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Hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are ubiquitous in peptides and proteins and are central to the stabilization of their structures. Inter-residue H-bonds between non-adjacent backbone amide NH and C=O motifs lead to the well-known secondary structures of helices, turns and sheets, but it is recognized that other H-bonding modes may be significant, including the weak intra-residue H-bond (called a C5 H-bond) that implicates the NH and C=O motifs of the same amino acid residue. Peptide model compounds that adopt stable C5 H-bonds are not readily available and the so-called 2.05-helix, formed by successive C5 H-bonds, is an elusive secondary structure. Using a combination of theoretical chemistry and spectroscopic studies in both the gas phase and solution phase, we have demonstrated that derivatives of 3-amino-1-methylazetidine-3-carboxylic acid, Aatc(Me) can form sidechain–backbone N–H···N C6γ H-bonds that accompany—and thereby stabilize—C5 H-bonds. In the capped trimer of Aatc(Me), extended C5/C6γ motifs are sufficiently robust to challenge classical 310-helix formation in solution and the fully-extended 2.05-helix conformer has been characterized in the gas phase. Concurrent H-bonding support for successive C5 motifs is a new axiom for stabilizing the extended backbone secondary structure in short peptides.

Post-synthetic modification is a powerful technique allowing access to noncanonical peptide derivatives in a selective manner, but it has not so far been applied for the installation of multiple arrays of modified side chains. Here, we use this approach in solution phase to prepare short N- and C-capped homooligomers of 3-amino-1-methylazetidine-3-carboxylic acid with all the azetidine side chain functions in free amine form. The key step is the multiple reductive amination reaction of the corresponding post-synthetically deprotected secondary amines.

The three-component reaction proceeds with unhindered alcohols in good yield and high anti diastereoselectivity to give protected ester derivatives of (2S,3S)-allophenylnorstatin and provides an expedient access to the amino acid itself.

This work describes straightforward access to a large collection of thietane derivatives through an innovative two-step domino photochemical reaction involving a Norrish type II fragmentation and a thia-Paternò-Büchi reaction. Starting from stable phenacyl sulfides, unprecedented thiocarbonyl intermediates were generated

International audience; S-containing amino acids can lead to two types of local NH•••S interactions which bridge backbone NH sites to the side chain to form either intra-or inter-residue H-bonds. The present work reports on the conformational preferences of S-methyl-L-cysteine, Cys(Me), using a variety of investigating tools, ranging from quantum chemistry simulations, gas phase UV and IR laser spectroscopy, and solution state IR and NMR spectroscopies, on model compounds comprising one or two Cys(Me) residues. We demonstrate that in gas phase and in low polarity solution, the C-and N-capped model compound for one Cys(Me) residue adopts a preferred C5-C6γ conformation which combines an intra-residue N−H•••O=C backbone interaction (C5) and an inter-residue N−H•••S interaction implicating the side-chain sulfur atom (C6γ ). In contrast, the dominant conformation of the C-and N-capped model compound featuring two consecutive Cys(Me) residues is a regular type I β-turn. This structure is incompatible with concomitant C6 interactions, which are no longer in evidence. Instead, C5γ interactions occur, that are fully consistent with the turn geometry and additionally stabilize the structure. Comparison with the thietane amino acid Attc, which exhibits a rigid cyclic side chain, pinpoints the significance of side chain flexibility for the specific conformational behavior of Cys(Me).

