Sulfonyliminoimidazolidines. A new class of oral hypoglycemic agents. 2. Mode of action and X-ray structure of 1-[[p-[2-(crotonylamino)ethyl]phenyl]sulfonyl]-3-cyclohexyl-2-iminoimidazolidine.

Hypoglycemic sulfonyliminoimidazolidines were shown to stimulate insulin release in vitro (rabbit pancreas) and in vivo (normal rats) comparable to tolbutamide and to inhibit glucose oxidation in isolated rat fat cells in vitro similar to phenformin. These results support the hypothesis that the hypoglycemic effect of the compounds in normal and in diabetic animals may be due to a combination of mechanisms operative in sulfonylureas and biguanides. Determination of the three-dimensional structure of the potent analogue 1 by X-ray crystallography enabled us to identify specific regions of the molecule presumed to be involved in the molecular mode of action of sulfonyl-iminoimidazolidines.

Aromatase inhibitors: synthesis, biological activity, and binding mode of azole-type compounds.

The enantiomers of the potent nonsteroidal inhibitor of aromatase fadrozole hydrochloride 3 have been separated and their absolute configuration determined by X-ray crystallography. On the basis of a molecular modeling comparison of the active enantiomer 4 and one of the most potent steroidal inhibitors reported to date, (19R)-10-thiiranylestr-4-ene-3,17-dione, 7, a model describing the relative binding modes of the azole-type and steroidal inhibitors of aromatase at the active site of the enzyme is proposed. It is suggested that the cyanophenyl moiety present in the most active azole inhibitors partially mimics the steroid backbone of the natural substrate for aromatase, androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, 1. The synthesis and biological testing of novel analogues of 3 used to define the accessible and nonaccessible volumes to ligands in the model of the active site of aromatase are reported.

5-Methyl-6-phenyl-1,3,5,6-tetrahydro-3,6-methano-1,5-benzodiazocine-2,4-dione (BA 41899): representative of a novel class of purely calcium-sensitizing agents.

BA 41899 (5-methyl-6-phenyl-1,3,5,6-tetrahydro-3,6-methano-1,5- benzodiazocine-2,4-dione, 6) is a structurally novel 1,5-benzodiazocine derivative and represents the prototype of a hitherto unknown class of positive inotropic Ca(2+)-sensitizing agents. It is completely devoid of phosphodiesterase (PDE) III inhibitory activity or any other known inotropic mechanism. BA 41899 (6) exhibits a pharmacological in vitro profile comprising Ca(2+)-sensitizing, positive inotropic, and negative chronotropic effects. CGP 48506 ((+)-6), the (+)-enantiomer of BA 41899 (6), enantiospecifically carries Ca2+ sensitization by up to a full pCa unit and a corresponding positive inotropic effect. Conversely, the negative chronotropic action resides in the corresponding (-)-enantiomer, CGP 48508 ((-)-6). All the effects are exerted in the low micromolar range. The positive inotropic action of CGP 48506 ((+)-6) is associated with a decelerating effect on contraction and, more prominently, relaxation dynamics in isolated guinea pig atria. In contrast to Ca(2+)-sensitizing PDE inhibitors, CGP 48506 ((+)-6) does not increase maximum Ca(2+)-activated force in myocardial skinned fibers.

Dianilinophthalimides: potent and selective, ATP-competitive inhibitors of the EGF-receptor protein tyrosine kinase.

Dianilinophthalimides represent a novel class of inhibitors of the EGF-receptor protein tyrosine kinase with a high degree of selectivity versus other tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases. Steady-state kinetic analysis of compound 3, which showed potent inhibitory activity, revealed competitive type kinetics relative to ATP. Despite a highly symmetrical structure of compound 3, X-ray studies revealed an unsymmetrical propeller-shaped conformation of the molecule which differs clearly from that of the constitutionally related staurosporine aglycons. These conformational differences may explain the reversal of the selectivity profile of compound 3 relative to the staurosporine aglycons. In cellular assays compounds 3 and 4 have been shown to inhibit EGF-induced receptor autophosphorylation, c-fos induction and EGF-dependent proliferation of Balb/c MK cells. This inhibition was selective as compounds had no effect on PDGF-induced receptor autophosphorylation and c-fos induction. Furthermore, compound 3 showed potent antitumor activity in vivo at well-tolerated doses.

Chiral resolution, pharmacological characterization, and receptor docking of the noncompetitive mGlu1 receptor antagonist (+/-)-2-hydroxyimino- 1a, 2-dihydro-1H-7-oxacyclopropa[b]naphthalene-7a-carboxylic acid ethyl ester.

