Synthesis of enantiomerically pure (2S,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine and (2R,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoro-allo-isoleucine.

A practical route for the stereoselective synthesis of (2S,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine (L-5-F3Ile) and (2R,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoro-allo-isoleucine (D-5-F3-allo-Ile) was developed. The hydrophobicity of L-5-F3Ile was examined and it was incorporated into a model peptide via solid phase peptide synthesis to determine its α-helix propensity. The α-helix propensity of 5-F3Ile is significantly lower than Ile, but surprisingly high when compared with 4'-F3Ile.

Conjugate hydrotrifluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated acyl-oxazolidinones: synthesis of chiral fluorinated amino acids.

A novel conjugate hydrofluoroalkylation of α,β-unsaturated acyl-oxazolidinones is described. Using this method, enantiomerically pure β-trifluoromethylated amino acids were prepared. Trifluorovaline and trifluoroisoleucine were incorporated into peptides and found to show extremely low α-helix propensities.