IChO 2003 · Theory problem 33

Peptides

Racemization of α-aminoacids and peptides can occur by an α-enolization mechanism and both heat and the presence of strong bases greatly accelerate the process:

Figure 1

1. Draw stereochemical formulas I and II (with bold and dashed bonds) for the aminoacid components of the mixture that has reached equilibrium through the α-enolization mechanism described above operating on each of the following hydroxyaminoacids A and B:

A: serine (\(\mathrm{R}=\ce{-CH2OH}\))

B: \((2S,3R)\)-threonine (\(\mathrm{R}=\)

Figure 2

)

2. Mark the box that corresponds to the correct definition of the relationship between the structures you have drawn in each of the above cases A and B.

enantiomers diastereomers
\(\mathbf{A}_{\mathrm{I,II}}\) ☐ ☐
\(\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{I,II}}\) ☐ ☐

During peptide synthesis, in order to form a new peptide bond the carboxyl group has to be activated, that is, it must bear a good leaving group, represented in a simplified scheme below:

Figure 3

It is at this stage of the synthesis that a second racemization mechanism may occur; the amidic carbonyl oxygen is five atoms away from the activated carboxyl group and can intramolecularly attack the activated carboxyl forming a five membered cyclic intermediate (an azalactone) which quickly equilibrates its hydrogen at the stereogenic center, represented in a simplified scheme below:

Figure 4

3. Write the structural formula for the intermediate C that interconverts the two azalactones and thus explains the scrambling of the stereochemistry at the stereogenic center.

Azalactones are very reactive substances that can still react with the amino group of an aminoacid. Therefore, the coupling reaction can proceed to completion albeit affording racemized or epimerized products.

4. If N-benzoyl glycine, \(\ce{C9H9NO3}\), is warmed to \(40\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\) with acetic anhydride it is converted into a highly reactive substance, \(\ce{C9H7NO2}\) (P₁).

a) Propose a structure for substance P₁.

b) Write the reaction product(s) of the substance P₁ with S-alanine ethyl ester (P₂) (the side chain R of the aminoacid alanine is a methyl group) using stereochemical formulas (with bold and dashed bonds) for both reactants and product.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  1. A — serine: - I: \((2S)\)-serine, N[C@@H](CO)C(=O)O. - II: \((2R)\)-serine, N[C@H](CO)C(=O)O.

B — threonine: - I: \((2S,3R)\)-threonine, N[C@@H]([C@H](O)C)C(=O)O. - II: \((2R,3R)\)-allo-threonine, N[C@H]([C@H](O)C)C(=O)O.

Precise wedge-and-dash drawing instructions are given below.

  1. A: enantiomers. B: diastereomers, specifically epimers at C2.

  2. C: the planar enol tautomer, a 2,4-disubstituted-1,3-oxazol-5-ol, *C1=NC(*)=C(O)O1. The first * represents the substituent from the N-acyl group; the second represents the aminoacid side chain R.

  3. (a) P₁: 2-phenyl-1,3-oxazol-5(4H)-one, the glycine-derived azlactone, O=C1CN=C(c2ccccc2)O1.

(b) P₂: ethyl \((2S)\)-2-aminopropanoate, N[C@@H](C)C(=O)OCC.

The single coupling product is N-benzoylglycyl-\((S)\)-alanine ethyl ester, O=C(c1ccccc1)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)OCC. Its alanine stereocenter remains \(S\).

Solution

1. Stereochemical products of α-enolization

Removal of the α-hydrogen gives an intermediate whose α-carbon is trigonal planar. Reprotonation from either face restores a tetrahedral carbon and produces either configuration at that carbon.

For both aminoacids, the priority order at C2 is

\[ \ce{NH2}>\ce{COOH}>\text{side chain}>\ce{H}. \]

The carboxyl carbon outranks the side-chain carbon because its attached-atom list, counting the carbonyl double bond according to the CIP rules, is \((\mathrm{O,O,O})\). The corresponding lists for the serine and threonine side chains are \((\mathrm{O,H,H})\) and \((\mathrm{O,C,H})\), respectively.

A: serine. Serine has only one stereogenic center. Enolization therefore interconverts \((2S)\)-serine and \((2R)\)-serine. In an achiral medium, their equilibrium mixture is racemic.

B: threonine. The stated mechanism removes the hydrogen at C2. It does not change the configuration of the side-chain carbon C3. Consequently,

\[ (2S,3R)\ \rightleftharpoons\ (2R,3R). \]

The second component is \((2R,3R)\)-allo-threonine. The two components need not occur in a \(1:1\) equilibrium ratio because they are diastereomers.

For the requested drawings, use the following precise convention. Ordinary bonds lie in the page; a solid wedge points toward the viewer, and a dashed wedge points away.

