IChO 1990 · Theory problem 6

Bio-organic chemistry

The reaction of dehydrogenation of succinate to fumarate is a one step in the tricarboxylic Krebs cycle, catalysed by the enzyme succinic dehydrogenase. Flavine-adenine-dinucleotide, FAD, acts as a coenzyme. The equation of the process:

Figure 1

The stereochemistry of the dehydrogenation of succinate to fumarate has been studied. Consider the enzymatic reaction with the 2,3-dideuteriosuccinates related to the acids or obtained by catalytic deuteration (in the presence of palladium on coal) of fumaric and maleic acids.

Figure 2

6.1 Using Fischer formulae, write down structures for all the possible stereoisomers obtained by catalytic deuteration of maleic and fumaric acids. How many isomers are there? Indicate those that are optically active. Establish a stereochemical relationship between them (compare the isomers two by two). Using Newman projections show the most stable conformation of each isomer.

The proportion of dideuterated fumarate (obtained when each of the above 2-3 dideuterated succinates is submitted to the enzymatic reaction) is 4 % when using fumaric acid as starting molecule, but 48.5 % when using maleic acid.

It is assumed that at the active site, the enzymatic dehydrogenation occurs on the succinate, in the most stable conformation as proposed in 6.1. The dehydrogenation stereochemistry can be syn or anti.

6.2 On the basis of the Newman projections of the most stable conformations of each isomer and the above facts, determine the percentage of dideuterated fumarate formed by syn and anti dehydrogenation.

(Assume that the percentages of dideuterated fumarate are 0 or 50 %, respectively.)

6.3 Show the stereochemistry of the enzymatic dehydrogenation.

In the following step of the Krebs cycle and in the presence of fumarase enzyme, fumarate adds on a water molecule to yield \((S)\)-malate (also called as L-malate).

Fischer projection of \((S)\)-malate:

Figure 3

6.4 The 2,3-dideuterofumarate reacts with fumarase to \((2S,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteromalate (through addition of water). Show the stereochemical pathway of the reaction. Use the schematic drawing below to answer this question.

Figure 4

The acetylcoenzyme A, \(\ce{CH3COSCoA}\) reacts with glyoxylate, \(\ce{OHC-CO2-}\), in the presence of malate synthetase enzyme to \((S)\)-malate.

Figure 5

A similar reaction can proceed between an ester \(\ce{CH3COOR'}\) (similar to the thioester \(\ce{CH3COSCoA}\)) and an aldehyde \(\ce{R''CHO}\) (similar to the glyoxylate) in the presence of \(\ce{R'-O-}\) ions. It leads to a β-hydroxyester.

Figure 6

(\(\ce{R'-O-}\) enter the reaction as a base to produce an intermediate carbanion from the ester)

6.5 Write the steps of the mechanism.

The enzymatic reaction is carried out using acetylcoenzyme A which is obtained from acetic acid \(\ce{CHDTCOOH}\) having \(R\)-configuration.

Figure 7

(tritium \(\ce{T} = {}^{3}_{1}\ce{H}\), deuterium \(\ce{D} = {}^{2}_{1}\ce{H}\))

The formed \((S)\)-malate is dehydrated (the reverse reaction of question 6.4) by an enzymatic reaction.

6.6 What enzyme can be used?

The major product is monotritiated fumarate (79%) with 21 % untritiated fumarate.

6.7 Write down the Fischer projections of the two possible structures of the major product \((S)\)-malate arising from the acetylcoenzyme A which has a labelled acetyl group with \(R\)-configuration.

