Polyfluorinated AA for 19F NMR-Based Screening
A R T I C L E S
mg, 0.27 mmol), compound 9 was obtained (152 mg, 60% yield) as a
white solid: mp 121 °C, [R]D -2.3 (c 1, MeOH). 1H NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO-d6): δ ppm 7.78-7.9 (m, 8 H), 7.62 (d, J ) 7.72 Hz, 2 H),
7.32-7.38 (t, J ) 6.22 Hz, 2 H), 7.22-7.3 (t, J ) 6.54 Hz, 2 H),
6.62-6.72 (br s, 1 H), 4.15-4.23 (m, 3 H), 3.65-3.78 (m, 5 H), 2.58
(t, 2 H), 1.62-1.78 (m, 1 H), 1.43-1.58 (m, 3 H), 1.19-1.3 (m, 2 H).
HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C39H33F12N2O4, 821.2243 [M + H]+;
found, 821.2273. 19F NMR (DMSO-d6): 11.83 ppm.
3. Procedure for the Conversion of Compounds 7-9 into Their
Corresponding Hydrochloride Salts. Pure TFA salts 7-9 were
dissolved in dry dioxane (1 mmol in 16 mL) and exposed to a 4 N
solution of hydrochloric acid in dioxane (4 mL). The resulting solutions
were stirred at room temperature for 1 h and then evaporated to dryness.
The corresponding hydrochloride salts were subsequently used without
any further purification.
4. General Procedure for the Monoreductive Amination Reac-
tion. 4.1. (S)-4-(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzylamino)-2-(9H-fluoren-
9-ylmethoxycarbonylamino)-butyric Acid Trifluoroacetate (10). To
a solution of 4 (177 mg, 0.39 mmol) in DMF (5 mL), stirred at room
temperature, sodium triacetoxyborohydride (290 mg, 1.4 mmol) and
3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzaldehyde (0.07 mL, 0.43 mmol) were
subsequently added. After 20 min, TFA (0.5 mL) was added, and the
reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 h. The reaction
mixture was then poured into water (20 mL), and the pH was adjusted
to 6-7, using aqueous NaOH 32% w/w. The aqueous phase was then
extracted with AcOEt (2 × 20 mL). The combined organic phases were
washed with water (3 × 50 mL) and brine, dried over Na2SO4, and
evaporated to dryness. The crude material was finally purified by flash
chromatography (dichloromethane, dichloromethane/MeOH 95/5, dichlo-
romethane/MeOH 80/20) to afford compound 10 as a white solid (114
mg, 43% yield): mp> 158 °C (decomposition), [R]D +1.1 (c 1, MeOH).
1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ ppm 8.09 (s, 2 H), 7.99 (s, 1 H),
7.89 (d, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.69 (d, J ) 7.93 Hz, 2 H), 7.42 (t, J )
7.32 Hz, 2 H), 7.24-7.37 (m, 3 H), 4.13-4.37 (m, 3 H), 3.88-4.08
(m, 3 H), 2.61-2.79 (m, 2 H), 1.85-2.00 (m, 1 H), 1.72-1.85 (m, 1
H). HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C28H25F6N2O4, 567.1713 [M + H]+;
found, 567.1693. 19F NMR (DMSO-d6): mixture of rotational isomers;
12.15 ppm (major), 12.02 ppm (minor). 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM
DTT, 0.001% Triton X-100, pH ) 7.5): mixture of rotational isomers;
12.83 ppm (major), 12.81 ppm (minor).
4.2. (S)-5-(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzylamino)-2-(9H-fluoren-
9-ylmethoxycarbonylamino)-pentanoic Acid Trifluoroacetate (11).
With the use of the procedure described above, starting from 5 (2.2 g,
4.7 mmol), compound 11 was obtained (1.8 g, 55% yield) as a white
solid: mp 162 °C, [R]D +7.3 (c 1, MeOH). 1H NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO-d6): δ ppm 8.06 (s, 2 H), 7.96 (s, 1 H), 7.89 (d, J ) 7.44 Hz,
2 H), 7.71 (d, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.42 (t, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.27-
7.37 (m, 3 H), 4.19-4.33 (m, 3 H), 3.84-3.94 (m, 3 H), 2.52-2.58
(m, 2 H), 1.73-1.83 (m, 1 H), 1.59-1.71 (m, 1 H), 1.48-1.59 (m, 2
H). HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C29H27F6N2O4, 581.1870 [M + H]+;
found, 581.1875. 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM DTT, 0.001% Triton
X-100, pH ) 7.5): 12.78 ppm.
tert-butoxycarbonyl-amino]-2-(9H-fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl-
amino)-butyric Acid (13). To a stirred solution of compound 10 (200
mg, 0.29 mmol) in AcOEt (2 mL), saturated aqueous NaHCO3 (2 mL)
and di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (256 mg, 1.18 mmol) were added. The
biphasic system was swirled for 3 h at room temperature. The reaction
mixture was diluted with additional AcOEt; the organic phase was
separated, washed with water and then with brine. Finally, it was dried
over Na2SO4 and evaporated to dryness. The crude material was purified
by flash chromatography (dichloromethane, dichloromethane/MeOH
95/5, dichloromethane/MeOH 90/10) to afford compound 13 (160 mg,
83% yield) as a white foam: mp 178 °C, [R]D +5.8 (c 1, MeOH). 1H
NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ ppm 8.01 (s, 1 H), 7.81-7.94 (m, 4
H), 7.68 (d, J ) 7.80 Hz, 2 H), 7.41 (t, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.23-7.35
(m, 3 H), 4.54 (br s, 2 H), 4.17-4.33 (m, 3 H), 3.74 (br s, 1 H), 3.32-
3.45 (m, 2 H), 1.91-2.05 (m, 1 H), 1.73-1.85 (m, 1 H), 1.28-1.45
(br s, 9 H). HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C33H33F6N2O6, 667.2237 [M
+ H]+; found, 667.2266. 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM DTT, 0.001%
Triton X-100, pH ) 7.5): mixture of rotational isomers; 12.88 ppm
(major), 12.83 ppm (minor).
