Design and Synthesis of a Novel Class of Sugar-Peptide Hybrids: <i>C</i>-Linked Glyco β-Amino Acids through a Stereoselective “Acetate” Mannich Reaction as the Key Strategic Element

A new type of sugar-amino acid hybrid, which is comprised of a sugar unit (gluco-, galacto-, or mannopyranose) linked through a C-glycosidic linkage to the β-position of an α-unsubstituted β-amino acid unit, is presented. It is hypothesized that these new compounds, or the oligomeric peptides derived therefrom, might possess the structural features of β-amino acid oligomers and the chemical and enzymatic resistance of C-glycosides to hydrolysis. The synthetic strategy is based on a new Mannich-type reaction between a chiral acetate enolate equivalent and α-amido sulfones derived from the corresponding sugar-C-glycoside aldehydes. While the sugar-C-glycoside aldehyde partner is prepared from well-established transformations on known sugar precursors, the lithium enolate derived from (1R)-endo-2-acetylisoborneol 3 is employed as the key element. This Mannich approach proceeds with essentially perfect diasteromeric control leading to the new β-amino carbonyl adducts in good yields. Further, cleavage of the camphor auxiliary is smoothly performed by oxidative treatment with ammonium cerium nitrate (CAN). Complementarily, direct peptide-type coupling of the β-amino carbonyl Mannich adducts with an α- or β-amino acid residue and subsequent CAN-promoted detachment of the auxiliary yields dipeptide fragments bearing a sugar-containing aliphatic side chain and is a process that can be iterated. A preliminary conformational study based on the combination of experimental NMR data and molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics (MD) of one particular adduct is also provided.