Stereospecific Synthesis of Conformationally Constrained γ-Amino Acids: New Foldamer Building Blocks That Support Helical Secondary Structure

Abstract

A highly stereoselective synthesis of novel cyclically constrained γ-amino acid residues is presented. The key step involves organocatalytic Michael addition of an aldehyde to 1-nitrocyclohexene. After aldehyde reduction, this approach provides optically active β-substituted δ-nitro alcohols (96−99% ee), which can be converted to γ-amino acid residues with a variety of substituents at the α position. We have used these new building blocks to prepare α/γ-peptide foldamers that adopt a specific helical conformation in solution and in the solid state.