Microwave assisted synthesis of spiro-2,5-diketopiperazines

A general and efficient method for the synthesis of spiro-2,5-diketopiperazines (spiro-DKPs) is described. Cyclization of Boc-protected dipeptides containing spiro-amino acids by microwave assisted heating in water furnished the corresponding spiro-DKPs. The spiro-amino acids were prepared by combining stereoselective alkylation reactions using the Schollkopf methodology for amino acid construction with Grubbs ring-closing metathesis (RCM) methodology using ruthenium complexes. The RCM reactions and all subsequent transformations to the spiro-DKPs were run with microwave assisted heating, resulting in high yields and short reaction times for all steps. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.