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Tanabe Seiyaku has been investigating an efficient optical resolution method for the productionof optically active amino acids since the 1950s. As one of the practical applications of the resolutionmethods, we focused on crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation, with which it is possibleto obtain more than 50% of one enantiomer of a racemate. In order to achieve the asymmetrictransformation, an elegant method for racemization of optically active amino acids and their saltswas developed. This successful racemization procedure led to efficient and economical preparationpaths for various optically active amino acids by the two crystallization-induced asymmetric transformations,one of which is a combination of enantiomeric resolution and simultaneous racemization and theother is a combination of diastereomeric resolution and simultaneous epimerization. Here, manyexamples of our studies and recent reports of pharmaceutical intermediates are presented.

CCG-1423 suppresses several pathological processes including cancer cell migration, tissue fibrosis, and the development of atherosclerotic lesions. These suppressions are caused by inhibition of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A), which is a critical factor for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). CCG-1423 can therefore be a potent inhibitor for EMT. CCG-1423 and related compounds, CCG-100602 and CCG-203971 possess similar biological activities. Although these compounds are comprised of two stereoisomers, the differences in their biological activities remain to be assessed. To address this issue, we stereoselectively synthesized optically pure isomers of these compounds and validated their biological activities. The S-isomer of CCG-1423 rather than the R-isomer exhibited modestly but significantly higher inhibitory effects on the cellular events triggered by MRTF-A activation including serum response factor-mediated gene expression and cell migration of fibroblasts and B16F10 melanoma cells. Accordingly, the S-isomer of CCG-1423 more potently blocked the serum-induced nuclear import of MRTF-A than the R-isomer. No such difference was observed in cells treated with each of two stereoisomers of CCG-100602 or CCG-203971. We previously reported that the N-terminal basic domain (NB), which functions as a nuclear localization signal of MRTF-A, is a binding site for CCG-1423. Consistent with the biological activities of two stereoisomers of CCG-1423, docking simulation demonstrated that the S-isomer of CCG-1423 was more likely to bind to NB than the R-isomer. This is a first report demonstrating the stereospecific biological activities of CCG-1423.

A key intermediate of diltiazem synthesis, (2S,3S)-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,5-benzothiazepin-4(5H)-one [(2S,3S)-1], has been efficiently synthesized by an asymmetric reduction of the prochiral ketone, 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,5-benzothiazepine-3,4(2H,5H)-dione (3), with NaBH4 and chiral α-amino acids. As the chiral sources, β-branched-chain amino acids, such as (S)-valine, (S)-isoleucine, and (S)-tert-leucine, were found to be effective. In particular, using (S)-tert-leucine as a ligand resulted in the formation of (2S,3S)-1 with excellent enantioselectivity. (95% ee for cis-isomers). The addition of AcOH to the reaction permitted further improvement of both conversion and stereoselectivity. As a result, optically pure (2S,3S)-1 could be isolated in 86% yield. This asymmetric reduction proceeded via dynamic kinetic resolution and made it possible to control the two adjacent asymmetric carbons through keto−enol tautomerism.