Translation applied to chemistry

[Groutcho]

Hello everyone,

 

First of all, I'm new on this forum, so let me introduce myself. I am a french translator testing my skills in various domains of engineering and scientific translation. I am thus interested in science and languages, as well as in translation and pedagogy.

 

I translate from french to english.

 

Here is a short text I chose to test my skills. The source language is french. It is the translation of the summary of a paper in the field of organic chemistry. You can find the original text here : http://www.iquesta.com/Memoires-Theses/Chimie/Telecharger-Memoire-synthese-diastereoselective-d-un-precurseur-de-l-acide-hydroxypipecolique-la-hydroxypiperidin-one-19.html

 

 

Alkaloids are natural products found in a large amount of plants, as well as in the animal kingdom. They are characterized by one nitrogen atom and at least one cycle containing the heteroatom. Numerous and complex structures have been established but simpler patterns also arouse great biological interest due to their synthesis potential. A simple example is provided by the 1-chiral pyroglutamic acid whose various functions allow access to many mono- or polycyclic alkaloids. This synthon is even more interesting as it features a chiral center, allowing asymmetric synthesis. In the same manner ; the 2-proline is easily accessed in both optically active forms. 6-links superior homologues are also attractive from a synthesis point of view but corresponding chiral precursors such as 3 pipecolic acid or 4 6-oxidopipecolic acid are unfortunately not commercially available and their synthesis is often difficult to achieve.

 

Among mono cyclic compounds, 2,5-defunctionalized 5 piperidines are especially interesting for they are the precursors of a great number of compounds with important therapeutic activities.

 

The 5-hydroxypipecolic 5 acid is an especially interesting representative of this category since it is the corner stone for the synthesis of many highly biologically active derivatives. Indeed, several studies describe its preparation as a precursor of high antiviral activity compounds such as cyclo-streptolutine 6 isolated from Streptomyces griseolutus.

 

This superior homologue of proline seemed particulary interesting, due to its important synthesis potential and the presence of 2 asymmetric centers, enough for starting the enantioselective synthesis. An obvious precursor for this amino acid was the 7-hydroxy lactame. This target proved to be sufficiently interesting to start the research in the laboratory for a new route toward this compound. This is the work I have been given during this intership year.

After a bibliographical study of this chiral lactame, followed by a retrosynthetic study, my internship work consisted in developing an enantioselective route to this compound, from commercially available chiral precursors in both their antipodal forms.

 

 

Would you be kind enough to make sincere criticism on my translation, even if it just a part of the text ?

 

I have also some problems with translating numbered compounds (e.g " 4 6-oxidopipecolic acid"). I suspect the order of numbers differs from the french names. Is there a reference where I can learn the proper way to write numbered compounds names ?

 

Thanks in advance for you kindness

[BabcockHall]

I wonder whether or not lactame should be lactam, but other than that I did not see any errors.

[Groutcho]

Thanks for the reply !