  • At C2, draw the bond to the carboxyl carbon down-left and the bond to the side chain down-right, both in the page.
  • For I, draw \(\ce{NH2}\) up-right on a solid wedge and \(\ce{H}\) up-left on a dashed wedge. This gives \(2S\).
  • For II, draw \(\ce{NH2}\) up-left on a dashed wedge and \(\ce{H}\) up-right on a solid wedge. This gives \(2R\).
  • For threonine, continue the drawing at C3 with its bond to C2 up-left and its bond to \(\ce{CH3}\) up-right, both in the page. Draw \(\ce{OH}\) down-right on a solid wedge and \(\ce{H}\) down-left on a dashed wedge. Keep this arrangement in both B-I and B-II: it gives \(3R\).

These structures are written in the neutral aminoacid form; protonation state does not alter the stereochemical conclusions.

2. Relationships between the products

For serine, inversion of its only stereogenic center produces its nonsuperimposable mirror image. The pair consists of enantiomers.

For threonine, C2 is inverted while C3 retains its configuration. The products are therefore diastereomers, specifically C2 epimers.

The completed boxes are:

enantiomers diastereomers
\(\mathbf{A}_{\mathrm{I,II}}\) ☒ ☐
\(\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{I,II}}\) ☐ ☒

3. Intermediate C

Number the azlactone ring consecutively as O1–C2–N3–C4–C5. The aminoacid α-carbon becomes ring carbon C4.

Enolization transfers the C4 hydrogen to the carbonyl oxygen, changing the C4–C5 bond into a double bond and the C5 carbonyl into an hydroxyl group. The resulting neutral intermediate is the 2,4-disubstituted-1,3-oxazol-5-ol identified above:

*C1=NC(*)=C(O)O1

To draw it, construct a five-membered ring with these successive bonds and substituents:

  • O1–C2, with the original N-acyl substituent attached to C2;
  • C2=N3;
  • N3–C4, with side chain R attached to C4;
  • C4=C5, with \(\ce{OH}\) attached to C5;
  • C5–O1, closing the ring.

C4 has no hydrogen in this tautomer and is planar, so it has no wedge or dashed bond specifying a configuration. On returning to the carbonyl form, protonation at C4 can occur from either face.

Under basic conditions, the corresponding azlactone enolate, *C1=NC(*)=C([O-])O1, provides the same loss of configuration at C4. Its negative charge is delocalized; the displayed SMILES gives the oxygen-charged resonance form.

4(a). Identification and formation of P₁

The starting material is N-benzoylglycine (hippuric acid), O=C(O)CNC(=O)c1ccccc1.

The formula change

\[ \ce{C9H9NO3 -> C9H7NO2 + H2O} \]

corresponds formally to loss of one molecule of water, O. This is consistent with cyclodehydration to an azlactone.

Acetic anhydride, CC(=O)OC(=O)C, activates the carboxyl group. The benzamide carbonyl oxygen attacks the activated carboxyl carbon intramolecularly. Elimination and proton transfer then form 2-phenyl-1,3-oxazol-5(4H)-one, \(P_1\):

O=C1CN=C(c2ccccc2)O1

For its drawing, the five-membered ring has the successive atoms and bonds O1–C2=N3–C4–C5–O1. Attach a phenyl group to C2, draw C4 as \(\ce{CH2}\), and draw a carbonyl oxygen double-bonded to C5. There is no stereogenic center in \(P_1\).

With acetic anhydride included, the balanced overall reaction produces acetic acid, CC(=O)O:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{C9H9NO3 + (CH3CO)2O -> C9H7NO2 + 2CH3COOH} } \qquad (40\,^\circ\mathrm{C}). \]

4(b). Reaction with S-alanine ethyl ester

The amino nitrogen of ethyl \((2S)\)-2-aminopropanoate, \(P_2\), attacks the C5 carbonyl of \(P_1\). Collapse of the tetrahedral intermediate breaks the C5–O1 ring bond. Proton transfers restore the benzamide carbonyl and give the peptide:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{C9H7NO2 + H2NCH(CH3)COOCH2CH3 -> C6H5CONHCH2CONHCH(CH3)COOCH2CH3} } \]

The product is N-benzoylglycyl-\((S)\)-alanine ethyl ester:

O=C(c1ccccc1)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)OCC

All atoms of the two reactants are retained. The molecular-formula balance is

\[ \ce{C9H7NO2 + C5H11NO2 -> C14H18N2O4}. \]

For the stereochemical drawings of \(P_2\) and the product, place the alanine α-carbon’s bond to the ester carbonyl down-left and its bond to \(\ce{CH3}\) down-right, both in the page. Draw its bond to nitrogen up-right on a solid wedge and its bond to hydrogen up-left on a dashed wedge. This gives \(S\) in both structures. The nitrogen bears two hydrogens in \(P_2\); in the product, it bears one hydrogen and the acyl group \(\ce{-C(=O)CH2NHC(=O)C6H5}\).

The glycine residue remains \(\ce{CH2}\) and cannot become a stereogenic center. The alanine stereocenter is retained during coupling. Thus the specified azlactone pathway gives one stereochemical product.

The solution was checked against the official solution.