A new benzotriazole-mediated stereoflexible gateway to hetero-2,5- diketopiperazines

Abstract

Open chain Cbz-L-aa 1-L-Pro-Bt (Bt=benzotriazole) sequences were converted into either the corresponding trans- or cis-fused 2,5- diketopiperazines (DKPs) depending on the reaction conditions. Thermodynamic tandem cyclization/epimerization afforded selectively the corresponding trans-DKPs (69-75%). Complementarily, tandem deprotection/cyclization led to the cis-DKPs (65-72%). A representative set of proline-containing cis- and trans-DKPs has been prepared. A mechanistic investigation, based on chiral HPLC, kinetics, and computational studies enabled a rationalization of the results. Stereoflexible route to DKPs: A convenient, versatile, and flexible benzotriazole-mediated methodology for the synthesis of proline-containing hetero-2,5-diketopiperazines (DKPs) is reported. Depending on the reaction conditions, either cis- or trans-configured DKPs were obtained starting from the same inexpensive l,l-dipeptidoyl benzotriazole key intermediate (see scheme). Kinetics, chiral HPLC, and computational studies forged a background for mechanistic rationalization. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.