International audience; Models of asparagine-containing dipeptides, specifically designed to favor intrinsic folding into an Asx-turn, were characterized both theoretically, using quantum chemistry, and experimentally, using laser spectroscopy in the gas phase. Both approaches provided evidence for the spontaneous folding of both the Asn-Ala and Asn-Gly dipeptide models into the most stable Asx-turn, a conformation stabilized by a C10 H-bond which was very similar to a type II’ $\beta$-turn. In parallel, analysis of the Asx-turns implicating asparagine in crystallized protein structures in the Protein Data Bank revealed a sequence-dependent behavior. In Asn-Ala sequences, the Asx-turn was found in conjunction with a type I $\beta$-turn whose position immediately preceeding the central residues of the turn (position i) was occupied by the Asn residue. The observation that the Asx turn in these structures is mostly of type II’ (i.e. its most stable innate structure) suggests that this motif may foster the formation and/or enhance the stability of the backbone $\beta$-turn. In contrast, the Asx turns observed in Asn-Gly sequences extensively adopted a type II Asx-turn structure, suggesting that their formation should be ascribed to other factors, such as hydration. The fact that the Asx-turn in a Asn-Gly sequence is also often found in combination with a hydrated $\beta$-bulge supports the premise that a Asn-Gly sequence might efficiently promote the formation of the $\beta$-bulge secondary structure.

We have established photochemical access to thietane or tetrahydrothiophene compounds from thiobenzophenone derivatives and acrylonitrile, wherein the product selectivity is controlled by a simple adjustment of the reagent concentration in solution. Small libraries of five-membered ring sulfur-containing compounds were prepared through a thia-Paternò-Büchi reaction, followed by a previously unknown regioselective photochemical ring enlargement reaction in a domino process or a stepwise fashion. A mechanism is proposed to rationalize this ring enlargement reaction via a carbene species provided from photoexcited thiocarbonyl compounds.

International audience; The present work uses ATR-FTIR spectroscopy assisted by simulations in explicit solvent and frequency calculations to investigate the supramolecular structure of carboxylate alkali-metal ion pairs in aqueous solutions. ATR-FTIR spectra in the 0.25-4.0 M concentration range displayed cation-specific behaviors, which enabled the measurement of the appearance concentration thresholds of contact ion pairs between 1.9 and 2.6 M depending on the cation. Conformational explorations performed using a non-local optimization method associated to a polarizable forcefield (AMOEBA), followed by high quantum chemistry level (RI-B97-D3/dhf-TZVPP) optimizations, mode-dependent scaled harmonic frequency calculations and electron density analyses, were used to identify the main supramolecular structures contributing to the experimental spectra. A thorough analysis enables us to reveal the mechanisms responsible for the spectroscopic sensitivity of the carboxylate group and the respective role played by the cation and the water molecules, highlighting the necessity of combining advanced experimental and theoretical techniques to provide a fair and accurate description of ion pairing.

Nature makes extensive and elaborate use of hydrogen bonding to assemble and stabilize biomolecular structures. The shapes of peptides and proteins rely significantly on N–H⋯O Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 C interactions, which are the linchpins of turns, sheets and helices. The C5 H-bond, in which a single residue provides both donor and acceptor, is generally considered too weak to force the backbone to adopt extended structures. Exploiting the synergy between gas phase (experimental and quantum chemistry) and solution spectroscopies to decipher IR spectroscopic data, this work demonstrates that the extended C5-based conformation in 4-membered ring heterocyclic α-amino acid derivatives is significantly stabilized by the formation of an N–H⋯X H-bond. In this synergic system the strength of the C5 interaction remains constant while the N–H⋯X H-bond strength, and thereby the support provided by it, varies with the heteroatom., In 4-membered ring heterocyclic α-amino acid derivatives, extended conformations based on intraresidue C5 H-bonds can be stabilized by N–H⋯X H-bonds, making the combined C5–C6γ structures prominent in both gas phase and in weakly polar solutions.

A novel Bronsted acid catalyzed tandem reaction provides highly functionalized cyclobuta-fused tetrahydroquinoline carboxylic esters from anilines and 2-alkylenecyclobutanones in good to high yield. During the reaction a dynamic diastereoselective cyclization is achieved, resulting in the formation of three contiguous stereocenters with high stereoselectivity.

An original tandem reaction consisting of a Wittig reaction-ring contraction process between α-hydroxycyclobutanone and phosphonium ylides has been developed. Highly functionalized cyclopropanecarbaldehydes are obtained in good to high yield.

The expedient and stereoselective syntheses of small libraries of trifunctionalized cyclobutane scaffolds bearing an acid, an amine, and a third functional group are described. Starting from a single precursor, the readily available protected derivative of all-cis-2-amino-3-hydroxycyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid, cis-trans stereoisomers are obtained following an SN2-type reaction, while all-trans stereoisomers are obtained using the same strategy preceded by a C1 epimerization reaction.

