Synthesis of 2-(4-carboxybutenyl)- and 2-(4-carboxybutynyl)-cyclopentene-1-carboxamides

Syntheses of 2-(4-carboxybut-1-enyl/4-carboxypent-1-ynyl)cyclopentene-1-carboxamides, compounds designed to mimic the phosphoSer–Pro dipeptide motif (the recognition sequence for the prolyl cis–trans isomerase Pin1), have been developed. Stille, Sonogashira and Suzuki couplings were envisaged to join the pentynoic and pentenoic acid side chains to the 2-position of cyclopentene-1-carboxylate esters. The ring- and side-chain carboxylic acids required orthogonal protection for later attachment of a Ph-NH(4-nitrophenyl) unit to the cyclopentene-1-carbonyl. The cyclopentenecarboxylates were unmasked and standard PyBOP peptide coupling afforded the target compounds. Comparisons of two routes using But and Me esters are reported.