Conformationally constrained 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane amino acids. Synthesis of a glutamic acid analogue

We report the synthesis of 2-substituted 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane glutamic acid analogue 27 from L-serine. Hemiaminal intermediate 2 can be converted to the 2S,3S,5S-trisubstituted pyrrolidine 3 by a tandem Wittig/Michael reaction or to the 2S,3S,5R-trisubstituted pyrrolidine 4 via an iodosulfonamidation reaction. The key transannular alkylation step to form the [2.2.1] ring system involves a p-elimination of a silyl ether followed by cyclization to afford tert-butyl 7-benzyloxycarbonyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]-2-heptene-1-carboxylate (20). Selective functionalization at C-2 was accomplished by the direct reduction with SmI2 of 2-keto-3-silyl ether 23 to the C-2 ketone 24, which was converted to alpha,beta-unsaturated ester 25. Stereospecific reduction of the double bond from the exo face leads to a single protected glutamate analogue, tert-butyl (1S,2R,4R)-7-benzyloxycarbonyl-2-(methoxycarbonylmethyl)-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylate (27).