Peptide models built from cis- and trans-2-aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acids (ACBCs) are studied in the solid phase by combining Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy, vibrational circular dichroism (VCD), and quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory (DFT). The studied systems are N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) derivatives of 2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (ACBC) benzylamides, namely Boc-(cis-ACBC)-NH-Bn and Boc-(trans-ACBC)-NH-Bn. These two diastereomers show very different VCD signatures and intensities, which of the trans-ACBC derivative being one order of magnitude larger in the region of the ν (CO) stretch. The spectral signature of the cis-ACBC derivative is satisfactorily reproduced by that of the monomer extracted from the solid-state geometry of related ACBC derivatives, which shows that no long-range effects are implicated for this system. In terms of hydrogen bonds, the geometry of this monomer is intermediate between the C6 and C8 structures (exhibiting a 6- or 8-membered cyclic NH⋯O hydrogen bond) previously evidenced in the gas phase. The benzyl group must be in an extended geometry to reproduce satisfactorily the shape of the VCD spectrum in the ν (CO) range, which qualifies VCD as a potential probe of dispersion interaction. In contrast, reproducing the IR and VCD spectrum of the trans-ACBC derivative requires clusters larger than four units, exhibiting strong intermolecular H-bonding patterns. A qualitative agreement is obtained for a tetramer, although the intensity enhancement is not reproduced. These results underline the sensitivity of VCD to the long-range organisation in the crystal.

Using Garner's aldehyde as a substrate, one-pot MAC hydroxyhomologation reactions proceeded in good yields and with anti selectivity for the first time (dr up to 9:1). The products were used to prepare a panel of protected derivatives of erythro-β-hydroxyaspartic acid and erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine as single enantiomers in a few steps.

In addition to the classical N–H⋯OC non-covalent interaction, less conventional types of hydrogen bonding, such as N–H⋯S, may play a key role in determining the molecular structure. In this work, using theoretical calculations in combination with spectroscopic analysis in both gas phase and solution phase, we demonstrate that both these H-bonding modes exist simultaneously in low-energy conformers of capped derivatives of Attc, a thietane α-amino acid. 6-Membered ring inter-residue N–H⋯S interactions (C6γ), assisted by hyperconjugation between the thietane ring and the backbone, combine with 5-membered ring intra-residue backbone N–H⋯OC interactions (C5) to provide a C5–C6γ feature that stabilizes a planar geometry in the monomer unit. Two contiguous C5–C6γ features in the planar dimer implicate an unprecedented three-centre H-bond of the type CO⋯H(N)⋯SR2, while the trimer adopts two C5–C6γ features separated by a Ramachandran α-type backbone configuration. These low-energy conformers are fully characterized in the gas phase and support is presented for their existence in solution state., In addition to N–H⋯OC bonds, less conventional N–H⋯S hydrogen bonds are found to stabilize extended backbone geometries in derivatives of a thietane α-amino acid, providing a promising tool for the design of new peptidomimetic architectures.

The conformationally constrained pyrrolidinyl PNA with a dipeptide consisting of an alternating nucleobase-modified D-proline and a cyclic β-amino acid "spacer" exhibited improved nucleic acid binding properties compared to the original PNA. The pyrrolidinyl PNA with the four-membered ring spacer (1S,2S)-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (acbcPNA) are among the best performed members of the pyrrolidinyl PNA family. However, these PNA suffer some limitations such as aqueous solubility and non-specific interactions due to their extreme hydrophobicity. In the present work, a hydroxy group is introduced onto the cyclobutane ring spacer of the acbcPNA with the aim of decreasing its hydrophobicity. To this end, a Fmoc/tBu ether-protected 4-hydroxy-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid building block was synthesized and resolved by chiral HPLC. Each enantiomer was used to synthesize the hydroxy-modified acbcPNA employing Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. DNA/RNA binding studies indicated that the introduction of the hydroxy group to the acbcPNA decreases the binding affinity toward complementary DNA and RNA while maintaining the sequence and directional specificity of unmodified acbcPNA. The hydrophobicity of the hydroxy-modified acbcPNA decreased with the number of hydroxy groups added as indicated by the decrease in the logP values. Only two modifications were sufficient to decrease the logP by an order of magnitude without excessively lowering the binding affinity nor the specificity. This work thus demonstrated that the specific structural modifications for this type of PNA model can be performed in a modular fashion, which paves the way toward the future realization of improving hydrophilicity and nucleic acid binding affinity as well as specificity.

