Boc-O-benzyl-L-tyrosine

The acid catalyzed O leads to C migration of the benzyl group in the side chain of tyrosine could be reduced by applying HBr in a mixture of phenol and p-cresol instead of BHr in trifluoroacetic acid for acidolytic deprotection. This side reaction occurs also during the removal of Boc groups. The loss of O-benzyl protection and the formation of 3-benzyltyrosine residues could be suppressed by the application of a 7:3 mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and acetic acid. The acid- and base-catalyzed ring closure of beta-benzylaspartyl residues to aminosuccinyl derivatives was also studied. In this case HBr in trifluoroacetic acid was found to be relatively harmless. Deprotection with HBr in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and p-cresol can be applied for peptides that contain both beta-benzylaspartyl and O-benzyltyrosyl residues. An attempt to reduce the rate of the base-catalyzed side reaction by application of hindered tertiary amines was abandoned because the tertiary amines which were effective in this respect let to significant reduction of the rate of the desired reaction, the aminolysis of active esters, as well. A satisfactory solution for the problem was found in the selective catalysis of the active ester reaction with 1-hydroxybenzotriazole or 4-dimethyl-aminopyridine. These catalysts do not enhance the rate of ring closure and in their presence essentially pure beta-benzylaspartyl peptides can be produced in good yield.

A series of amino acids analogous to tyrosine, but differing in the physicochemical properties of the aryl alcohol side chain, have been prepared and characterized. These compounds are expected to be useful in understanding the relationships between structure, thermodynamics, and kinetics in long-range proton-coupled electron transfer processes in peptides and proteins. Systematic changes in the acidity, redox potential, and O-H bond strength of the tyrosine side chain could be induced upon substituting the phenol for pyridinol and pyrimidinol moieties. Further modulation was possible by introducing methyl and t-butyl substitution in the position ortho to the phenolic hydroxyl. The unnatural amino acids were prepared by Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of the corresponding halogenated aryl alcohol protected as their benzyl ethers with an organozinc reagent derived from N-Boc L-serine carboxymethyl ester. Subsequent debenzylation by catalytic hydrogenation yielded the tyrosine analogues in good yield. Spectrophotometric titrations revealed a decrease in tyrosine pK(a) of ca. 1.5 log units per included nitrogen atom, along with a corresponding increase in the oxidation (peak) potentials of ca. 200 mV, respectively. All told, the six novel amino acids described here have phenol-like side chains with pK(a)'s that span a range of 7.0 to greater than 10, and an oxidation (peak) potential range of greater than 600 mV at and around physiological pH. Radical equilibration EPR experiments were carried out to reveal that the O-H bond strengths increase systematically upon nitrogen incorporation (by ca. 0.5-1.0 kcal/mol), and radical stability and persistence increase systematically upon introduction of alkyl substitution in the ortho positions. The EPR spectra of the aryloxyl radicals derived from tyrosine and each of the analogues could be determined at room temperature, and each featured distinct spectral properties. The uniqueness of their spectra will be helpful in discerning one type of aryloxyl in the presence of other possible aryloxyl radicals in peptides and proteins with multiple tyrosine residues between which electrons and protons can be transferred.

Novel analogs of 1-(N,O-bis[5-isoquinolinesulfonyl]-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl)-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-62,1) were synthesized and found to be potent antagonists in a functional assay, inhibition of ATP-induced K+ efflux in HEK293 cells expressing recombinant human P2X7 receptors. Antagonism of murine P2X7 receptors was also observed. The analogs consisted of L-tyrosine derivatives, of the general structure R1-Tyr(OR2)-piperazinyl-R3, in which three positions were systematically varied in structure through facile acylation reactions. Each of the three positions was optimized in sequence through parallel synthesis alternating with biological evaluation, leading to the identification and optimization of potent P2X7 antagonists. The optimal groups at R1 were found to be large hydrophobic groups, linked to the α-amino position through carbamate, amide, or sulfonamide groups. The benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz) group was preferred over most sulfonamides and other acyl groups examined, except for quinoline sulfonyl. At R2, an arylsulfonate ester was preferred, and the order of potency was p-tolyl, p-methoxyphenyl, phenyl > α-naphthyl, β-naphthyl. A benzoyl ester was of intermediate potency. Aliphatic esters and carbonate derivatives at the tyrosyl phenol were inactive, while a tyrosyl O-benzyl ether was relatively potent. The most potent P2X7 receptor antagonists identified in this study contained Cbz at the R1 position, an aryl sulfonate at the R2 position, and various acyl groups at the R3 position. At R3, t-butyloxycarbonyl- and benzoyl groups were preferred. The opening of the piperazinyl ring to an ethylene diamine moiety abolished antagonism. In concentration-response studies, a di-isoquinolinyl, Boc derivative, 4 (MRS2306), displayed an IC50 value of 40 nM as an antagonist of P2X7 receptor-mediated ion flux and was more potent than the reference compound 1. Nα-Cbz, Boc-piperazinyl derivatives, 11 (MRS2317), 22 (MRS2326), and 41 (MRS2409) were less potent than 1, with IC50 values of 200-300 nM.