Racemic CPCCOEt ((1aRS,7aRS)-2-hydroxyimino-1a, 2-dihydro-1H-7-oxacyclopropa[b]naphthalene-7a-carboxylic acid ethyl ester, (+/-)-1) derivatives have been shown to be subtype-selective metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) 1 receptor antagonists (Annoura et al. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 1996, 6, 763-766). The optical isomers of (+/-)-1 have been separated by chromatography on a chiral stationary phase. The absolute configuration at the C-1a and C-7a positions was determined using X-ray crystallography of an amide derivative with the methyl ester of L-phenylalanine (L-PheOMe) ((+)-6). In a phosphoinositol (PI) turnover assay at the cloned human mGlu1b receptor, (-)-1 and the new amide derivatives (-)-5 and (-)-6, all of which have (1aS,7aS)-stereochemistry on the chromane ring system, showed IC(50) values of 1.5, 0.43, and 0.93 microM, respectively. In contrast, (+)-1 and the new amide derivatives (+)-5 and (+)-6were found to be inactive up to a concentration of 30 microM indicating a selectivity for the (-)-enantiomers of at least 70-fold. In a previous study (Litschig et al. Mol. Pharmacol. 1999, 55, 453-461) we demonstrated using site-directed mutagenesis that the interaction site of (+/-)-1 is located in the transmembrane (TM) domain of hmGlu1b. To suggest a plausible binding mode of (-)-1, we have built a molecular mechanics model of the putative seven TM domain of hmGlu1 based on the alpha-carbon template of the TM helices of rhodopsin. A receptor docking hypothesis suggests that the OH of T815 (TMVII) comes in close contact with the oxime OH of (-)-1 and (-)-5, whereas no such close interactions could be demonstrated by docking of (+)-1.

Aromatic quinolinecarboxamides as selective, orally active antibody production inhibitors for prevention of acute xenograft rejection.

The prevention of xenograft rejection is substantially dependent on inhibiting antibodies (Ab) produced by B-cells independently of T-cell signals (TI-1). Due to their ubiquitous biochemical mechanisms of action, the immunosuppressants currently employed not only fail to discriminate between B- and T-cells but also have a narrow therapeutic window and, thus, their prolonged use in complex immunosuppressive regimens is problematic. By capitalizing on the target enzyme-bound (DHODH) structure 1b of one of these compounds, leflunomide, and modulating part of its multiple mechanisms of action to gain selectivity, the quinoline-8-carboxamide 3 was designed as a potentially weak enzyme inhibitor but effective immunosuppressant. Compound 3 fulfilled the mechanistic criteria set and had 10-fold B-cell over T-cell selectivity. Its pyridyl analogue 4 was found to be a highly potent and selective B-cell immunosuppressant with a 75-fold selectivity for B- over T-cells (as judged by the MLR data) and no general cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 160-fold higher than those required to inhibit B-cells. In the mouse, 4 effectively blocked TI-1 Ab production and suppressed Ab-mediated xenograft rejection in a xenotransplantation model under a once-daily dosing regimen, with efficacy down to 0.3 mg/kg/day po. These are the first data demonstrating the feasibility of the development of drugs specific for impeding Ab production.

Synthesis and biological activity of 2-lactonyl penems.

A series of potent antibacterial agents have been prepared. These agents are penems carrying a lactone ring in the C-2 position. Excellent activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms--except Pseudomonas aeruginosa--was found.

Sulfogriseofulvin derivatives. synthesis by [4 + 2]cycloaddition, structure, properties, crystal structure analysis, and antifungal activity of spiro[1,3-benzoxathiole-2,1'-cyclohex-2'-en]-4'-one 3,3-dioxides.

Syntheses of substituted, especially of fluoro substituted benzoxathiole 1,1-dioxides, are described. These derivatives were transformed via the Peterson olefination into substituted 2-alkylidene derivatives 27. Diels-Alder reactions of 27 with 1,1-dimethoxy- and 1-methoxy-3-trimethylsiloxy-1,3-butadiene (30, 32) gave sulfone analogues 31 of griseofulvin (named sulfogriseofulvins). From Z-27, a number of cis-isomers with the relative stereochemistry of griseofulvin (cis-31) was prepared, and from E-isomers of 27, compounds (trans-31) with relative stereochemistry of epigriseofulvin were obtained. Some related compounds (33, 38) are synthesized by slight modifications. The stereochemistry is established by spectroscopic methods and crystal structure analyses. The compounds 31 were tested against three species of dermatophytes. The biological activities were all significantly lower than that of griseofulvin.

Synthesis, structural characterization, and conformational bias in solution of a sterically congested pyrophosphite: experimental and computational evidence for restricted rotation about an sp3-sp3 P-O single bond.

The synthesis and structural characterization of the sterically congested pyrophosphite 6-[(2,4,8,10-tetrakis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]dioxaphosphepin-6-yl)oxy]-2,4,8,10-tetrakis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]dioxaphosphepin, 3, is described. In solution at room temperature, a single species was observed that was consistent with a pyrophosphite structure without any evidence for the tautomeric diphosphine monoxide. Below the coalescence temperature (T(C)), 0 degrees C, three atropisomers were observed with relative absolute configurations of (R,R,R), (R,S,R), and (R,R,S). Ring inversion of the seven-membered rings below the T(C) is slow on the NMR time scale, which leads to observable diastereoisomerism because of the presence of two independent stereoaxes (sp2-sp2 C-C single bond connecting the two aryl rings). Additionally, a rotation about an exocyclic P-O single bond connecting the two seven-membered rings, which constitutes a third stereoaxis, is slowed on the NMR time scale. In the X-ray crystal structure of 3, the solid-state conformation was found to be the same as the major conformation in solution below the T(C), namely, the (R,R,S) atropisomer. The results of a conformational search, performed with a specifically parametrized AMBER force field, were in agreement with the 31P NMR assignment of the major (R,R,S) atropisomer, which was found to be an energy minimum. Additionally, we could independently assign the relative configuration of the minor isomers based on the calculated results.