Menthols as Chiral Auxiliaries for Asymmetric Cycloadditive Oligomerization: Syntheses and Studies of β-Proline Hexamers

To produce a novel class of structurally ordered poly-β-prolines, an emergent method for synthesizing chiral β-peptide molecular frameworks was developed based on 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition chemistry of azomethine ylides. Functionalized short β-peptides with up to six monomeric residues were efficiently synthesized in homochiral forms using a cycloadditive oligomerization approach. X-ray, NMR, and CD structural analyses of the novel β-peptides revealed secondary structure features that were generated primarily by Z/E-β-peptide bond isomerism. Anticancer in cellulo activity of the new β-peptides toward hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells was observed and was dependent on the absolute configuration of the stereogenic centers and the chain length of the β-proline oligomers.