1-Aminobicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2-carboxylic Acid and Derivatives As Chiral Constrained Bridged Scaffolds for Foldamers and Chiral Catalysts.

The improvement of molecular diversity is one of the major concerns of chemists since the continuous development of original synthetic molecules provides unique scaffolds usable in organic and bioorganic chemistry. The challenge is to develop versatile platforms with highly controlled chemical three-dimensional space thanks to controlled chirality and conformational restraints. In this respect, cyclic β-amino acids are of great interest with applications in various fields of chemistry. In addition to their intrinsic biological properties, they are important precursors for the synthesis of new generations of bioactive compounds such as antibiotics, enzyme inhibitors, and antitumor agents. They have also been involved in asymmetric synthesis as efficient organo-catalysts in their free form and as derivatives. Finally, constrained cyclic β-amino acids have been incorporated into oligomers to successfully stabilize original structures in foldamer science with recent successes in health, material science, and catalysis. Over the last ∼10 years, we focused on bicyclic β-amino acids possessing a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane structure. This latter is a structural key element in numerous families of biologically active natural and synthetic products and is an interesting template for asymmetric synthesis. Nonetheless, reported studies on bicyclic carbo-bridged compounds are rather limited compared to those on bicyclic-fused and heterobridged derivatives. In this Account, we particularly focused on the synthesis and applications of the 1-aminobicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2-carboxylic acid, named, ABOC, and its derivatives. This highly constrained bicyclic β-amino acid, with a sterically hindered bridgehead primary amine and an endocyclic chiral center, displays drastically reduced conformational freedom. In addition, its high bulkiness strongly impacts the spatial orientation of the appended functionalities and the conformation of adjacent building blocks. Thus, we have first expanded a fundamental synthetic work by a wide ranging study in the field of foldamers, in the design of various stable peptide/peptidomimetic helical structures incorporating the ABOC residue (11/9-, 18/16-, 12/14/14-, and 12/10-helices). In addition, such bicyclic residue was fully compatible with and stabilized the canonical oligourea helix, whereas very few cyclic β-amino acids have been incorporated into oligoureas. In addition, we have pursued with the synthesis of some ABOC derivatives, in particular the 1,2-diaminobicyclo[2.2.2]octane chiral diamine, named DABO, and its investigation in chiral catalytic systems. Covalent organo-catalysis of the aldol reaction using ABOC-containing tripeptide catalysts provided a range of aldol products with high enantioselectivity. Moreover, the double reductive condensation of DABO with various aldehydes allowed the building of new chiral ligands that proved their efficiency in the copper-catalyzed asymmetric Henry reaction.