Synthesis of dansyl-labeled probe of thiophene analogue of annonaceous acetogenins for visualization of cell distribution and growth inhibitory activity toward human cancer cell lines.

The convergent synthesis of the dansyl-labeled probe of the thiophene-3-carboxamide analogue of annonaceous acetogenins, which shows potent antitumor activity, was accomplished by two asymmetric alkynylations of the 2,5-diformyl THF equivalent with an alkyne having a thiophene moiety and another alkyne tagged with a dansyl group. The growth inhibitory profiles toward 39 human cancer cell lines revealed that the probe retained the biological function of its mother compound, and would be useful for studying cellular activity.

Critical role of a methyl group on the γ-lactone ring of annonaceous acetogenins in the potent inhibition of mitochondrial complex I.

C34-epi and C34-epi-C35-trifluoro analogues of solamin, a mono-THF annonaceous acetogenin, were synthesized. Their inhibitory activity, along with previously synthesized analogues (C35-fluoro, C35-difluoro, and C35-trifluorosolamins), against bovine mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) was determined. The present study revealed that the methyl group on the γ-lactone moiety is critical to the potent inhibition of complex I by natural acetogenins.

Dichlorination of olefins with NCS/Ph(3)P.

A 2 : 1 mixture of NCS and Ph(3)P successfully promoted the anti-dichlorination of olefins to provide corresponding dichlorides, serving as a molecular chlorine surrogate generated in situ.

Double C-H functionalization in sequential order: direct synthesis of polycyclic compounds by a palladium-catalyzed C-H alkenylation-arylation cascade.

Palladium-catalyzed cascade C-H alkenylation and arylation provides convenient access to polycyclic aromatic compounds. Treatment of 3-bromoaniline derivatives bearing a bromocinnamyl group on the nitrogen atom with a catalytic amount of [Pd(OAc)(2)] and PCy(3)·HBF(4) in the presence of Cs(2)CO(3) in dioxane affords naphthalene-fused indole derivatives in good yields. This double cyclization reaction is also applicable to heterocyclic substrates, giving fused indoles containing a heteroaromatic ring such as dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene, carbazole, indole, or benzofuran through heterocyclic C-H arylation. When using a 2,6-unsubstituted aniline derivative, the first C-H arylation preferentially proceeds at the more hindered position of the aniline ring.

Stereoselective α-quaternization of 3-methoxycycloalk-2-enones via 1,4-diastereoinduction of alkoxy dienolates.

The alkylation of dienolates generated from 3-methoxycycloalk-2-enones having a 3'-hydroxyl alkenyl chain provides the corresponding quaternized cycloalkenones in a highly diastereoselective manner. The high degree of stereocontrol in the α-quaternization possibly implies intervention of a rigid chelating transition state that allows an efficient 1,4-asymmetric induction to take place.

Intramolecular iron(II)-catalyzed aminobromination of allyl N-tosyloxycarbamates.

Allyl N-tosyloxycarbamates are found to be catalytically transformed into ß-brominated oxazolidinones with FeBr(2)/n-Bu(4)NBr in t-BuOH.

Stereoconvergent route to chiral cyclohexenone building blocks: formal synthesis of (-)-dysidiolide.

A stereoconvergent access to chiral carbocyclic building blocks is reported. 6-(3'-Hydroxy-4'-methylpent-4'-enyl)-3-methoxy cyclohex-2-enone () that consists of four stereoisomers, i.e., racemic ca. 1 : 1 diastereomers, is converted to enantiomerically pure carbocycles through a combination of regioselective catalytic asymmetric reduction and alkylative remote stereoinduction. The present stereoconvergent strategy has allowed the formal synthesis of bioactive (-)-dysidiolide.

Design and synthesis of C35-fluorinated solamins and their growth inhibitory activities against human cancer cell lines.

The convergent synthesis of C35-fluorinated analogues of solamin, a mono-THF Annonaceous acetogenin, has been achieved by the Sonogashira coupling of the THF ring fragment and the fluorinated γ-lactone fragment. It was revealed that the number of fluorine atoms on the γ-lactone moiety affects the growth inhibitory activities against human cancer cell lines.

Asymmetric alkynylation of aldehydes with propiolates without high reagent loading and any additives.

The asymmetric alkynylation of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes with propiolates was mediated by dialkylzinc and a novel prolinol catalyst without high reagent loading and any additives, such as Ti(Oi-Pr)(4), to give the corresponding γ-hydroxy-α,ß-acetylenic esters with high enantiomeric excess of up to 95%.

Synthesis of fused and linked bicyclic nitrogen heterocycles by palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization of propargyl bromides.

The palladium(0)-catalyzed direct construction of bicyclic heterocycles is described. Treatment of propargyl bromides that have nucleophilic functional groups connected by two or three carbon atoms with catalytic [Pd(PPh(3))(4)] affords bis-cyclization products in good yields. The desired bicyclic heterocycles can be obtained selectively when using substrates with appropriate nucleophilic groups. We also describe the reaction of a 2-alkynylazetidine derivative with a catalytic amount of [Pd(PPh(3))(4)] under base-free conditions, which affords the same fused heterocycles as the corresponding propargyl bromides.

Construction of linked nitrogen heterocycles by palladium(0)-catalyzed intramolecular domino cyclization of 2-alkynylaziridines bearing a 2-aminoethyl group via ring expansion with isocyanate.

A novel palladium(0)-catalyzed domino cyclization of 2-alkynylaziridines with isocyanates through ring expansion is described. Treatment of N-protected 2-(4-aminobut-1-ynyl)aziridine derivatives with a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh(3))(4) and aryl isocyanates in THF at room temperature affords 4-(4,5-dihydropyrrol-2-yl)imidazolidin-2-one derivatives in good yields. Interestingly, bis-adducts were selectively obtained by use of excess isocyanate (5 equiv) at lower reaction temperature.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-hexachlorosulfolipid, a cytotoxin isolated from Adriatic mussels.

The enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-hexachlorosulfolipid, a cytotoxin found in the Adriatic mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, is described. The unique chlorinated hydrocarbon motif of the lipid is successfully furnished by a series of dichlorination reactions of chiral epoxides with chlorophosphonium reagent generated in situ from Ph(3)P/NCS. The present total synthesis has allowed the confirmation of the absolute configuration of the natural cytotoxic (+)-hexachlorosulfolipid originally proposed by Fattorusso, Ciminiello, and co-workers.

Convergent synthesis of fluorescence-labeled probes of Annonaceous acetogenins and visualization of their cell distribution.

The convergent synthesis of fluorescence-labeled solamin, an antitumor Annonaceous acetogenin, was accomplished by two asymmetric alkynylations of 2,5-diformyl tetrahydrofuran with an alkyne tagged with fluorescent groups and another alkyne with an α,ß-unsaturated γ-lactone. Assay for the growth inhibitory activity against human cancer cell lines revealed that the probe with the fluorescent groups at the end of the hydrocarbon chain may have the same mode of action as natural acetogenins. The merged fluorescence of dansyl-labeled solamin and MitoTracker Red suggests that Annonaceous acetogenins localize in the mitochondria.

Enantiocontrolled synthesis of polychlorinated hydrocarbon motifs: a nucleophilic multiple chlorination process revisited.

Polychlorinated hydrocarbon motifs have been synthesized in enantiomerically pure forms by means of nucleophilic multiple chlorinations of chiral epoxides, which stereospecifically incorporate halogen atoms into oxygenated molecular scaffolds. The present study demonstrates the scope of the N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS)/organophosphine reagent system that forms multiple sp(3)C-Cl bonds in a regularly repeating pattern with proper stereochemical configurations and evaluates its applicability to various epoxides having elaborate structures. It is noteworthy that tetrachlorinated motifs are produced in one step from bisepoxides by using NCS/Ph(3)P. Furthermore, Ph(2)PCl used in combination with NCS has been found to serve as a potentially useful alternative to NCS/Ph(3)P, especially for promoting dichlorination reactions of alkenyl-substituted epoxides.

Medicinal chemistry of Annonaceous acetogenins: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel analogues.

Most Annonaceous acetogenins are characterized by between one and three THF ring(s) with one or two flanking hydroxyl group(s) in the center of a C32/34 fatty acid, and the terminal carboxylic acid is combined with a 2-propanol unit to form an alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactone. While many studies have addressed the properties and synthesis of natural acetogenins due to their attractive biological activities and unique structural features, a number of analogues have also been described. This review covers the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of acetogenin analogues.

Polyamines stabilize left-handed Z-DNA: using X-ray crystallographic analysis, we have found a new type of polyamine (PA) that stabilizes left-handed Z-DNA.

There are many great reports of polyamine stabilization of the Z-DNA by bridge conformation between neighboring, symmetry-related Z-DNA in the packing of crystals. However, polyamine binding to the minor groove of Z-DNA and stabilizing the Z-DNA structure has been rarely reported. We proved that the synthesized polyamines bind to the minor groove of Z-DNA and stabilize the conformation under various conditions, by X-ray crystallographic study. These polyamines consist of a polyamine nano wire structure. The modes of the polyamine interaction were changed under different conditions. It is the first example that the crystals consisted of metal free structure. This finding provides a basis for clarifying B-Z transition mechanics.

Direct construction of bicyclic heterocycles by palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization of propargyl bromides.

The palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization of propargyl bromides having two nucleophilic functional groups is described. Treatment of 1,7-diamino-5-bromohept-3-yne derivatives with catalytic Pd(PPh3)4 in the presence of NaH in MeOH gives the 2,7-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-enes in good yields. Interestingly, the regioselectivity of the reaction is completely controlled by the relative reactivity of the amine functional groups, irrespective of the position of the nucleophiles. The malonate derivative also undergoes domino cyclization to produce a hexahydroindole derivative.

Palladium-catalysed biscyclisation of allenic bromoalkenes through a zipper-mode cascade.

Treatment of allenic bromoalkenes bearing a nucleophilic moiety with a catalytic amount of palladium(0) in the presence of TBAF or Cs(2)CO(3) in MeCN affords bicyclic heterocycles in good to high yields, through zipper-mode cascade cyclisation.

Samarium(II)-mediated spirocyclization by intramolecular aryl radical addition onto an aromatic ring.

Samarium(II)-mediated spirocyclization by intramolecular addition of aryl radicals onto an aromatic ring was achieved by the reaction of N-(2-iodophenyl)-N-alkylbenzamides with SmI2 in the presence of HMPA, yielding spirocyclic indolin-2-one derivatives. The ether congeners afford spirocyclic benzofuran derivatives in moderate yields by aryl radical addition onto a benzene ring without having an electron-withdrawing group. The reaction with other aryl groups such as naphthalene and indole rings is also described.

Synthesis of hybrid acetogenins, alpha,beta-unsaturated-gamma-lactone-free nitrogen-containing heterocyclic analogues, and their cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines.

A series of alpha,beta-unsaturated-gamma-lactone-free nitrogen-containing heterocyclic analogues of solamin, a natural mono-THF acetogenin, have been synthesized and their cytotoxicity was investigated against 39 tumor cell lines. One of them, 1-methylpyrazol-5-yl derivative, showed selective increase of cytotoxicity against NCI-H23 with 80 times higher potency than solamin.