H2 O ⋠B(C6 F5 )3 -Catalyzed para-Alkylation of Anilines with Alkenes Applied to Late-Stage Functionalization of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

Anilines are core motifs in a variety of important molecules including medicines, materials and agrochemicals. We report a straightforward procedure that allows access to new chemical space of anilines via their para-C-H alkylation. The method utilizes commercially available catalytic H2 O ⋅ B(C6 F5 )3 and is highly selective for para-C-alkylation (over N-alkylation and ortho-C-alkylation) of anilines, with a wide scope in both the aniline substrates and alkene coupling partners. Readily available alkenes are used, and include new classes of alkene for the first time. The mild reaction conditions have allowed the procedure to be applied to the late-stage-functionalization of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including fenamic acids and diclofenac. The formed novel NSAID derivatives display improved anti-inflammatory properties over the parent NSAID structure.

Cobalt(III)-Macrocyclic Scaffolds with Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Activity.

Cobalt(III) compounds with tetradentate ligands have been widely employed to deliver cytotoxic and imaging agents into cells. A large body of work has focused on using cobalt(III)-cyclam scaffolds for this purpose. Here, we investigate the cytotoxic properties of cobalt(III) complexes containing 14-membered macrocycles related to cyclam. A breast cancer stem cell (CSC) in vitro model was used to gauge efficacy. Specifically, [Co(1,4,7,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)Cl2]+ (1) and [Co(1-oxa-4,8,12-triazacyclotetradecane)Cl2]+ (2) were synthesised and characterised, and their breast CSC activity was determined. The cobalt(III) complexes 1 and 2 displayed micromolar potency towards bulk breast cancer cells and breast CSCs grown in monolayers. Notably, 1 and 2 displayed selective potency towards breast CSCs over bulk breast cancer cells (up to 4.5-fold), which was similar to salinomycin (an established breast CSC-selective agent). The cobalt(III) complexes 1 and 2 were also able to inhibit mammosphere formation at low micromolar doses (with respect to size and number). The mammopshere inhibitory effect of 2 was similar to that of salinomycin. Our studies show that cobalt(III) complexes with 1,4,7,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane and 1-oxa-4,8,12-triazacyclotetradecane macrocycles could be useful starting points for the development of new cobalt-based delivery systems that can transport cytotoxic and imaging agents into breast CSCs.

An immunogenic anti-cancer stem cell bi-nuclear copper(II)-flufenamic acid complex.

An asymmetric bi-nuclear copper(II) complex with both cytotoxic and immunogenic activity towards breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) is reported. The bi-nuclear copper(II) complex comprises of two copper(II) centres bound to flufenamic acid and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline. The bi-nuclear copper(II) complex exhibits sub-micromolar potency towards breast CSCs grown in monolayers and three-dimensional cultures. Remarkably, the bi-nuclear copper(II) complex is up to 25-fold more potent toward breast CSC mammospheres than salinomycin (a gold standard anti-breast CSC agent) and cisplatin (a clinically administered metallodrug). Mechanistic studies showed that the bi-nuclear copper(II) complex readily enters breast CSCs, elevates intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, induces apoptosis, and promotes damage-associated molecular pattern release. The latter triggers phagocytosis of breast CSCs by macrophages. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of a bi-nuclear copper(II) complex to induce engulfment of breast CSCs by immune cells.