6.8 What would be the products if the starting material has a labelled acetyl group with \(S\)-configuration?

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1: There are three stereoisomers: meso-\((2R,3S)\), \((2R,3R)\), and \((2S,3S)\). Maleic acid gives the meso compound; fumaric acid gives a racemic mixture of the other two. The latter are individually optically active enantiomers; each is a diastereomer of the meso compound. The most stable conformations are staggered, with the carboxyl groups anti.
  • 6.2: From maleic acid: 0% dideuterofumarate for syn, 50% for anti dehydrogenation. From fumaric acid: 50% for syn, 0% for anti.
  • 6.3: Succinic dehydrogenase effects anti dehydrogenation.
  • 6.4: Fumarase adds the hydroxyl group and hydrogen anti, giving \((2S,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriomalate. In its vertical Fischer projection, the upper centre has hydroxyl left/deuterium right, and the lower centre has hydrogen left/deuterium right.
  • 6.5: The mechanism is ester enolate formation → attack on the aldehyde → protonation of the resulting alkoxide.
  • 6.6: Fumarase, also called fumarate hydratase.
  • 6.7: The two tritium-retaining possibilities are \((2S,3S)\)-3-tritiomalate and \((2S,3S)\)-3-deuterio-3-tritiomalate. In the Fischer projection with hydroxyl on the left at C2, tritium is on the right at C3, opposite hydrogen or deuterium.
  • 6.8: The corresponding major malates have \((2S,3R)\) configuration: tritium is on the left at C3 and is removed by fumarase. Under the intended stereospecific comparison, the fumarate proportions reverse to 79% untritiated and 21% monotritiated.

Solution

Throughout, [2H] denotes deuterium and [3H] denotes tritium in SMILES. In a Fischer projection, horizontal bonds point towards the observer and vertical bonds point away. Explicit cofactor SMILES below use protonated phosphate groups.

6.1 — Products of catalytic deuteration

The starting compounds are:

  • Maleic acid, the \(Z\) isomer: O=C(O)/C=C\C(=O)O.
  • Fumaric acid, the \(E\) isomer: O=C(O)/C=C/C(=O)O.
  • Molecular deuterium: [2H][2H].

Catalytic addition on palladium is syn: both deuterium atoms are delivered to the same face of the double bond.

The balanced addition is

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH=CH-COOH + D2 ->[Pd/C] HOOC-CHD-CHD-COOH}. \]

Each product has stereogenic centres at C2 and C3 because \(\ce{D}\) and \(\ce{H}\) are distinguishable. Their CIP priorities are

\[ \text{carboxyl carbon}>\text{adjacent methine carbon}>\ce{D}>\ce{H}. \]

Of the four formal configurations, \((2R,3S)\) and \((2S,3R)\) describe the same meso compound. Thus there are three stereoisomers.

For the requested Fischer projections, put C1 at the top and C4 at the bottom, with a terminal \(\ce{COOH}\) group at each end:

Product Isomeric SMILES C2: left, right C3: left, right
meso-\((2R,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinic acid O=C(O)[C@H]([2H])[C@H]([2H])C(=O)O \(\ce{H},\ce{D}\) \(\ce{H},\ce{D}\)
\((2R,3R)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinic acid O=C(O)[C@H]([2H])[C@@H]([2H])C(=O)O \(\ce{H},\ce{D}\) \(\ce{D},\ce{H}\)
\((2S,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinic acid O=C(O)[C@@H]([2H])[C@H]([2H])C(=O)O \(\ce{D},\ce{H}\) \(\ce{H},\ce{D}\)

Consequently:

  • Maleic acid + syn addition gives the meso compound.
  • Fumaric acid + syn addition gives equal amounts of the \(RR\) and \(SS\) compounds, because its two faces are equivalent on an achiral catalyst.

The \(RR\) and \(SS\) compounds are enantiomers and are individually optically active. Their racemic mixture is optically inactive. The meso compound is achiral and optically inactive; it is a diastereomer of each member of the enantiomeric pair.

For the Newman projections, look from C2 towards C3. Put the front carboxyl group at 12 o’clock and the rear carboxyl group at 6 o’clock. The following clock positions specify all three projections:

Isomer Front C2 substituents Rear C3 substituents
meso-\((2R,3S)\) \(\ce{D}\) at 4; \(\ce{H}\) at 8 \(\ce{D}\) at 10; \(\ce{H}\) at 2
\((2R,3R)\) \(\ce{D}\) at 4; \(\ce{H}\) at 8 \(\ce{D}\) at 2; \(\ce{H}\) at 10
\((2S,3S)\) \(\ce{D}\) at 8; \(\ce{H}\) at 4 \(\ce{D}\) at 10; \(\ce{H}\) at 2

These conformations are staggered, with a \(180^\circ\) carboxyl–carboxyl dihedral angle. They minimize the interaction between the two large carboxyl groups; in the dianions, they also separate the negative charges.

The corresponding enzymatic substrates are:

  • meso-\((2R,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinate: O=C([O-])[C@H]([2H])[C@H]([2H])C(=O)[O-].
  • \((2R,3R)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinate: O=C([O-])[C@H]([2H])[C@@H]([2H])C(=O)[O-].
  • \((2S,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriosuccinate: O=C([O-])[C@@H]([2H])[C@H]([2H])C(=O)[O-].

