Infection increases activity via Toll dependent and independent mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster.

Host behavioural changes are among the most apparent effects of infection. 'Sickness behaviour' can involve a variety of symptoms, including anorexia, depression, and changed activity levels. Here, using a real-time tracking and behavioural profiling platform, we show that in Drosophila melanogaster, several systemic bacterial infections cause significant increases in physical activity, and that the extent of this activity increase is a predictor of survival time in some lethal infections. Using multiple bacteria and D. melanogaster immune and activity mutants, we show that increased activity is driven by at least two different mechanisms. Increased activity after infection with Micrococcus luteus, a Gram-positive bacterium rapidly cleared by the immune response, strictly requires the Toll ligand spätzle. In contrast, increased activity after infection with Francisella novicida, a Gram-negative bacterium that cannot be cleared by the immune response, is entirely independent of both Toll and the parallel IMD pathway. The existence of multiple signalling mechanisms by which bacterial infections drive increases in physical activity implies that this effect may be an important aspect of the host response.

Approach to the homoerythrina alkaloids using a tandem N-alkylation/azomethine ylide cycloaddition.

Synthetic efforts toward the homoerythrina alkaloids 1-3 are described. Two separate model systems guided the pivotal [3 + 2] azomethine ylide cycloaddition cascade to form the A-C rings of these alkaloids. The cycloaddition precursors 63 and 68, prepared in nine and ten steps, respectively, from alkyne 47, each contain an enolizable ketone, a tethered electrophile, and an electron-poor dipolarophile. Heating 63 and 68 with the stannyl amine 17 generated demethoxyschelhammeridine 65 and demethoxyschelhammericine 70, the products of intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloadditions. Subsequent attempts to install the C-3 methoxy group of 1-3 are also described.

Formal synthesis of aspidosperma alkaloids via the intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 2-azapentdienyllithiums.

[reaction: see text] A formal synthesis of the Aspidosperma alkaloids aspidospermidine, aspidospermine, and quebrachamine is reported through an efficient preparation of Stork's penultimate intermediate. The key step of the sequence involved an intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition of the 2-azapentadienyllithium 21 formed in situ from the corresponding imine 1, which after N-alkylation of the resulting cycloadduct provided 2 in excellent yield. The synthesis represents a new disconnection of the classical tricyclic ketone used for appendage of the requisite indole.

Synthesis of N,N-bis(3-butenyl)amines from 2-azaallyl dication synthetic equivalents and conversion to 2,3,6,7-tetrahydroazepines by ring-closing metathesis.

N,N-Bis(3-butenyl)amines can be prepared by the double allylation of either (2-azaallyl)stannanes or (2-azaallyl)nitriles, both of which thereby act as synthetic equivalents to amine alpha,alpha'-dications (2-azaallyl dications). Allylmagnesium bromide is the reagent of choice for the double allylation of both substrates, although allyllithium also effects the double allylation of (2-azaallyl)nitriles. Ring-closing metathesis can be performed on the N-protected amines, or with in situ protonation, on the free amines to provide 2,3,6,7-tetrahydroazepines. (2-Azaallyl)nitriles can also be monoallylated to provide N-(3-butenyl)aminonitriles, whereas the double allylation of (2-azaallyl)stannanes cannot be stopped at monoallylation. (2-Azaallyl)silanes undergo monoallylation to give N-(3-butenyl)aminosilanes but do not undergo double allylation.

The design and synthesis of YC-1 analogues as probes for soluble guanylate cyclase.

Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is highly activated in the presence of both YC-1 (1-benzyl-3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-indazole) and CO. In this report, the design, synthesis, and activity (i.e., sGC activation) of photolabile analogues of 3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1) are presented. Initial results with 6-azido-3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole led to the synthesis of a tritium-labeled analogue. When photoactivated, this analogue labeled the alpha-subunit of sGC.

A practical synthesis of kifunensine analogues as inhibitors of endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase I.

[reaction: see text] A practical synthesis of the potent class I alpha-mannosidase inhibitor kifunensine (1) beginning from the inexpensive and readily available starting material L-ascorbic acid (15) is described. The protected amino-alcohol ((2R,3R,4R,5R)-5-amino-2,3:4,6-diisopropylidenedioxyhexanol, 11) served as a key intermediate from which several N-1 substituted kifunensine analogues (including N-methyl, N-cyclohexyl, and N-bis(hydroxymethyl)methyl) and 2-desoxakifunensine analogues (including N-H and N-methyl) were prepared and screened for inhibition of human endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase I (ER Man I) and mouse Golgi alpha-mannosidase IA (Golgi Man IA). In addition, several pseudodisaccharide kifunensine analogues in which a mannose residue was tethered to N-1 of kifunensine via a two-, three-, or four-carbon linker and an affinity-bound kifunensine analogue were also prepared and evaluated for biological activity. While the synthesized N-1 kifunesine analogues were found to be less potent inhibitors of Class I alpha-mannosidases than kifuensine itself, the bis(hydroxymethyl)methylkifunensine analogue 6 was shown to selectively inhibit ER Man I over Golgi Man IA.

Fluorous affinity purification of oligonucleotides.

[structure: see text] Nucleoside phosphoramidites bearing a fluorous dimethoxytrityl (FDMT) group were used to synthesize fluorous-tagged oligonucleotides, which were subjected to solid-phase extraction using a pH-stable fluorinated adsorbent. On-column detritylation afforded the purified oligonucleotides. The fluorous affinity purification method offers one-pass loading without ammonia removal, high selectivity for the removal of failure sequences, high recoveries (typically 70-100%), and the ability to purify long oligonucleotides (e.g., 50-100-mers).

Total synthesis of the Kopsia lapidilecta alkaloid (+/-)-lapidilectine B.

