Stieglitz rearrangement of N,N-dichloro-β,β-disubstituted taurines under mild aqueous conditions

New topical anti-infectives comprised of N,N-dichloro-beta,beta-disubstituted taurines [Tetrahedron Lett. 2008, 49, 2193; Biorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2009, 19, 196] have been examined for structure-stability relationships (SSR) based upon various alkyl, heteroalkyl and cycloalkyl beta-substitutions. These substitutions affect order-of-magnitude changes in the aqueous stability of these N,N-dichloroamines which can undergo Stieglitz rearrangement of alkyl groups under extremely mild conditions (H(2)O, pH 4-7, 0-20 mM acetate or phosphate buffer, 20-40 degrees C). This process produces b-ketosulfonic acids which function as substrates for chlorination by the N-chlorotaurines which leads to their further degradation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.