Access to highly substituted oxazoles by the reaction of α-azidochalcone with potassium thiocyanate.

The reactivity of α-azidochalcones has been explored for the preparation of highly substituted oxazoles via a 2H-azirine intermediate. The azidochalcones, when treated with potassium thiocyanate in the presence of potassium persulfate, lead to 2,4,5-trisubstituted oxazoles in good yields. Incidentally, 2-aminothiazoles are the products when ferric nitrate is employed instead of persulfate in the above reaction.

In vitro Mechanistic Exploration of Novel Spiropyrrolidine Heterocyclic Hybrids as Anticancer Agents.

Novel spiro acenaphthylene pyrrolo[1,2-b]isoquinoline/pyrrolidine hybrids have been achieved through Pictet-Spengler/Eschweiler-Clarke reactions depending on the substitution in the benzyl ring. The in vitro biological efficacy of N-methyl spiropyrrolidine derivatives toward different cancer and non-cancer cell lines revealed that these novel spiro heterocyclic hybrids induced cancer cell death at moderate concentrations, while slight reduction in non-cancer cell viability at the higher concentrations. The analysis of cancer cells proved that the major pathway of cell death is apoptosis and in addition, the role of caspases is confirmed by the appearance of fluorescent cells in microscopic images. Therefore, this study indicates a sustainable way of treating cancer cells by inducing apoptotic pathways and associated caspases, while simultaneously protecting the non-cancer cells.

Discovery of novel cage-like heterocyclic hybrids as anti-inflammatory agents through the inhibition of nitrite, PGE2 and TNF-α.

Novel cage-like indolizine-acenaphthene-pyridinone heterocyclic hybrids were synthesized in good yields through [bmim]Br mediated tandem 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition-annulation sequence. The anti-inflammatory activity of these hybrids was performed using carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema, croton oil-induced ear oedema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma models. Four of these cage-like heterocyclic hybrids viz. 4b, 4d, 4e and 4j showed substantial anti-inflammatory activities against acute and chronic inflammatory models and also showed significant inhibition of PGE2, TNF-α, and nitrite levels in carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema.

Synthesis of indole-cycloalkyl[b]pyridine hybrids via a four-component six-step tandem process.

The one-pot four-component reaction of 3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-3-oxopropanenitriles, aromatic aldehydes, cycloalkanones and ammonium acetate occurred via a six-step tandem Knoevenagel condensation-nucleophilic addition to carbonyl-Michael addition-N-cyclization-elimination-air oxidation sequence to afford structurally intriguing indole-cycloalkyl[b]pyridine-3-carbonitrile hybrid heterocycles in excellent yields.

Four-Component Domino Synthesis of Pyrazolo[3,4- h]quinoline-3-carbonitriles: "Turn-Off" Fluorescent Chemosensor for Fe3+ Ions.

The synthesis of novel pyrazolo[3,4- h]quinoline-3-carbonitriles has been achieved through a one-pot, four-component domino strategy under solvent-free microwave conditions. One of these compounds exhibited fluorescence under UV lamp and was found to be highly sensitive toward Fe3+ ions in DMSO against various metal ions with a detection limit of 8.6 × 10-7 M.

Multicomponent Dipolar Cycloaddition Strategy: Combinatorial Synthesis of Novel Spiro-Tethered Pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline Hybrid Heterocycles.

The stereoselective syntheses of a library of novel spiro-tethered pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline-pyrrolidine/pyrrolothiazole/indolizine-oxindole/acenaphthene hybrid heterocycles have been achieved through the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated in situ from α-amino acids and 1,2-diketones to dipolarophiles derived from pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline derivatives.

A Sustainable Approach to the Stereoselective Synthesis of Diazaheptacyclic Cage Systems Based on a Multicomponent Strategy in an Ionic Liquid.

The microwave-assisted three-component reactions of 3,5-bis(E)-arylmethylidene]tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones, acenaphthenequinone and cyclic α-amino acids in an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, occurred through a domino sequence affording structurally intriguing diazaheptacyclic cage-like compounds in excellent yields.

Divergent Reactivity of Amino Acid Alkyl Ester Hydrochlorides with 2-Oxoaldehydes: Role of Selenium Dioxide To Promote Regioselective Synthesis of Imidazoles.

Novel amino acid substituted imidazoles engendered from amino acid alkyl ester hydrochlorides and 2-oxoaldehydes as a result of selenium dioxide promoted unconventional reaction in a basic environment is presented for the first time. Despite the nature of the 2-oxoaldehydes/amino acids used, the imidazoles generated had a functional core structure, and all of the reactions meticulously retained regioselectivity. The imperative feature of these reactions was the uniqueness of selenium dioxide in fixing two nitrogen atoms from amino acids through an in situ generated ArCOCHN1N2 system.

