Design and synthesis of a series of bioavailable fatty acid synthase (FASN) KR domain inhibitors for cancer therapy.

We designed and synthesized a new series of fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors with potential utility for the treatment of cancer. Extensive SAR studies led to highly active FASN inhibitors with good cellular activity and oral bioavailability, exemplified by compound 34. Compound 34 is a potent inhibitor of human FASN (IC50 = 28 nM) that effectively inhibits proliferation of A2780 ovarian cells (IC50 = 13 nM) in lipid-reduced serum (LRS). This cellular activity can be rescued by addition of palmitate, consistent with an on-target effect. Compound 34 is also active in many other cell types, including PC3M (IC50 = 25 nM) and LnCaP-Vancouver prostate cells (IC50 = 66 nM), and is highly bioavailable (F 61%) with good exposure after oral administration. In a pharmacodynamics study in H460 lung xenograft-bearing mice, oral treatment with compound 34 results in elevated tumor levels of malonyl-CoA and decreased tumor levels of palmitate, fully consistent with the desired target engagement.

Spirocyclic Thiohydantoin Antagonists of F877L and Wild-Type Androgen Receptor for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional reactivation plays a key role in the development and progression of lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Recurrent alterations in the AR enable persistent AR pathway signaling and drive resistance to the treatment of second-generation antiandrogens. AR F877L, a point mutation in the ligand binding domain of the AR, was identified in patients who acquired resistance to enzalutamide or apalutamide. In parallel to our previous structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of compound 4 (JNJ-pan-AR) and clinical stage compound 5 (JNJ-63576253), we discovered additional AR antagonists that provide opportunities for future development. Here we report a highly potent series of spirocyclic thiohydantoins as AR antagonists for the treatment of the F877L mutant and wild-type CRPC.

Highly active thermomorphic fluorous palladacycle catalyst precursors for the Heck reaction; evidence for a palladium nanoparticle pathway.

[reaction: see text] The fluorous Schiff base p-Rf8(CH2)3C6H4C(=N(CH2)3Rf8)(CH2)2Rf8 (Rf8 = n-C8F17) is prepared in six steps from p-iodobenzaldehyde and then cyclopalladated (Pd(OAc)2) to give highly effective catalyst precursors for Heck reactions, conducted under homogeneous conditions (DMF, 80-140 degrees C, turnover numbers >10(6)) in the absence of fluorous solvents. Rate, recycling, and other data suggest that the palladacycles serve as sources of palladium nanoparticles, which are the dominant active catalysts.

Up to seven-component adducts by unprecedented multiple alkyne and carbonyl insertions in the metal-carbon bond of chromium alkoxy alkynyl carbene complexes.

Chromium alkoxy alkynyl Fischer carbene complexes react with symmetrical internal alkynes to form new and different organometallic species, which result from consecutive insertions of several alkyne units and carbonyl groups into the metal-carbon bond. The insertion sequence can be controlled and, by slight modification of the reaction conditions, it can be directed to the preparation of either seven- or five-component adducts. Three molecules of alkyne, two carbonyl groups, the carbene ligand and the chromium metal moiety partake in the creation of seven new carbon-carbon bonds and two five-membered carbocycles in the first case while four new carbon-carbon bonds, a sigma Cr--C(sp(2)) bond and a cyclopentadienyl moiety are built in the second case. Evidence that five-component chromium complexes are intermediates in the formation of seven-component adducts is provided; they are also able to insert a unit of a different internal alkyne which confers more diversity to the seven-component adducts. The presence of the sigma Cr--C(sp(2)) bond has also been exploited to develop the synthesis of both cyclopentene-fused and novel spiro-cyclopentenones as well as symmetrical biscyclopentenones. Finally, the isolation of six-component adducts, when tolane was employed as the initial alkyne, provides further support to the proposed mechanism.

Convenient syntheses of fluorous aryl iodides and hypervalent iodine compounds: ArI(L)n reagents that are recoverable by simple liquid/liquid biphase workups, and applications in oxidations of hydroquinones.

