Regioselective One-Pot Synthesis, Biological Activity and Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Conjugates N-(p-Aryltriazolyl)-1,5-benzodiazepin-2-ones as Potent Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents.

Novel 1,2,3-triazolo-linked-1,5-benzodiazepinones were designed and synthesized via a Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar alkyne-azide coupling reaction (CuAAC). The chemical structures of these compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HMBC, HRMS, and elemental analysis. The compounds were screened for their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Several compounds exhibited good to moderate activities compared to those of established standard drugs. Furthermore, the binding interactions of these active analogs were confirmed through molecular docking.

Stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure N-substituted pyrrolidin-2,5-dione derivatives by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and assessment of their in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition between a chiral nitrone and N-substituted maleimides afforded unprecedented enantiopure spiro-fused heterocycles in good yields with a high enantio- and diastereoselectivity. The reaction was taking place on the less hindered face of the nitrone. The obtaining heterocycles were screened for their in vitro antioxidant properties and the results revealed that the potent antioxidant activity was generally recorded to compounds (3g) and (3e). The in vitro antibacterial activities of these two compounds were also investigated and the results demonstrated the strongest potential of compound (3g) against all the tested bacteria. Molecular properties were analyzed and showed good oral drug candidate like properties and that could be exploited as a potential antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. Finally, the preliminary results obtained from this investigation attempted to clarify if the structurally different side chains of active compounds interfere with their biological properties.

Correction: Metal-free oxidative ring contraction of benzodiazepinones: an entry to quinoxalinones.

Correction for 'Metal-free oxidative ring contraction of benzodiazepinones: an entry to quinoxalinones' by Hasan Mtiraoui, et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, 15, 3060-3068.

Metal-free oxidative ring contraction of benzodiazepinones: an entry to quinoxalinones.

A novel and practical synthesis of 3-benzoylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones from benzodiazepin-2-ones in two steps from commercially available starting materials is reported. The reaction was achieved in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide in DMSO which served both as a solvent and an oxidant. Significantly, the yet unknown ketone to alcohol fluorescence turn-on of benzoylquinoxalinones was unveiled through the preparation of a fluorescently labelled cholesterol conjugate.

1,5-Benzodiazepin-2-ones: Investigation of a Family of Photoluminescent Materials.

Photoluminescent materials, that are now ubiquitous in our everyday life, have particularly attracted the attention of the scientific community these past few years due to potential important applications such as in bioimaging, sensing, or optoelectronics. In this context, relatively few different families of molecules have been reported to exhibit fluorescence in the aggregated or solid-state through the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) photochemical process. The preparation and subsequent determination of photochemical properties of an underexplored family of 1,5-benzodiazepin-2-one derivatives are reported. From these data and X-ray diffraction analysis study, it emerged that photoluminescence (in the range 520-655 nm) was mostly attributed to ESIPT. The photoluminescent potential of 1,5-benzodiazepin-2-ones, their facile access, and functionalization were demonstrated through the preparation of two fluorogenic probes for the selective detection of biothiols.

Colorectal anticancer activity of a novel class of triazolic triarylmethane derivatives.

Triarylmethanes and triazoles constitute privileged structures extensively used in drug discovery programs. In this work, 12 novel triarylmethanes linked to a triazole ring were designed, synthesized, and chemically characterized aiming to target colorectal cancer. The synthetic strategy for triarylmethanes mono- and bi-substituted by a functionalized triazole ring involved a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. A preliminary screening in human colorectal cancer cells (HT-29 and HCT116) and murine primary fibroblasts (L929) allowed the selection of the best candidate 9b based on its high inhibition of cancer cell proliferation with an IC50 of 11 µM on HT-29 and 14 µM on HCT116 and its non-cytotoxic effects on murine fibroblasts (<100 µM). A deep mechanistic study on various pathways showed that compound 9b induces caspase-3 cleavage, and its inhibitory effect on PARP activity is correlated with the increase of DNA fragmentation in cancer cells. Moreover, 9b induced apoptosis promoted by the inhibition of anti-apoptotic cell survival signaling pathways demonstrated via the downregulation of phosphorylated Akt and ERK proteins. Finally, the predicted binding modes of compounds 8c and 9b to five potential biological targets (i.e., AKT, ERK-1 and ERK-2, PARP and caspase-3) was evaluated using molecular modeling, and the predictions of the SuperPred webserver identified ERK2 as the most remarkable target. Also predicted in silico, 9b displayed appropriate drug-likeness and good absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) profiles.