6.2 — Predicted dideuterofumarate percentages

The possible fumarate products are:

  • Unlabelled fumarate: O=C([O-])/C=C/C(=O)[O-].
  • Monodeuterofumarate: O=C([O-])/C([2H])=C/C(=O)[O-].
  • 2,3-Dideuterofumarate: O=C([O-])/C([2H])=C([2H])/C(=O)[O-].

Dideuterofumarate is obtained only when both ordinary hydrogen atoms are removed, leaving both deuterium atoms in the alkene.

For the meso substrate, the Newman projection shows an anti \(\ce{H}/\ce{H}\) pair and an anti \(\ce{D}/\ce{D}\) pair. Thus anti elimination can retain either both deuteriums or neither. Under the stipulated idealization, these give 50% dideuterated product. Syn elimination removes one hydrogen and one deuterium, giving monodeuterofumarate.

For the \(RR/SS\) substrates, the anti pairs contain one hydrogen and one deuterium. Anti elimination therefore gives no dideuterofumarate. The formal syn alternative gives the complementary 50% result.

Starting acid Deuterated succinate obtained Dideuterofumarate from syn elimination Dideuterofumarate from anti elimination
Maleic acid meso \(0\%\) \(50\%\)
Fumaric acid racemic \(RR+SS\) \(50\%\) \(0\%\)

These percentages use the problem’s prescribed \(0/50\%\) approximation.

6.3 — Stereochemistry of succinic dehydrogenase

Experimentally,

\[ \begin{aligned} \text{maleic-acid-derived substrate:}&\quad 48.5\%\approx50\%,\\ \text{fumaric-acid-derived substrate:}&\quad 4\%\approx0\%. \end{aligned} \]

This matches the anti column.

In the meso Newman projection specified above, show removal of the front hydrogen at 8 o’clock and the rear hydrogen at 2 o’clock. Their dihedral angle is \(180^\circ\); both deuteriums remain in the resulting fumarate.

For unlabelled succinate, O=C([O-])CCC(=O)[O-], the balanced overall reaction is

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH2-CH2-COO^- + FAD -> ^-OOC-CH=CH-COO^- + FADH2}. \]

The cofactor structures are:

  • Flavin adenine dinucleotide, FAD: CC1=CC2=C(C=C1C)N(C3=NC(=O)NC(=O)C3=N2)C[C@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@H](O)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OC[C@H]4O[C@@H](n5cnc6c(N)ncnc65)[C@H](O)[C@@H]4O.
  • Reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide, \(\ce{FADH2}\): CC1=CC2=C(C=C1C)N(C3NC(=O)NC(=O)C=3N2)C[C@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@H](O)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OC[C@H]4O[C@@H](n5cnc6c(N)ncnc65)[C@H](O)[C@@H]4O.

6.4 — Stereochemistry of fumarase hydration

Water, O, adds to 2,3-dideuterofumarate according to

\[ \ce{^-OOC-C(D)=C(D)-COO^- + H2O -> ^-OOC-C(D)(OH)-CH(D)-COO^-}. \]

The specified product is \((2S,3S)\)-2,3-dideuteriomalate:

O=C([O-])[C@@]([2H])(O)[C@H]([2H])C(=O)[O-].

For comparison, ordinary \((S)\)-malate is:

O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)CC(=O)[O-].

The product’s Fischer projection has a vertical C1–C2–C3–C4 chain:

Centre Left substituent Right substituent
C2 \(\ce{OH}\) \(\ce{D}\)
C3 \(\ce{H}\) \(\ce{D}\)

The terminal groups are both \(\ce{COO^-}\).

To fill the particular wedge-and-dash drawing supplied in the question:

  • At C3, put \(\ce{D}\) on the ordinary bond pointing upward and \(\ce{H}\) on the hashed bond pointing left.
  • At C2, put \(\ce{OH}\) on the solid wedge pointing right and \(\ce{D}\) on the ordinary bond pointing downward.
  • Keep the already indicated C1 and C4 bonds unchanged.

The newly introduced hydrogen is behind the drawing plane, while the newly introduced hydroxyl group is in front. Therefore hydration is anti.

