Synthesis of the stereoisomers of a novel antibacterial agent and interpretation of their relative activities in terms of a theoretical model of the penicillin receptor

Abstract

2,2-Dimethyl-3-(2′-hydroxypropyl)-5-carboxy-Δ3 -1,4-thiazine (1) is a designed antibacterial agent. Based on an analysis of how penicillin complexes to and reacts with a model of a penicillin-binding protein, 1 contains a functional group (C=N) that can react with a serine hydroxyl group of the receptor according to the putative reaction Enz-OH + C = N → Enz-O-C-NH. Compound 1 also contains additional substituents that are designed to position the O-H and C=N groups relative to one another in the enzyme–substrate complex in a geometry that attempts to reproduce the optimum geometry of approach of two such reactants. A most important assumption is that this optimum geometry can be computed ab initio. In a first preparation of 1, (±)-5-methyl-4-hexene-2-ol (2) was converted to the lithium salt of (±)-2-mercapto-2-methyl-5-tert-butyldimethylsiloxy-3- hexanone (7), which was condensed with the N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-D- and L-serine-β-lactones (3). The synthesis was completed by deprotection with formic acid and cyclization in water. The R and S enantiomers of 2 have now been obtained, and the absolute configuration of the alcohol established, by reaction of the R- and S-propylene oxides with an organometallic reagent prepared from β,β-dimethylvinyl bromide. The R alcohol has also been secured by lipase-catalyzed transesterification with trifluoroethyl butyrate, and chemical hydrolysis of the trifluoroethyl ester. The R and S enantiomers of 2 were converted to the R and S enantiomers of 7, and these were condensed with the R and S enantiomers of 3 to yield each of the stereoisomers of the chemically unstable 1 in ca. 95% optically pure form. Antibacterial activity resides in the 5S,8R and 5S,8S isomers. These findings are shown to be consistent with the theoretical model. It is hoped that the stability of the lead structure 1 can be improved, to allow binding experiments with penicillin recognizing enzymes to proceed.