2-Oxo Driven Unconventional reactions: Microwave Assisted Approaches to Tetrahydrofuro[3,2-d]oxazoles and Furanones.

A highly efficient, novel, microwave-assisted, metal-free, diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydrofuro[3,2-d]oxazole is disclosed. The synthesis of napthoxazoles is achieved for the first time without the aid of an external catalyst. On the contrary, our reactions generated naphthofuranones when treated in the presence of metals in microwave/thermal conditions. The unusual behavior of our reactions has further been explored in the generation of furanones from tetrahydrofuro[3,2-d]oxazole through the use of metals.

Ultrasound-assisted sequential multicomponent strategy for the combinatorial synthesis of novel coumarin hybrids.

The present investigation reports an easy access to a library of novel spiro-oxindole-pyrrolizine or pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole fused coumarin hybrid heterocycles through a one-pot sequential four-component reactions of 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione, salicylaldehydes, isatins, and cyclic α-amino acids under ultrasound irradiation.

Synthesis of novel 16-spiro steroids: spiro-7'-(aryl)tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c][1,3]thiazolo-trans-androsterone hybrid heterocycles.

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylide derived in situ from the reaction of acenaphthylene-1,2-dione and 1,3-thiazolane-4-carboxylic acid to various exocyclic dipolarophiles synthesized from trans-androsterone and trans-dehydroandrosterone afforded a library of novel spiro[5'.2″]acenaphthylene-1″-one-spiro[16.6']-(7'-aryl)-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo [1,2-c][1,3]thiazolo-trans-androsterone/dehydroandrosterone hybrid heterocycles respectively. These reactions proceeded stereo-specifically affording a single isomer of the 16-spiro steroids in excellent yields.

A one-pot domino synthesis and discovery of highly functionalized dihydrobenzo[b]thiophenes as AChE inhibitors.

A library of novel 5-amino-2,7-diaryl-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene-4,6-dicarbonitriles have been synthesized regioselectively in good yields through the one-pot domino reactions of 5-aryldihydro-3(2H)-thiophenones, malononitrile and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of morpholine. This transformation presumably involves Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-intramolecular Thorpe-Ziegler cyclization-Tautomerization-Elimination sequence of reactions. These compounds were evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity and 5-amino-2,7-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene-4,6-dicarbonitrile was found to be the most potent against AChE with IC50 4.16 µmol/L.

Discovery of antimycobacterial spiro-piperidin-4-ones: an atom economic, stereoselective synthesis, and biological intervention.

An atom economic and stereoselective synthesis of several spiro-piperidin-4-ones through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated in situ from isatin and alpha-amino acids viz . proline, phenylglycine, and sarcosine to a series of 1-methyl-3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene]tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones is described. These compounds were evaluated for their in vitro and in vivo activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB), multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and Mycobacterium smegmatis (MC(2)). Compound 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenylpyrrolo(spiro[2.3'']oxindole)spiro[3.3']-1'-methyl-5'-(4-fluorophenylmethylidene)piperidin-4'-one (4e) was found to be the most active in vitro with a MIC value of 0.07 microM against MTB and was 5.1 and 67.2 times more potent than isoniazid and ciprofloxacin, respectively. In vivo, compound 4e decreased the bacterial load in lung and spleen tissues with 1.30 and 3.73-log 10 protections respectively and was considered to be promising in reducing bacterial count in lung and spleen tissues.

An atom efficient, solvent-free, green synthesis and antimycobacterial evaluation of 2-amino-6-methyl-4-aryl-8-[(E)-arylmethylidene]-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine-3-carbonitriles.

An atom efficient, green protocol for the synthesis of fifteen 2-amino-6-methyl-4-aryl-8-[(E)-arylmethylidene]-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine-3-carbonitriles in quantitative yields from the reaction of 1-methyl-3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene]-tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones with malononitrile in presence of solid sodium ethoxide under solvent-free condition is described. The compounds were tested for their in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB), multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and Mycobacterium smegmatis using agar dilution method. 2-Amino-4-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-8-(E)-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methylidene-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]-pyridine-3-carbonitrile was found to be the most potent compound (MIC: 0.43microM) against MTB and MDR-TB, being 100 times more active than standard, isoniazid against MDR-TB.