Streptomyces rochei 7434AN4 predominantly produces lankacidin and lankamycin under normal culture conditions, thus suggesting that other biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites are silent. To identify the silent metabolites of 7434AN4, we constructed mutant KA57 with multiple disruptions of the transcriptional repressor srrB and the biosynthesis genes for both antibiotics. KA57 accumulated a compound (KA57A) with a strong UV absorption at 235 nm, not detected in the parent strain or other mutants. Various spectroscopic analyses revealed that KA57A is an azoxyalkene compound with the molecular formula C10 H20 N2 O3 and with the R configuration at C-2. Biosynthesis of KA57A was also studied by feeding with labeled acetates, amino acids, and 1-hexylamine. The hexenyl moiety (C1'-C6') was derived from fatty acid, whereas the 3-aminobutan-1,2-diol moiety (C1-C4) was derived from C-2 of acetate (C1) and serine (C2-C4). Incorporation of [1,1-(2) H2 ]-1-hexylamine indicated that C1'-C2' dehydrogenation occurs as the final step of biosynthesis.

Here we disclose a practical asymmetric synthesis of an enantiomerically 97.8% ee pure N-Fmoc derivative of (S)-2-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid performed on >10 g scale of the target product. The method is based on alkylation (CF 3 −CH 2 −I) of a new generation of a chiral nucleophilic equivalent conducted at ambient temperature with an excellent stereochemical outcome. The developed protocol does not require any chromatographic separations and includes only one purification step via recrystallization of the final product.

Enantiomerically pure derivatives of 2-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid are in great demand as bioisostere of leucine moiety in the drug design. Here, we disclose a method specifically developed for large-scale (>150 g) preparation of the target (S)-N-Fmoc-2-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid. The method employs a recyclable chiral auxiliary to form the corresponding Ni(II) complex with glycine Schiff base, which is alkylated with CF3–CH2–I under basic conditions. The resultant alkylated Ni(II) complex is disassembled to reclaim the chiral auxiliary and 2-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid, which is in situ converted to the N-Fmoc derivative. The whole procedure was reproduced several times for consecutive preparation of over 300 g of the target (S)-N-Fmoc-2-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid.

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Continuous-flow quaternization reaction of gramines with MeI (< 1 min) followed by substitution reaction with a chiral nucleophilic glycine-derived Ni-complex (S)-2 (< 1 min) has successfully been developed to afford...