Stereoselective Synthesis of Tricyclic Diproline Analogues that Mimic a PPII Helix: Structural Consequences of Ring‐Size Variation

Polycyclic proline-derived scaffolds (ProMs) have recently demonstrated their value as conformationally defined dipeptide analogs for the modular construction of secondary structure mimetics, specifically interfering with PPII helix-mediated protein-protein interactions. We disclose the stereoselective synthesis of two new tricyclic amino acid scaffolds (ProM-4 and ProM-8) that differ from the first generation scaffold ProM-1 by the size of ring A. Conformational preferences and subtle structural differences of the three homologous scaffolds were analyzed by X-ray crystallography, computational calculations, and NMR spectroscopy. N-tert-butoxycarbonyl(Boc)-3-(1-propenyl) azetidine-2-carboxylic acid was prepared from L-aspartic acid through beta-lactam intermediates. The corresponding piperidine-based building block rac-N-Boc-3-vinylpipecolic acid was synthesized by Cu-catalyzed 1,4-addition of vinyl-MgBr to methyl N-Boc-2,3-dehydropipecolate. Target molecules were prepared through peptide coupling of the respective ring A building blocks with cis-5-vinylproline tert-butyl ester and subsequent ring-closing metathesis. Selective deprotection of a tert-butyl carbamate (N-Boc protecting group) in the presence of a tert-butyl ester was achieved with trifluoroacetic acid at 0 degrees C.