Iodinations of the ortho, meta, and para fluorous arenes (R(f8)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2))(2)C(6)H(4) (R(f8)=(CF(2))(7)CF(3)) with I(2)/H(5)IO(6) in AcOH/H(2)SO(4)/H(2)O give 3,4-(R(f8)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2))(2)C(6)H(3)I (5) and the analogous 2,4- (6) and 2,5- (7) isomers, respectively. Spectroscopic yields are >90 %, but 5 and 7 must be separated by chromatography from by-products (yields isolated: 70 %, 97 %, 61 %). Reaction of 1,3,5-(R(f8)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2))(3)C(6)H(3) with PhI(OAc)(2)/I(2) gives 2,4,6-(R(f8)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2))(3)C(6)H(2)I (8) on multigram scales in 97 % yield. The CF(3)C(6)F(11)/toluene partition coefficients of 5-8 (24 degrees C: 69.5:30.5 (5), 74.7:25.3 (6), 73.9:26.1 (7), 98.0:2.0 (8)) are lower than those of the precursors, but CF(3)C(6)F(11)/MeOH gives higher values (97.0:3.0 (5), 98.6:1.4 (6), 98.0:2.0 (7), >99.3:<0.3 (8)). Reactions of 5-8 with excess NaBO(3) in AcOH yield the corresponding ArI(OAc)(2) species 9-12 (9, 85 % as a 90:10 9/5 mixture; 10, 97 %; 11, 95 %; 12, 93 % as a 95:5 12/8 mixture). These rapidly oxidize 1,4-hydroquinones in MeOH. Subsequent additions of CF(3)C(6)F(11) give liquid biphase systems. Solvent removal from the CF(3)C(6)F(11) phases gives 5-8 in >99-98 % yields, and solvent removal from the MeOH phases gives the quinone products, normally in >99-95 % yields. The recovered compounds 5-8 are easily reoxidized to 9-12 and used again.

Syntheses and reactivities of disubstituted and trisubstituted fluorous pyridines with high fluorous phase affinities: solid state, liquid crystal, and ionic liquid-phase properties.

Reactions of 2,6-dibromo-, 3,5-dibromo-, and 2,4,6-tribromopyridine with IZnCH(2)CH(2)R(f8) (R(f8) = (CF(2))(7)CF(3)) in THF at 65 degrees C in the presence of trans-Cl(2)Pd(PPh(3))(2) (5 mol %) gave the fluorous pyridines 2,6- and 3,5-NC(5)H(3)(CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (1 and 2; 85%, 31%) and 2,4,6-NC(5)H(2)(CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(3) (3, 61%). Reaction of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde with [Ph(3)PCH(2)CH(2)R(f8)](+)I(-)/K(2)CO(3) (p-dioxane/H(2)O, 95 degrees C) gave 2,6-NC(5)H(3)(CH[double bond]CHCH(2)R(f8))(2) (95%; 70:30 ZZ/ZE), which was treated with H(2) (1 atm, 12 h) and 10% Pd/C to yield 2,6-NC(5)H(3)(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (5, 95%), a higher homologue of 1. Longer reaction times afforded piperidine cis-2,6-HNC(5)H(8)(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (6, 98%). The stereochemistry was established by NMR analysis of the N-benzylpiperidine. Pyridines 1-3 and 5 are low-melting white solids with CF(3)C(6)F(11)/toluene partition coefficients (24 degrees C) of 93.8:6.2, 93.9:6.1, >99.7:<0.3, and 90.4:9.6, respectively (6, 93.6:6.4). Reaction of 1 and CF(3)SO(3)H gave a pyridinium salt, and Cl(2)Pd(NCCH(3))(2) (0.5 equiv) yielded trans-Cl(2)Pd(1)(2). The crystal structure of the former, which also exhibited liquid crystalline and ionic liquid phases, was determined.