Local modifications, secondary structure mimetics and global restrictions are useful synthetic tools for peptidomimetic design.

A new class of readily accessible chiral amino-phosphine precatalysts derived from 9-amino(9-deoxy) epicinchona alkaloids has been developed. In combination with Ag(I) salts, these amino-phosphines performed as effective cooperative Brønsted base/Lewis acid catalysts in the asymmetric aldol reaction of isocyanoacetate nucleophiles. Under optimal conditions, high diastereoselectivities (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 98%) were obtained.

3-Aza-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-7-carboxylic acids (named BTAa) derived from (R,R)-, (S,S)-, or meso-tartaric acid and natural (l), unnatural (d), or unusual α-amino acids are described as conformationally constrained dipeptide isosteres. The general strategy developed for their preparation has required the trasformation of the amino acids into the corresponding N-benzylamino alcohols, followed by the PyBroP-promoted condensation with the monomethyl ester of the suitable 2,3-di-O-isopropylidenetartaric acid. Oxidation of the hydroxy group to aldheyde and subsequent acid-catalyzed trans-acetalization with the two hydroxy groups of the tartaric acid moiety provided 3-aza-2-oxo-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-7-carboxylic acid methyl esters [named BTAa(O)] in good yield and, in most cases, as single enantiopure diastereoisomers. This strategy has been applied to the preparation of BTAa(O) starting from (R,R)-, (S,S)-, or meso-tartaric acid and glycine, l- and d-phenylalanine, l- and d-alanine, and (±)-phenylglycine. In the cases of glycine, l- and d-phenylalanine, and l- and d-alanine, the selective reduction by BH3·DMS of the amide group succeeding to the cyclization step, or the reduction of both amide and ester functions followed by reoxidation of the hydroxy to carboxylic group, provided in good yield the 3-aza-3-benzyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-7-carboxylic acids (or their methyl ester) BTAa, having the side chain of the amino acid precursors at position 4. The stability and rigidity of the bicyclic skeleton, the complete control of all the stereocenters, the possibility of introducing the side chains of l- or d-amino acids, and the demonstrated compatibility with the conditions required for solid-phase peptide synthesis make the BTAa compounds potential dipeptide isosteres useful for the synthesis of modified peptides.

Developing drugs for the central nervous system (CNS) requires fine chemical modifications, as a strict balance between size and lipophilicity is necessary to improve the permeability through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In this context, morpholine and its analogues represent valuable heterocycles, due to their conformational and physicochemical properties. In fact, the presence of a weak basic nitrogen atom and of an oxygen atom at the opposite position provides a peculiar pK a value and a flexible conformation to the ring, thus allowing it to take part in several lipophilic−hydrophilic interactions, and to improve blood solubility and brain permeability of the overall structure. In CNS-active compounds, morpholines are used (1) to enhance the potency through molecular interactions, (2) to act as a scaffold directing the appendages in the correct position, and (3) to modulate pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties. In this perspective, selected morpholinecontaining CNS drug candidates are discussed to reveal the active pharmacophores accountable for the (1) modulation of receptors involved in mood disorders and pain, (2) bioactivity toward enzymes and receptors responsible for neurodegenerative diseases, and (3) inhibition of enzymes involved in the pathology of CNS tumors. The medicinal chemistry/pharmacological activity of morpholine derivatives is discussed, in the effort to highlight the importance of morpholine ring interactions in the active site of different targets, particularly reporting binding features retrieved from PDB data, when available.

Over the last decade, Diversity-Oriented Synthesis (DOS) has become a new paradigm for developing large collections of structurally diverse small molecules as probes to investigate biological pathways, and to provide a larger array of the chemical space. Drug discovery and chemical biology are taking advantage of DOS approaches to exploit highly-diverse and complex molecular platforms, producing advances in both target and ligand discovery. In this view, carbohydrates are attractive building blocks for DOS libraries, due to their stereochemical diversity and high density of polar functional groups, thus offering many possibilities for chemical manipulation and scaffold decoration. This review will discuss research contributions and perspectives on the application of carbohydrate chemistry to explore the accessible chemical space through appendage, stereochemical and scaffold diversity.