S-containing amino acids can lead to two types of local NH···S interactions which bridge backbone NH sites to the side chain to form either intra- or inter-residue H-bonds. The present work reports on the conformational preferences of S-methyl-L-cysteine, Cys(Me), using a variety of investigating tools, ranging from quantum chemistry simulations, gas-phase UV and IR laser spectroscopy, and solution state IR and NMR spectroscopies, on model compounds comprising one or two Cys(Me) residues. We demonstrate that in gas phase and in low polarity solution, the C- and N-capped model compound for one Cys(Me) residue adopts a preferred C5-C6γ conformation which combines an intra-residue N-H···O=C backbone interaction (C5) and an inter-residue N-H···S interaction implicating the side-chain sulfur atom (C6γ). In contrast, the dominant conformation of the C- and N-capped model compound featuring two consecutive Cys(Me) residues is a regular type I β-turn. This structure is incompatible with concomitant C6γ interactions, which are no longer in evidence. Instead, C5γ interactions occur, that are fully consistent with the turn geometry and additionally stabilize the structure. Comparison with the thietane amino acid Attc, which exhibits a rigid cyclic side chain, pinpoints the significance of side chain flexibility for the specific conformational behavior of Cys(Me).

Rational control of the self-organization of β-peptides sequences to adopt regular secondary structures is an important challenge in peptidomimetic foldamer science. By replacing the N- and C-termi...

International audience; In addition to the classical N-H/O]C non-covalent interaction, less conventional types of hydrogen bonding, such as N-H/S, may play a key role in determining the molecular structure. In this work, using theoretical calculations in combination with spectroscopic analysis in both gas phase and solution phase, we demonstrate that both these H-bonding modes exist simultaneously in low-energy conformers of capped derivatives of Attc, a thietane a-amino acid. 6-Membered ring inter-residue N-H/S interactions (C6 g), assisted by hyperconjugation between the thietane ring and the backbone, combine with 5-membered ring intra-residue backbone N-H/O]C interactions (C5) to provide a C5-C6 g feature that stabilizes a planar geometry in the monomer unit. Two contiguous C5-C6 g features in the planar dimer implicate an unprecedented three-centre H-bond of the type C]O/H(N)/SR 2 , while the trimer adopts two C5-C6 g features separated by a Ramachandran a-type backbone configuration. These low-energy conformers are fully characterized in the gas phase and support is presented for their existence in solution state.

A procedure allowing access to unprecedented tripeptides containing a trans-2-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid residue in their central position has been established. The key features of the strategy are the use of a masked trans-2-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid monomer equivalent for C-terminal coupling and full N-Boc protection of all amide groups until the final step.

Single residue control of the helical topology of β-peptides is a contemporary challenge in foldamer science. We present the conformational preferences of oligomers of trans-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid ( tACBC), in which a central residue has been replaced by a single N-aminoazetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AAzC) moiety. The latter has such a strong demand for local 8-helical conformers that the usual 12-helix secondary structure of a tACBC octamer is switched to a fully 8-helical conformation as a result of the single residue substitution.

We describe a photochemical reaction using two starting materials, a cyclopent-2-enone and an alkene, which are transformed in a controlled manner via the initial [2+2]-photocycloaddition adducts into cyclobutene aldehydes (conveniently trapped as stable acetals) or unprecedented angular tricyclic 4:4:4 oxetane-containing skeletons. These compounds are formed through tandem or triple cascade photochemical reaction processes, respectively. Small libraries of each compound class were prepared, thus suggesting that this photochemistry approach opens new opportunities for synthesis design and for widening molecular diversity.

