Optimization of Drug Candidates That Inhibit the D-Loop Activity of RAD51.

RAD51 is the central protein in homologous recombination (HR) repair, where it first binds ssDNA and then catalyzes strand invasion via a D-loop intermediate. Additionally, RAD51 plays a role in faithful DNA replication by protecting stalled replication forks; this requires RAD51 to bind DNA but may not require the strand invasion activity of RAD51. We previously described a small-molecule inhibitor of RAD51 named RI(dl)-2 (RAD51 inhibitor of D-loop formation #2, hereafter called 2 h), which inhibits D-loop activity while sparing ssDNA binding. However, 2 h is limited in its ability to inhibit HR in vivo, preventing only about 50 % of total HR events in cells. We sought to improve upon this by performing a structure-activity relationship (SAR) campaign for more potent analogues of 2 h. Most compounds were prepared from 1-(2-aminophenyl)pyrroles by forming the quinoxaline moiety either by condensation with aldehydes, then dehydrogenation of the resulting 4,5-dihydro intermediates, or by condensation with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole, chlorination, and installation of the 4-substituent through Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. Many analogues exhibited enhanced activity against human RAD51, but in several of these compounds the increased inhibition was due to the introduction of dsDNA intercalation activity. We developed a sensitive assay to measure dsDNA intercalation, and identified two analogues of 2 h that promote complete HR inhibition in cells while exerting minimal intercalation activity.

Electronic Structural Analysis of Copper(II)-TEMPO/ABNO Complexes Provides Evidence for Copper(I)-Oxoammonium Character.

Copper/aminoxyl species are proposed as key intermediates in aerobic alcohol oxidation. Several possible electronic structural descriptions of these species are possible, and the present study probes this issue by examining four crystallographically characterized Cu/aminoxyl halide complexes by Cu K-edge, Cu L2,3-edge, and Cl K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The mixing coefficients between Cu, aminoxyl, and halide orbitals are determined via these techniques with support from density functional theory. The emergent electronic structure picture reveals that Cu coordination confers appreciable oxoammonium character to the aminoxyl ligand. The computational methodology is extended to one of the putative intermediates invoked in catalytic Cu/aminoxyl-driven alcohol oxidation reactions, with similar findings. Collectively, the results have important implications for the mechanism of alcohol oxidation and the underlying basis for cooperativity in this co-catalyst system.

Co/NHPI-mediated aerobic oxygenation of benzylic C-H bonds in pharmaceutically relevant molecules.

A simple cobalt(ii)/N-hydroxyphthalimide catalyst system has been identified for selective conversion of benzylic methylene groups in pharmaceutically relevant (hetero)arenes to the corresponding (hetero)aryl ketones. The radical reaction pathway tolerates electronically diverse benzylic C-H bonds, contrasting recent oxygenation reactions that are initiated by deprotonation of a benzylic C-H bond. The reactions proceed under practical reaction conditions (1 M substrate in BuOAc or EtOAc solvent, 12 h, 90-100 °C), and they tolerate common heterocycles, such as pyridines and imidazoles. A cobalt-free, electrochemical, NHPI-catalyzed oxygenation method overcomes challenges encountered with chelating substrates that inhibit the chemical reaction. The utility of the aerobic oxidation method is showcased in the multigram synthesis of a key intermediate towards a drug candidate (AMG 579) under process-relevant reaction conditions.

KetoABNO/NOx Cocatalytic Aerobic Oxidation of Aldehydes to Carboxylic Acids and Access to α-Chiral Carboxylic Acids via Sequential Asymmetric Hydroformylation/Oxidation.

A method for aerobic oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids has been developed using organic nitroxyl and NOx cocatalysts. KetoABNO (9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one N-oxyl) and NaNO2 were identified as the optimal nitroxyl and NOx sources, respectively. The mildness of the reaction conditions enables sequential asymmetric hydroformylation of alkenes/aerobic aldehyde oxidation to access α-chiral carboxylic acids without racemization. The scope, utility, and limitations of the oxidation method are further evaluated with a series of achiral aldehydes bearing diverse functional groups.

Ab initio X-ray structural characterization of an inclusion compound with a compositionally disordered chiral guest: no prior knowledge of the crystal composition.

The crystal structure and absolute configuration of a molecular host/guest/impurity inclusion complex were established unequivocally in spite of our having no prior knowledge of its chemical composition. The host (4R,5R)-4,5-bis(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane, (I), displays expected conformational features. The crystal-disordered chiral guest 4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-one, (II), is present in the crystal 85.1 (4)% of the time. It shares a common site with 4a-hydroperoxymethyl-4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-one, (III), present 14.9 (4)% of the time, which is the product of autoxidation of (II). This minor peroxide impurity was isolated, and the results of nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and X-ray fluorescence studies are consistent with the proposed structure of (III). The complete structure was therefore determined to be (4R,5R)-4,5-bis(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-one-4a-hydroperoxymethyl-4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-one (1/0.85/0.15), C31H30O4·0.85C10H14O·0.15C10H14O3, (IV). There are host-host, host-guest, and host-impurity hydrogen-bonding interactions of types S and D in the solid state. We believe that the crystals of (IV) were originally prepared to establish the chirality of the guest (II) by means of X-ray diffraction analysis of host/guest crystals obtained in the course of chiral resolution during cocrystallization of (II) with (I). In spite of the absence of `heavy' elements, the absolute configurations of all anomeric centres in the structure are assigned as R based on resonant scattering effects.

Electrocatalytic Alcohol Oxidation with TEMPO and Bicyclic Nitroxyl Derivatives: Driving Force Trumps Steric Effects.

Bicyclic nitroxyl derivatives, such as 2-azaadamantane N-oxyl (AZADO) and 9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane N-oxyl (ABNO), have emerged as highly effective alternatives to TEMPO-based catalysts for selective oxidation reactions (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine N-oxyl). Their efficacy is widely attributed to their smaller steric profile; however, electrocatalysis studies described herein show that the catalytic activity of nitroxyls is more strongly affected by the nitroxyl/oxoammonium redox potential than by steric effects. The inexpensive, high-potential TEMPO derivative, 4-acetamido-TEMPO (ACT), exhibits higher electrocatalytic activity than AZADO and ABNO for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols. Mechanistic studies provide insights into the origin of these unexpected reactivity trends. The superior activity of ACT is especially noteworthy at high pH, where bicyclic nitroxyls are inhibited by formation of an oxoammonium hydroxide adduct.

Direct carbocyclizations of benzoic acids: catalyst-controlled synthesis of cyclic ketones and the development of tandem aHH (acyl Heck-Heck) reactions.

The formation of exo-methylene indanones and indenones from simple ortho-allyl benzoic acid derivatives has been developed. Selective formation of the indanone or indenone products in these reactions is controlled by choice of ancillary ligand. This new process has a low environmental footprint as the products are formed in high yields using low catalyst loadings, while the only stoichiometric chemical waste generated from the reactants in the transformation is acetic acid. The conversion of the active cyclization catalyst into the Hermman-Beller palladacycle was exploited in a one-pot tandem acyl Heck-Heck (aHH) reaction, and utilized in the synthesis of donepezil.