Novel Set of Diarylmethanes to Target Colorectal Cancer: Synthesis, In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

Distinctive structural, chemical, and physical properties make the diarylmethane scaffold an essential constituent of many active biomolecules nowadays used in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material sciences. In this work, 33 novel diarylmethane molecules aiming to target colorectal cancer were designed. Two series of functionalized olefinic and aryloxy diarylmethanes were synthesized and chemically characterized. The synthetic strategy of olefinic diarylmethanes involved a McMurry cross-coupling reaction as key step and the synthesis of aryloxy diarylmethanes included an O-arylation step. A preliminarily screening in human colorectal cancer cells (HT-29 and HCT116) and murine primary fibroblasts (L929) allowed the selection, for more detailed analyses, of the three best candidates (10a, 10b and 12a) based on their high inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and non-toxic effects on murine fibroblasts (<100 µM). The anticancer potential of these diarylmethane compounds was then assessed using apoptotic (phospho-p38) and anti-apoptotic (phospho-ERK, phospho-Akt) cell survival signaling pathways, by analyzing the DNA fragmentation capacity, and through the caspase-3 and PARP cleavage pro-apoptotic markers. Compound 12a (2-(1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) vinyl) pyridine, Z isomer) was found to be the most active molecule. The binding mode to five biological targets (i.e., AKT, ERK-1 and ERK-2, PARP, and caspase-3) was explored using molecular modeling, and AKT was identified as the most interesting target. Finally, compounds 10a, 10b and 12a were predicted to have appropriate drug-likeness and good Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) profiles.

Crystal structure of 5-chloro-methyl-N-methyl-4-[(4-phenyl-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)meth-yl]isoxazolidine-3-carboxamide.

The title compound, C15H18ClN5O2, crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. In both mol-ecules, the isoxazolidine rings have an envelope conformation with the O atoms at the flap positions. Each mol-ecule has three stereogenic centres with configurations 2(S), 3(S) and 4(R), confirmed by resonant scattering. Their conformations are significantly different, for example in mol-ecule A the phenyl ring is inclined to the triazole ring by 32.5 (2)°, while in mol-ecule B the corresponding dihedral angle is 10.7 (2)°. In the crystal, the A and B mol-ecules are linked via an N-H⋯O and a C-H⋯O hydrogen bond. These units are linked by C-H⋯O and C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming slabs parallel to the ab plane. There are C-H⋯π inter-actions present within the slabs.

Crystal structure of (1S,2S,2'R,3a'S,5R)-2'-[(5-bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)meth-yl]-2-isopropyl-5,5'-dimethyl-dihydro-2'H-spiro-[cyclo-hexane-1,6'-imidazo[1,5-b]isoxazol]-4'(5'H)-one.

In the title compound, C24H32BrN3O2, the six-membered cyclo-hexane ring adopts a chair conformation and the isoxasolidine ring adopts a twisted conformation. The mol-ecule has five chiral centres and the absolute configuration has been determined in this analysis. The mol-ecular structure is stabilized by weak intra-molecular C-H⋯O and C-H⋯N contacts. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯N and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming undulating sheets parallel to the bc plane.

Crystal structure of 2-isopropyl-5,7'-dimethyl-1',3',3a',6',8a',8b'-hexa-hydro-spiro-[cyclo-hexane-1,6'-furo[3,4-d]imidazo[1,5-b]isoxazol]-8'(7'H)-one.

In the title compound, C17H28N2O3, the isoxazolidine ring adopts an envelope conformation with the O atom deviating from the mean plane of the other four ring atoms by 0.617 (1) Å. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked via weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains which extend along the b-axis direction.