening of the library, 5 bhr was identified as the best ligand, which yielded 3-ethylcyclohexanone (12) and 3-ethylcycloheptanone (13) in 82 % and 81 % ee, respectively, and complete conversions. Under optimized conditions (2.75 mol % 5 bhr, 2.5 mol % copper(I) triflate, toluene as reaction solvent), improved results were obtained for 12 (90 % ee, 93 % yield) and for 13 (91 % ee, 95 % yield). Selected ligands 5 were also tested in the addition of Me2Zn to 2-cyclohexenone (9, ee up to 79 %), of Et2Zn to 2-cyclopentenone (11, ee up to 80 %) and to acyclic enones 16 and 17 (ee up to 50 %).

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation (in Vitro and in Vivo) of Cyclic Arginine–Glycine–Aspartate (RGD) Peptidomimetic–Paclitaxel Conjugates Targeting Integrin αVβ3

A small library of integrin ligand-paclitaxel conjugates 10-13 was synthesized with the aim of using the tumor-homing cyclo[DKP-RGD] peptidomimetics for site-directed delivery of the cytotoxic drug. All the paclitaxel-RGD constructs 10-13 inhibited biotinylated vitronectin binding to the purified αVβ3 integrin receptor at low nanomolar concentration and showed in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of human tumor cell lines similar to that of paclitaxel. Among the cell lines, the cisplatin-resistant IGROV-1/Pt1 cells expressed high levels of integrin αVβ3, making them attractive to be tested in in vivo models. cyclo[DKP-f3-RGD]-PTX 11 displayed sufficient stability in physiological solution and in both human and murine plasma to be a good candidate for in vivo testing. In tumor-targeting experiments against the IGROV-1/Pt1 human ovarian carcinoma xenotransplanted in nude mice, compound 11 exhibited a superior activity compared with paclitaxel, despite the lower (about half) molar dosage used.

UREAS : NEW EFFICIENT LEWIS BASE CATALYSTS FOR THE ALLYLATION OF ALDEHYDES

Abstract Catalytic amounts of ureas in the presence of silver salts readily promote the reaction of allyltrichlorosilanes with aldehydes.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Olefins with PhthalaPhos, a New Class of Chiral Supramolecular Ligands

A library of 19 binol-derived chiral monophosphites that contain a phthalic acid diamide group (PhthalaPhos) has been designed and synthesized in four steps. These new ligands were screened in the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of prochiral dehydroamino esters and enamides. Several members of the library showed excellent enantioselectivity with methyl 2-acetamido acrylate (6 ligands gave >97% ee), methyl (Z)-2-acetamido cinnamate (6 ligands gave >94% ee), and N-(1-phenylvinyl)acetamide (9 ligands gave >95% ee), whilst only a few representatives afforded high enantioselectivities for challenging and industrially relevant substrates N-(3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1-yl)-acetamide (96% ee in one case) and methyl (E)-2-(acetamidomethyl)-3-phenylacrylate (99% ee in one case). In most cases, the new ligands were more active and more stereoselective than their structurally related monodentate phosphites (which are devoid of functional groups that are capable of hydrogen-bonding interactions). Control experiments and kinetic studies were carried out that allowed us to demonstrate that hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the diamide group of the PhthalaPhos ligands strongly contribute to their outstanding catalytic properties. Computational studies carried out on a rhodium precatalyst and on a conceivable intermediate in the hydrogenation catalytic cycle shed some light on the role played by hydrogen bonding, which is likely to act in a substrate-orientation effect.

Hydrogen-Bonding Donor/Acceptor Scales inβ-Sulfonamidopeptides

The conformational preferences of β-sulfonamidopeptides (for example 1) in chloroform solution were investigated by variable-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The following hydrogen-bonding acceptor scale was derived from the experiments: RCON≈tBuOCON>COOMe≥RSO2N.

PhthalaPhos: Chiral Supramolecular Ligands for Enantioselective Rhodium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation Reactions

Chemists have largely taken inspiration from Nature in the development of new approaches to synthetic challenges. Combinatorial chemistry stems from the concept of evolution, whereby random mutation of a chemical structure gives rise to libraries of compounds, from which an optimal lead can be found with high probability. On the other hand, Nature makes wide use of noncovalent interactions to build its complex supramolecular architectures and to achieve efficient and selective transformations. In recent years, combinatorial and supramolecular approaches to the development of new ligands for asymmetric catalysis has gained momentum. 2d] The term “supramolecular ligand” encompasses all ligands possessing, besides the atom(s) coordinating to the catalytic metal atom, an additional functionality capable of noncovalent interactions (mainly hydrogen or coordinative bonds) which can play the following roles: 1) self-assembly of two monodentate ligands to form a so-called supramolecular bidentate ligand; 2) binding the substrate(s) in proximity to the catalytic metal center in analogy to metalloenzymes. Among the different kinds of noncovalent interactions that have been used so far for developing supramolecular ligands, hydrogen bonds are arguably the most practical and efficient for several reasons: 1) functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding (e.g., amides, ureas, guanidines) are stable and relatively easy to introduce; 2) hydrogen bonds are created dynamically and reversibly in the reaction medium (where catalysis is to take place), are capable of self-repair when broken, and often coexist with other interactions in a “noninvasive” manner. As a result of our continued interest in developing supramolecular ligands, we report herein the design and synthesis of a novel class of chiral monodentate phosphite ligands, named PhthalaPhos, which contain a phthalic acid primary diamide moiety (Scheme 1). The phthalamidic group