Aminodeoxybestatin and epi-aminodeoxybestatin: stereospecific synthesis and aminopeptidase inhibition

Abstract

The synthesis of aminodeoxybestatin and epi-aminodeoxybestatin [(2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-2,3-di-amino-4-phenylbutanoyl-L-leucine; (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-DAPBA-L-Leu)], bestatin and epi-bestatin analogues, respectively, in which the hydroxy group has been replaced with an amino group, is described by two different methods. The first one involves the synthesis of bis-(N-Z)-DAPBA, by homologation of N-Z-phenylalanine, via a modified Strecker synthesis followed by subsequent coupling with the methyl ester of L-leucine and removal of the protecting groups. Following this procedure, 25% racemization at the C-3 centre of the DAPBA derivatives took place during the homologation reaction. The second method involves the stereospecific S_N2 nucleophilic substitution of the 2-hydroxy group of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3R)-3-(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoyl-L-leucine methyl esters [(2R,3R)- and (2S,3R)-N-Z-AHPBA-L-Leu-OMe], and subsequent saponification, azido reduction and removal of the N-Z-protecting group. Replacement of the hydroxy group of bestatin and epi-bestatin with an amino group results in a decrease in their aminopeptidase (AP-B, AP-M and Leu-AP)-inhibitory potencies.