The total synthesis of Kopsia lapidilecta alkaloid (+/-)-lapidilectine B is described. Notable elements of this synthesis include the first natural products application of the Smalley azido-enolate cyclization to form the 1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-one (indoxyl) core and installation of the pyrrolidine ring by a 2-azaallyllithium [3+2] cycloaddition with the acetylene equivalent phenyl vinyl sulfide. Closure of the eight-membered perhydroazocine ring is accomplished via the intramolecular S(N)2 substitution of a mesylate. This constitutes the first synthesis of a member of the 5,6,12,13-tetrahydro-11a,13a-ethano-3H-pyrrolo[1',2':1,8]azocino[5,4-b]indole class of alkaloids.

Novel Kumada coupling reaction to access cyclic (2-azaallyl)stannanes. Cycloadditions of cyclic nonstabilized 2-azaallyllithium species derived from cyclic (2-azaallyl)stannanes.

A Kumada cross-coupling reaction involving organomagnesium reagents and (3-methylthio-2-azaallyl)stannanes with a Ni(0) catalyst provided cyclic nonstabilized (2-azaallyl)stannanes in moderate to good yields. Primary alkyl, aryl, and allylic organomagnesium reagents can be used as the cross-coupling partner. In general, NiCl(2)dppp in toluene at room temperature provided the shortest reaction times and most consistent yields. The azomethine ylides and 2-azaallyllithium species derived from these stannanes were shown to undergo efficient [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions to provide azabicyclo[n.2.1]alkanes as the endo cycloadducts. These cycloadducts were found to be useful as starting materials for further elaboration into aza-bridged bicyclic natural and unnatural products of biological interest. Although cyclic 2-azaallyllithium species have been generated previously, this work reports the first generation and cycloaddition of entirely nonstabilized 2-azaallyllithium species. In addition a novel extension of the Kumada coupling was developed to allow for the preparation of the cyclic (2-azaallyl)stannanes, which are precursors to the nonstabilized 2-azaallyllithium species.

Total synthesis of (+)-cocaine via desymmetrization of a meso-dialdehyde.

[reaction: see text] The total synthesis of (+)-cocaine is described. An extension of the recently reported proline catalyzed intramolecular enol-exo-aldol reaction to a meso-dialdehyde provided the tropane ring skeleton directly with good enantiomeric excess. The meso-dialdehyde was prepared using a 2-azaallyllithium [3 + 2] cycloaddition to generate a cis-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidine. Overall, the synthesis proceeded in 6.5% yield and 86% ee over 14 linear steps starting from commercially available 3-benzyloxy-1-propanol.

A three-component, one-pot synthesis of indolizidines and related heterocycles via the [3+2] cycloaddition of nonstabilized azomethine ylides.

Nonstabilized azomethine ylides (i.e. those bearing only hydrogens or alkyl groups) can be generated from (2-azaallyl)stannanes and (2-azaallyl)silanes through an intramolecular N-alkylation/demetalation cascade. The resulting ylides undergo [3+2] cycloaddition with electron-poor or electron-rich dipolarophiles yielding indolizidines and related 1-aza[m.3.0]bicycloalkane systems in good yield. An in situ protocol allows for a one-pot, three-component synthesis of indolizidines. The (2-azaallyl)stannanes tolerate enolizable hydrogens in these cycloadditions, while (2-azaallyl)silanes do not. The mechanism of the cycloaddition cascade is clarified by a series of control experiments. The same (2-azaallyl)stannanes may be transmetalated by n-butyllithium to generate 2-azaallyllithiums, which also may undergo a [3+2] cycloaddition/N-alkylation cascade to form indolizidines.

Azomethine ylides from tin-substituted cyclic carbinol amides: a new route to highly substituted pyrrolizidines.

[reaction: see text] Addition of organolithium and organomagnesium reagents to N-(tri-n-butylstannylmethyl)phthalimides yields N-(tri-n-butylstannylmethyl) cyclic carbinol amides, which form azomethine ylides upon treatment with HF.pyridine. This novel route to azomethine ylides allows rapid access to highly functionalized pyrrolizidines (1,2,3,9b-tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoindol-5-ones).

Cycloadditions of 2-azaallyllithium species with conjugated polyenes.

2-Azaallyllithium species [R(1)CH(-)N=C(X)R(2)Li(+), where R(1) and R(2) are alkyl and X = OMe] were generated by tin-lithium exchange of (2-azaallyl)stannanes and underwent [pi4s+pi2s] and [pi6s+pi4s] cycloadditions with cyclic dienes and trienes, respectively, to generate novel bridged azabicyclic compounds in a highly diastereoselective endo fashion. The periselectivity using cycloheptatriene was modest, producing a 1:1 mixture of [pi6s+pi4s] and [pi4s+pi2s] adducts. The reactions of 2-azaallyllithium species with dienes proceeded by a [pi4s+pi2s] pathway. The cycloadducts derived from cyclic 2-azaallyllithium species possess the 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane (tropane) or 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring system and have been elaborated into cocaine-like analogues.

Cycloadditions of nonstabilized 2-azaallyllithiums with cycloheptatriene.

[reaction: see text] Transmetalation of tin-bearing cyclic imidates gave 2-azaallyllithiums that underwent [pi6s + pi4s] cycloadditions with cycloheptatriene to produce tricyclic adducts, which may be useful as analogs of cocaine. The peri- and stereoselectivity of this process are discussed.

Application of the 2-Azaallyl Anion Cycloaddition Method to an Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Coccinine.

A highly functionalized perhydroindole is formed by the intramolecular [π4s+π2s] cycloaddition of a 2-azaallyl anion with a vinyl sulfide [Eq. (a)]. This is the key step in the total synthesis of (+)-coccinine, the enantiomer of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloid (-)-coccinine.