Synthesis of vaniprevir (MK-7009): lactamization to prepare a 20-membered [corrected] macrocycle.

Development of a practical synthesis of MK-7009, a 20-membered [corrected] macrocycle, is described. A variety of ring-closing strategies were evaluated, including ring-closing metathesis, intermolecular palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings, and macrolactamization. Ring closure via macrolactamization was found to give the highest yields under relatively high reaction concentrations.

Efficient and practical synthesis of (R)-2-methylpyrrolidine.

An efficient, practical, and high yielding synthesis of (R)-2-methylpyrrolidine is described. The sequence allows for the scalable preparation of the target compound in just four synthetic steps and proceeds in 83% overall yield and >99% optical purity from readily available starting materials.

Asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of chiral cyclopropylidene imide dienophiles: preparation of gem-dimethyl- and spirocyclopropane norbornyl carboxylic acids.

A highly efficient strategy has been developed for the rapid asymmetric synthesis of gem-dimethyl and spirocyclopropyl norbornyl carboxylic acids. The key transformation involved the unprecedented asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction of highly reactive beta,beta-cyclopropyl-alpha,beta-unstaturated N-acyloxazolidinones with cyclopentadiene affording the adducts in high yield and de.

Stereoselective formation of carbon-carbon bonds via SN2-displacement: synthesis of substituted cycloalkyl[b]indoles.

A general asymmetric synthesis of substituted cycloalkyl[b]indoles has been accomplished. The key features of this approach are (1) the utilization of a Japp-Klingemann condensation/Fischer cyclization to prepare cycloalkyl[b]indolones, (2) the asymmetric borane reduction of these heterocyclic ketones with (S)-OAB to obtain enantiomerically pure alcohols, and (3) the stereoselective S(N)2-displacement of these indole alcohol substrates with a carbon nucleophile under Mitsunobu conditions to set the C1 or C3 tertiary carbon stereocenter. The use of trimethylphosphine (PMe3) and bis(2,2,2-trichloroethyl) azodicarboxylate (TCEAD) was found to have an effect on the Mitsunobu dehydrative alkylation.

Crystal structure of human beta-hexosaminidase B: understanding the molecular basis of Sandhoff and Tay-Sachs disease.

In humans, two major beta-hexosaminidase isoenzymes exist: Hex A and Hex B. Hex A is a heterodimer of subunits alpha and beta (60% identity), whereas Hex B is a homodimer of beta-subunits. Interest in human beta-hexosaminidase stems from its association with Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease; these are prototypical lysosomal storage disorders resulting from the abnormal accumulation of G(M2)-ganglioside (G(M2)).