Pharmacophore Mapping of Thienopyrimidine-Based Monophosphonate (ThP-MP) Inhibitors of the Human Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthase.

The human farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (hFPPS), a key regulatory enzyme in the mevalonate pathway, catalyzes the biosynthesis of the C-15 isoprenoid farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). FPP plays a crucial role in the post-translational prenylation of small GTPases that perform a plethora of cellular functions. Although hFPPS is a well-established therapeutic target for lytic bone diseases, the currently available bisphosphonate drugs exhibit poor cellular uptake and distribution into nonskeletal tissues. Recent drug discovery efforts have focused primarily on allosteric inhibition of hFPPS and the discovery of non-bisphosphonate drugs for potentially treating nonskeletal diseases. Hit-to-lead optimization of a new series of thienopyrimidine-based monosphosphonates (ThP-MPs) led to the identification of analogs with nanomolar potency in inhibiting hFPPS. Their interactions with the allosteric pocket of the enzyme were characterized by crystallography, and the results provide further insight into the pharmacophore requirements for allosteric inhibition.

Towards the development of chromone-based MEK1/2 modulators.

Inhibition or allosteric modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases MEK1 and MEK2 (MEK1/2) represent a promising strategy for the discovery of new specific anticancer agents. In this paper, structure-based design, beginning from the lead compound PD98059, was used to study potential structural modifications on the chromone structure in order to obtain highly potent derivatives that target the allosteric pocket in MEK1. Subsequently, a small series of PD98059 analogs were synthesized to provide a first generation of chromone-based derivatives that inhibit the activation of MEK1 with IC50 values as low as 30 nM in vitro. Complementary cellular studies also showed that two of the compounds in the series inhibit the activity of MEK1/2 with IC50 values in the nanomolar range (73-97 nM). In addition, compounds in this series were found to inhibit the proliferation of a small panel of human cancer cell lines.

Fluoroalkylated α,ß-unsaturated imines as synthons for the preparation of fluorinated triazinane-2,4-diones and dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones.

A regioselective addition of isocyanates to fluoroalkylated α,ß-unsaturated imines 1 is described. Fluoroalkyl-substituted triazinane-2,4-diones 4 are obtained by the reaction of phenyl isocyanate with fluorinated imines 1, while fluorinated dihydropyridin-2(1H)-ones 7 are prepared when tosyl isocyanate is used. Tetrahydro-pyridin-2(1H)-one 10 is obtained by catalytic reduction of dihydropyridin-2(1H)-one 7. Computational studies are performed to explain the different behaviors of both isocyanates and the mechanisms of the processes.

Synthesis of fluoroalkylated beta-aminophosphonates and pyridines from primary beta-enaminophosphonates.

A simple and efficient stereoselective synthesis of fluorine containing beta-aminophosphonates by reduction of beta-enaminophosphonates is described. Reduction with sodium cyanborohydride in the presence of zinc chloride and the catalytic hydrogenation of beta-enaminophosphonates gives beta-aminophosphonates. beta-Enaminophosphonates are also used as intermediates for the regioselective synthesis of fluoroalkyl-substituted pyridines.