International audience; Abstract Metabolic diseases are characterized by a decreased action of insulin. During the course of the disease, usual treatments frequently fail and patients are finally submitted to insulinotherapy. There is thus a need for innovative therapeutic strategies to improve insulin action. Growth factor receptor-bound protein 14 (Grb14) is a molecular adapter that specifically binds to the activated insulin receptor (IR) and inhibits its tyrosine kinase activity. Molecules disrupting Grb14-IR binding are therefore potential insulin-sensitizing agents. We used Structure-Based Virtual Ligand Screening to generate a list of 1000 molecules predicted to hinder Grb14-IR binding. Using an acellular bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assay, we identified, out of these 1000 molecules, 3 compounds that inhibited Grb14-IR interaction. Their inhibitory effect on insulin-induced Grb14-IR interaction was confirmed in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The more efficient molecule (C8) was further characterized. C8 increased downstream Ras-Raf and PI3-kinase insulin signaling, as shown by BRET experiments in living cells. Moreover, C8 regulated the expression of insulin target genes in mouse primary hepatocytes. These results indicate that C8, by reducing Grb14-IR interaction, increases insulin signalling. The use of C8 as a lead compound should allow for the development of new molecules of potential therapeutic interest for the treatment of diabetes.

The Paterno-Buchi reaction between benzaldehyde and trimethylsilyloxycyclopentene gave access to unprecedented silyl ether derivatives of 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-1-ol. These bicyclic structures underwent selective reductive ring opening as well as acid-catalysed pinacol-type rearrangement with complete regioselectivity, accompanied by moderate or excellent mechanism-dependent diastereoselectivity.

The acid-promoted syntheses of 2-(benzyloxy)cyclobutanones and bis(benzyloxy)dioxatricyclo decanes were achieved starting from 2-hydroxycyclobutanone and variously functionalized benzyl alcohols. The reaction sequences afforded the desired products in good to high yields and in a solvent-dependent chemoselective fashion.

International audience; In solution, an ion pair consists of a positive ion (cation, z+) and a negative ion (anion, z-) bonded together by the attractive electrostatic forces between them, forming a supramolecular neutral complex. Several types of ion pairs coexist: contact (CIP), solvent-shared (SIP) and solvent-separated (SSIP), in equilibrium with free ions (FI); their distribution depends on many parameters, and especially the ion concentration. Ion pairing occurs frequently in environments that are naturally rich in ions like seawater, inorganic atmospheric aerosol particles, or living organisms, and thus is of central importance in understanding chemical and biological processes in solution. Ion pairing is suspected to be involved in many ion specific effects, but their characterization as well as their properties still remain mostly to be understood despite the numerous experiments carried out in solution during the past decades. In addition, theoretical chemistry approaches often struggle to establish a quantitative picture of ion pairing. A striking example of the difficulties encountered is illustrated by a recent set of studies on carboxylate anions paired with alkali metal cations which have led to inconsistent conclusions.[1,2] Relying on IR spectroscopic experiments recently developed in our group on isolated neutral ion pairs,[3] we investigated carboxylate anions paired to alkali metal cations by using an original approach where gas phase results were used as an input to refine high level quantum chemistry calculations in solution, leading to an unprecedented level of accuracy in vibrational frequency prediction. First, gas phase experiments focused on a series of isolated contact ion pairs ([M+, Ph-CH2-COO-] with M= Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) for which UV and conformer-selective IR spectra were recorded. These experiments provided vibrational frequencies of the carboxylate stretch enabling us to assess the accuracy of mode-dependent scaled harmonic frequency calculations at the RI-B97-D3/dhf-TZVPP level. This level of calculation was then employed on large water clusters embedding a free acetate ion or its CIPs or SIPs with a sodium cation to obtain the individual vibrational spectra of these species in solution. These theoretical results show that the stretching modes of carboxylate are sensitive to both SIP and CIP formation. FT-IR spectroscopy confirms this finding since solutions of increasing concentrations exhibit spectral evolutions consistent with the presence of specific types of solvent-shared and contact ion pairs. By providing relevant guidelines for the interpretation of solution phase IR spectra, this work illustrates the potential of the approach for the elucidation of supramolecular structures in electrolyte solutions.[4]