The configuration assignments follow from:

\[ \begin{aligned} \text{C2:}&\quad \ce{OH}>\text{C1 carboxyl}>\text{C3 chain}>\ce{D},\\ \text{C3:}&\quad \text{C4 carboxyl}>\text{C2 chain}>\ce{D}>\ce{H}. \end{aligned} \]

Both centres are \(S\), as required.

6.5 — Mechanism of the ester–aldehyde reaction

This is an aldol-type addition of an ester enolate to an aldehyde.

For the generic SMILES below, [*:1] denotes \(R'\), and [*:2] denotes \(R''\).

Species Name or description SMILES
\(\ce{CH3COOR'}\) Acetate ester CC(=O)O[*:1]
\(\ce{R'O^-}\) Alkoxide base [O-][*:1]
\(\ce{R'OH}\) Corresponding alcohol O[*:1]
\(\ce{R''CHO}\) Aldehyde O=C[*:2]
\(\ce{^-CH2COOR'}\) Carbon-centred enolate contributor [CH2-]C(=O)O[*:1]
\(\ce{CH2=C(O^-)OR'}\) Oxygen-centred enolate contributor C=C([O-])O[*:1]
\(\ce{R''CH(O^-)CH2COOR'}\) Addition-product alkoxide [*:2]C([O-])CC(=O)O[*:1]
\(\ce{R''CH(OH)CH2COOR'}\) β-Hydroxyester [*:2]C(O)CC(=O)O[*:1]

Step 1: Removal of an α-hydrogen.

\[ \ce{CH3C(=O)OR' + R'O^- <=> ^-CH2C(=O)OR' + R'OH}. \]

The base’s oxygen lone pair attacks an α-hydrogen, and the C–H bond electrons remain in the ester enolate system:

\[ \ce{^-CH2-C(=O)-OR' <-> CH2=C(O^-)-OR'}. \]

These are resonance contributors of one intermediate.

Step 2: Carbon–carbon bond formation.

\[ \ce{^-CH2C(=O)OR' + R''CHO -> R''CH(O^-)CH2C(=O)OR'}. \]

The enolate carbon attacks the aldehyde carbonyl carbon. The aldehyde’s carbonyl π electrons move onto oxygen.

Step 3: Protonation.

\[ \ce{R''CH(O^-)CH2C(=O)OR' + R'OH -> R''CH(OH)CH2C(=O)OR' + R'O^-}. \]

The product alkoxide takes a proton from the alcohol, regenerating the base.

The balanced net reaction is

\[ \boxed{\ce{CH3COOR' + R''CHO -> R''CH(OH)CH2COOR'}}. \]

No unique product configuration is specified for this generic reaction. In the enzymatic analogue, malate synthase controls the newly formed hydroxyl-bearing centre to give the \(S\) configuration.

6.6 — Enzyme for dehydration

Use fumarase, the same enzyme that catalyses hydration in 6.4. Its reaction is reversible:

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH(OH)-CH2-COO^- <=> ^-OOC-CH=CH-COO^- + H2O}. \]

Microscopic reversibility requires dehydration to follow the reverse stereochemical pathway.

In the Fischer orientation with the C2 hydroxyl group on the left, fumarase removes that hydroxyl group together with the hydrogen isotope on the left at C3. This is the crucial identification for 6.7 and 6.8.

6.7 — Malates derived from the \(R\)-labelled acetyl group

The explicitly specified starting acid is \((R)\)-[2-deuterio,2-tritio]acetic acid:

[3H][C@@H]([2H])C(=O)O.

Its corresponding \(R\)-labelled acetyl-CoA is:

[3H][C@@H]([2H])C(=O)SCCNC(=O)CCNC(=O)[C@H](O)C(C)(C)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OC[C@H]1O[C@@H](n2cnc3c(N)ncnc32)[C@H](O)[C@@H]1OP(=O)(O)O.

The other carbon substrate is glyoxylate, O=CC(=O)[O-]. Its carboxyl and aldehyde carbons become malate C1 and C2, respectively. The acetyl methyl carbon becomes C3, and the acetyl carbonyl carbon becomes C4.

Formation of the C–C bond requires abstraction of one isotope from the labelled methyl group:

  • Abstraction of \(\ce{H}\) leaves \(\ce{D}\) and \(\ce{T}\) at malate C3.
  • Abstraction of \(\ce{D}\) leaves \(\ce{H}\) and \(\ce{T}\) at malate C3.

The major fumarate product retains tritium. Since fumarase removes the left-hand C3 isotope, the malate producing this fumarate must have tritium on the right.