5.2. (S)-5-[(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzyl)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-
amino]-2-(9H-fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonylamino)-pentanoic Acid
(14). With the use of the procedure described above, starting from 11
(195 mg, 0.28 mmol), and using dichloromethane (2 mL) instead of
AcOEt, compound 14 was obtained (195 mg, 98% yield) as a white
1
foam: mp > 170 °C (decomposition), [R]D +5.0 (c 1, MeOH). H
NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ ppm 8.00 (s, 1 H), 7.84-7.94 (m, 4
H), 7.69 (d, J ) 7.56 Hz, 2 H), 7.42 (t, J ) 7.28 Hz, 2 H), 7.27-7.37
(m, 3 H), 7.06 (br s, 1 H), 4.51 (br s, 2 H), 4.16-4.32 (m, 3 H), 3.78
(br s, 1 H), 3.17-3.33 (m, 2 H), 1.65-1.75 (m, 1 H), 1.48-1.62 (m,
3 H), 1.19-1.48 (br s, 9 H). HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C34H35F6N2O6,
681.2394 [M + H]+; found, 681.2425. 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM
DTT, 0.001% Triton X-100, pH ) 7.5): 12.83 ppm.
5.3. (S)-6-[(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzyl)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-
amino]-2-(9H-fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonylamino)-hexanoic Acid
(15). With the use of the procedure described above, starting from 12
(200 mg, 0.29 mmol), and using dichloromethane (2 mL) instead of
AcOEt, compound 15 was obtained (185 mg, 98% yield) as a white
foam: mp 68 °C, [R]D -4.1 (c 1, MeOH). 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-
d6): δ ppm 8.02 (s, 1 H), 7.84-7.95 (m, 4 H), 7.72 (d, J ) 7.44 Hz,
2 H), 7.59 (d, J ) 8.41 Hz, 1 H), 7.42 (t, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.33 (d,
J ) 7.56 Hz, 2 H), 7.10 (br s, 1 H), 4.48-4.60 (m, 2 H), 4.17-4.36
(m, 3 H), 3.85-3.98 (m, 1 H), 3.14-3.28 (m, 2 H), 1.22-1.75 (m, 15
H). HRMS (ES+): m/z calcd for C35H37F6N2O6, 695.2550 [M + H]+;
found, 695.2574. 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM DTT, 0.001% Triton
X-100, pH ) 7.5): 12.84 ppm.
6. General Procedure for the Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis. The
peptide synthesis was performed on the solid phase starting from the
commercially available Rink amide AM resin, 4-(2′,4′-dimethoxyphen-
yl-Fmoc-aminomethyl)-phenoxyacetamido-norleucyl-aminomethyl co-
poly(styrene-1% DVB). The resin was always preswelled with DCM
and DMA and accurately washed with DMA, NMP, and 2-propanol
after coupling, capping, and deprotection steps.
4.3. (S)-6-(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzylamino)-2-(9H-fluoren-
9-ylmethoxycarbonylamino)-hexanoic Acid Trifluoroacetate (12).
With the use of the procedure described above, starting from 6 (2.8 g,
5.81 mmol), compound 12 was obtained (2.23 g, 54% yield) as a white
The synthesis of the supported tripeptide 16, Fmoc-Ala-Arg(Pbf)-
Ala-NH-Rink amide AM resin, was exploited on a Rink apparatus.34
The Fmoc deprotection was achieved with rapid (1 min) and multiple
(usually 14-15) treatments with the mixture of piperidine/DMA 20%.
For each elongation step a double coupling occurred (60 and 120 min,
respectively), using each time 2 equiv of the appropriate amino acid,
2 equiv of PyBOP, and 10-12 equiv of DIEA (Hunig’s base), in DMA
as solvent. A capping step usually followed: two 5-10 min reactions
with the mixture DMA/Ac2O/DIEA 80:15:5. After thorough drying,
4.05 g of peptide 16 was obtained (97% yield based on resin loading).
Six samples of 16, 160 mg each, were then transferred into a Quest
210 synthesizer44 for further elongation with the PFAs 7-9, 13-15
1
solid: mp > 160 °C (decomposition). H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-
d6): δ ppm 8.04 (s, 2 H), 7.94 (s, 1 H), 7.89 (d, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H),
7.69 (d, J ) 6.95 Hz, 2 H), 7.43 (t, J ) 7.44 Hz, 2 H), 7.28-7.38 (m,
3 H), 4.17-4.33 (m, 3 H), 3.73-3.93 (m, 3 H), 2.43-2.52 (m, 2 H),
1.65-1.79 (m, 1 H), 1.51-1.63 (m, 1 H), 1.28-1.49 (m, 4 H). HRMS
(ES+): m/z calcd for C30H29F6N2O4, 595.2026 [M + H]+; found,
595.2047. 19F NMR (50 mM Tris, 1 mM DTT, 0.001% Triton X-100,
pH ) 7.5): 12.76 ppm.
5. General Procedure for the Introduction of the t-Butoxycar-
bonyl Protective Group. 5.1. (S)-4-[(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-benzyl)-
(44) Quest 210; Argonaut Technologies: Foster City, CA.
9
J. AM. CHEM. SOC. VOL. 129, NO. 17, 2007 5671