A concise method is reported for the synthesis of 2-aminobicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2,7-dicarboxylic acid, a close analogue of the glutamate receptor ligand LY354740, in both enantiomeric forms. The strategy features the creation of the core structure at the start of the synthesis via a photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction, an efficient resolution procedure using a chiral oxazolidinone, and requires only minimal purification of the synthetic intermediates. The title compounds showed little or no affinity for the mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors.

A short synthesis of all four stereoisomers of 3-amino-2-oxetanecarboxylic acid (oxetin) is described. The oxetane core is built using a Paternò-Büchi photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition; from the key intermediates, complementary resolution protocols provide access to enantiomerically pure oxetin and epi-oxetin on gram-scale.

Organocatalyzed Michael addition reactions of 2-(arylthio)cyclobutanones with trans-β-nitrostyrenes have been carried out using a bifunctional thiourea-primary amine catalyst, providing diastereoisomerically and enantiomerically enriched 2-alkyl-2-(arylthio)cyclobutanones having two contiguous stereocenters of which one is a chiral quaternary center. The absolute configuration of these novel adducts was assigned by X-ray diffraction analysis and a transition-state model is proposed to explain the observed stereoselectivities.

A general strategy for the synthesis of arylthio cyclopropyl carbaldehydes and ketones via a Bronsted acid catalyzed arylthiol addition/ring contraction reaction sequence has been exploited. The procedure led to a wide panel of cyclopropyl carbaldehydes in generally high yields and with broad substrate scope. Mechanistic aspects and synthetic applications of this procedure were investigated.

Homo-oligomers of the natural product oxetin (cis-3-amino-2-oxetanecarboxylic acid) were prepared and their conformational behaviour studied in solution and solid state and by molecular modelling. The predominant secondary structure was a 10-helix, propiciously stabilized by a network of 5-membered ring H-bonds implicating ring oxygens and neighboring amide hydrogen atoms.

This work describes the use of conformer-selective laser spectroscopy following supersonic expansion to probe the local folding proclivities of four-membered ring cyclic β-amino acid building blocks. Emphasis is placed on stereochemical effects as well as on the structural changes induced by the replacement of a carbon atom of the cycle by a nitrogen atom. The amide A IR spectra are obtained and interpreted with the help of quantum chemistry structure calculations. Results provide evidence that the building block with a trans-substituted cyclobutane ring has a predilection to form strong C8 hydrogen bonds. Nitrogen-atom substitution in the ring induces the formation of the hydrazino turn, with a related but distinct hydrogen-bonding network: the structure is best viewed as a bifurcated C8/C5 bond with the N heteroatom lone electron pair playing a significant acceptor role, which supports recent observations on the hydrazino turn structure in solution. Surprisingly, this study shows that the cis-substituted cyclobutane ring derivative also gives rise predominantly to a C8 hydrogen bond, although weaker than in the two former cases, a feature that is not often encountered for this building block.

Cyclic homologated amino acids are important building blocks for the construction of helical foldamers. N-aminoazetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AAzC), an aza analogue of trans-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (tACBC), displays a strong hydrazino turn conformational feature, which is proposed to act as an 8-helix primer. tACBC oligomers bearing a single N-terminal AAzC residue were studied to evaluate the ability of AAzC to induce and support an 8-helix along the oligopeptide length. While tACBC homooligomers assume a dominant 12-helix conformation, the aza-primed oligomers preferentially adopt a stabilized 8-helix conformation for an oligomer length up to 6 residues. The (formal) single-atom exchange at the N terminus of a tACBC oligomer thus contributes to the sustainability of the 8-helix, which resists the switch to a 12-helix. This effect illustrates atomic-level programmable design for fine tuning of peptide foldamer architectures.

An organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of α-(benzylamino)cyclobutanones has been achieved by employing a tandem condensation/intramolecular rearrangement/proton transfer reaction and starting from racemic α-hydroxycyclobutanone and a selection of benzylamines. This reaction sequence afforded the products in good to high yields with moderate to high enantioselectivities.

Probing scalar couplings are essential for structural elucidation in molecular (bio)chemistry. While the measurement of JHH couplings is facilitated by SERF experiments, overcrowded signals represent a significant limitation. Here, a new band selective pure shift SERF allows access to δ(1)H and JHH with an ultrahigh spectral resolution.

An efficient synthesis of cis-2-amino-1-fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid in single enantiomer form was established and protected homo-oligomers (2-, 4-, and 6-mers) of this cyclic cis-β-amino acid were prepared. Conformational analysis of these oligomers using IR, NMR and CD techniques in solution, supported by molecular modelling studies, suggested a strong conformational preference for a well-defined strand-like structure in which intra-residue hydrogen bonding is weak at best and is not consequential for adoption of the secondary structure. Single crystal X-ray analysis of the tetramer showed that a regular strand-like conformation is adopted in the solid state; only intermolecular hydrogen bonding networks are observed. The backbone topology and the 4-membered ring orientations are noticeably different from those of the tetramer of the corresponding non-fluorinated cis-β-amino acid.

Short gram-scale syntheses of both enantiomers of 2-amino-3-hydroxycyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid and of 2-amino-4-hydroxycyclobutanecarboxylic acid with an all-cis geometry are described. The sequences feature highly endo-selective [2 + 2]-photocycloaddition reactions followed by fully regioselective ring opening/Hofmann rearrangement/nitrogen protection, in a consecutive or one-pot protocol, followed by efficient resolution using a chiral oxazolidinone.

A two-step protocol is presented for the preparation of 5-(pyridin-2-ylamino)dihydrofuran-2(3H)-ones from 2-hydroxycyclobutanone and some 2-aminopyridines via a catalyst-free synthesis of 2,2-bis(pyridin-2-ylamino)cyclobutanols followed by Dess–Martin periodinane mediated ring expansion.

The photochemical electrocyclization reaction of the title compound in the presence of β-cyclodextrin was examined in different conditions. No enantioselectivity was observed in solution, but solid-state reactions of a 1:1 complex as a suspension or a thin film, followed by reduction, provided (1R,5R)-2-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-3-one in isolated yields up to 79% and with ee values up to 45%.

A new procedure for the desymmetrization of prochiral 3-substituted cyclobutanones has been established through organocatalyzed Michael addition to nitroalkenes. The approach provides enantiomerically enriched 2-alkyl-3-aryl(alkyl) cyclobutanones with three contiguous stereogenic centers. The optimum conditions were determined by screening of catalyst and reaction conditions and a transition-state model is proposed to account for the observed diastereomeric and enantiomeric selectivities.

International audience; The stereochemistry of hydrazides makes them especially interesting as building blocks for molecular design. An exhaustive conformational analysis of three model hydrazides was conducted in a conformer-selective approach by using a combination of high-level quantum chemistry calculations and vibrational spectroscopy in the gas phase and in solution. The NH stretch frequency was found to be highly sensitive to hyperconjugation, thus making it an efficient probe of the conformation of the neighboring nitrogen atom. This property greatly assisted the identification of the isomers observed experimentally in the conformer pool. A rationalization of the hydrazide conformational landscape is proposed, therefore paving the way for a better characterization of secondary structures in larger systems.

Two efficient routes have been established for the preparation of both enantiomers of cis-(2-aminocyclobutyl)acetic acid, a conformationally restricted analogue of GABA. Both procedures converged on the racemic N-tert-butoxycarbonyl derivative of the target compound, which was resolved through chiral derivatization with an oxazolidinone auxiliary, which also allowed determination of the absolute configuration of the new compounds. The first route involved the homologation of cis-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid, whereas the second route employed an intramolecular photocyclization protocol, which provided an expedient, cis-selective access to the lactam form of the target structure.