The two requested Fischer projections therefore have terminal \(\ce{COO^-}\) groups, C2 hydroxyl left/hydrogen right, and the following C3 substituents:

Tritium-retaining malate C3 left C3 right Isomeric SMILES
\((2S,3S)\)-3-tritiomalate \(\ce{H}\) \(\ce{T}\) O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)[C@H]([3H])C(=O)[O-]
\((2S,3S)\)-3-deuterio-3-tritiomalate \(\ce{D}\) \(\ce{T}\) O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)[C@]([2H])([3H])C(=O)[O-]

At C3, the priority sequence is carboxyl carbon \(>\) C2 carbon \(>\ce{T}>\ce{H}\) or \(\ce{D}\), giving \(3S\) in both cases.

The formal isotope-balanced dehydration equations are

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(H)(T)-COO^- -> ^-OOC-CH=C(T)-COO^- + H2O} \]

and

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(D)(T)-COO^- -> ^-OOC-CH=C(T)-COO^- + HDO}. \]

Here:

  • Monotritiated fumarate is O=C([O-])/C([3H])=C/C(=O)[O-].
  • Monodeuterated water, \(\ce{HDO}\), is [2H]O.

Both malates therefore give the same tritium-containing fumarate. The reported 79% retention locates the retained tritium but does not determine the separate amounts of these two malate isotopologues.

For completeness, with the carboxylate states used above, the synthesis balances can be written as

\[ \ce{CHDT-C(=O)-SCoA + OHC-COO^- + H2O -> ^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(D)(T)-COO^- + CoASH + H+} \]

or

\[ \ce{CHDT-C(=O)-SCoA + OHC-COO^- + H2O -> ^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(H)(T)-COO^- + CoASH + D+}. \]

The proton and deuteron are [H+] and [2H+]. Coenzyme A, \(\ce{CoASH}\), is:

SCCNC(=O)CCNC(=O)[C@H](O)C(C)(C)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OC[C@H]1O[C@@H](n2cnc3c(N)ncnc32)[C@H](O)[C@@H]1OP(=O)(O)O.

6.8 — Products from the \(S\)-labelled acetyl group

The opposite starting acid, \((S)\)-[2-deuterio,2-tritio]acetic acid, is:

[3H][C@H]([2H])C(=O)O.

The corresponding \(S\)-labelled acetyl-CoA is:

[3H][C@H]([2H])C(=O)SCCNC(=O)CCNC(=O)[C@H](O)C(C)(C)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OC[C@H]1O[C@@H](n2cnc3c(N)ncnc32)[C@H](O)[C@@H]1OP(=O)(O)O.

In the intended stereospecific comparison, reversing the acetyl-group configuration reverses the isotope placement at C3. The enzyme still produces the \(S\) hydroxyl-bearing centre at C2.

Thus the corresponding major malates are C3 epimers, with C2 hydroxyl left/hydrogen right and:

Malate C3 left C3 right Isomeric SMILES
\((2S,3R)\)-3-tritiomalate \(\ce{T}\) \(\ce{H}\) O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)[C@@H]([3H])C(=O)[O-]
\((2S,3R)\)-3-deuterio-3-tritiomalate \(\ce{T}\) \(\ce{D}\) O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)[C@@]([2H])([3H])C(=O)[O-]

Fumarase now removes tritium:

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(H)(T)-COO^- -> ^-OOC-CH=CH-COO^- + HTO} \]

or

\[ \ce{^-OOC-CH(OH)-C(D)(T)-COO^- -> ^-OOC-CH=C(D)-COO^- + HTO}. \]

Monotritiated water, \(\ce{HTO}\), is [3H]O. The fumarate products are therefore unlabelled fumarate or monodeuterofumarate, respectively; both are untritiated.

With unchanged branching fractions, the tritium-retaining and tritium-losing channels exchange:

\[ f_{\mathrm{T\ retained}}(S)=1-f_{\mathrm{T\ retained}}(R) =1-0.79=0.21. \]

Hence the expected fumarate distribution is

\[ \boxed{79\%\ \text{untritiated fumarate},\qquad 21\%\ \text{monotritiated fumarate}.} \]

The problem does not specify how the untritiated fraction is divided between unlabelled and monodeuterated fumarate.

The solution was checked against the official solution. Where this solution differs from the official solution, the official solution contains an error or a misprint.