Chemistry of vinyl sulfones. Approach to novel conformationally restricted analogues of glutamic acid

A totally different approach to conformationally restricted glutamic acid analogues is described, in which one of the acid functions is replaced by a cyclopropanol. The reactivity of cyclopropanol vinyl sulfones toward addition of lithiated Schöllkopf bislactim ether provides a facile synthesis of α-amino acid diastereoisomers. Conformational analysis of these analogues, incorporating solvation effects, and docking to a glutamate receptor model, are used to show the relevance of the conformational restrictions employed.