Structure-Based Design and Synthesis of Macroheterocyclic Peptidomimetic Inhibitors of the Aspartic Protease β-Site Amyloid Precursor Protein Cleaving Enzyme (BACE)

Abstract
Based on the X-ray cocrystal structure of the Tang−Ghosh heptapeptide inhibitor 1 (OM00-3), a series of macroheterocyclic analogues were designed and synthesized. Analogues containing dithia, dioxa, oxathia, and carbathia macrocycles were synthesized by methods relying on ring-closing olefin metathesis for the dioxa analogues and by alkylation of thiolates or bisthiolates for the others. Molecular modeling suggested that the incorporation of piperidine units appended to the macrocycles improved interactions through additional H-bonds and introduced further rigidity. These were synthesized in enantiomerically pure form using enzyme-catalyzed desymmetrization and diastereomer separation. Inhibitory activity on β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE) was observed with several macroheterocyclic inhibitors and structure−activity relationship (SAR) correlations were deduced. Cocrystal structures of two synthetic analogues revealed interesting and unexpected binding interactions.