2-Acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines as supramolecular synthons analyzed by multiple noncovalent interactions. DFT, X-ray diffraction, and NMR spectral studies.

Intermolecular interactions of ten 2-acylamino and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines (7 of which are previously unknown) have been investigated by X-ray structural, quantum chemical (DFT), and NMR spectral methods. Especially the concentration dependencies of the (1)H NMR chemical shifts and titrations with other molecules capable of multiple hydrogen bonding provided useful information regarding their association via triple or quadruple hydrogen bonding, which is controlled by the conformational preferences of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines. On comparison of the properties of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines with the corresponding pyridines, an additional nitrogen in the heterocyclic ring is the crucial factor in explaining the stability of various conformers and dimers of pyrimidines. Computational modeling of their dimerization (self-association) and heteroassociation supports the experimental findings. The substituent effects in 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines are discussed via inter- and intramolecular terms. The subtle balance between several structural factors and their influence on the aggregation of studied pyrimidines was confirmed also by variable-temperature NMR and NOE experiments. X-ray structures of 2-methyl- and 2-adamantyl-CONH-pyrimidines revealed very different intermolecular interactions, showing the importance of the substituent size on the self-assembly process. As a whole NMR spectral, X-ray structural, and computational data of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines can be interpreted in terms of multiple intra-/intermolecular interactions.

Succinobucol's new coat--conjugation with steroids to alter its drug effect and bioavailability.

Synthesis, detailed structural characterization (X-ray, NMR, MS, IR, elemental analysis), and studies of toxicity, antioxidant activity and bioavailability of unique potent anti-atherosclerotic succinobucol-steroid conjugates are reported. The conjugates consist of, on one side, the therapeutically important drug succinobucol ([4-{2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-[(1-{[3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-(propan-2-yl)phenyl]sulfanyl}ethyl)sulfanyl]phenoxy}-4-oxo-butanoic acid]) possessing an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and on the other side, plant stanol/sterols (stigmastanol, ß-sitosterol and stigmasterol) possessing an ability to lower the blood cholesterol level. A cholesterol-succinobucol prodrug was also prepared in order to enhance the absorption of succinobucol through the intestinal membrane into the organism and to target the drug into the place of lipid metabolism-The enterohepatic circulation system. Their low toxicity towards mice fibroblasts at maximal concentrations, their antioxidant activity, comparable or even higher than that of ascorbic acid as determined by direct quenching of the DPPH radical, and their potential for significantly altering total and LDL cholesterol levels, suggest that these conjugates merit further studies in the treatment of cardiovascular or other related diseases. A brief discussion of succinobucol's ability to quench the radicals, supported with a computational model of the electrostatic potential mapped on the electron density surface of the drug, is also presented.

Bile acid-derived mono- and diketals--synthesis, structural characterization and self-assembling properties.

Three oxo-derivatives of bile acid methyl esters have been used as starting compounds in the preparation of novel bile acid monoketals with 1,2-benzenediol (catechol) and 2,3-naphthalenediol, as well as mono- and diketals with pentaerythritol. Monoketals of pentaerythritol showed a tendency to form thermoreversible gels in many aromatic solvents and the methyl lithocholate derivative proved to be a supergelator able to form a gel with t-butylbenzene at a concentration as low as 0.5% w/v. Whereas the naphthalenediol ketals formed film-type materials in the studied solvents, the catechol ketals underwent rapid crystallization into X-ray quality single crystals. Single crystal X-ray structures of the catechol ketals have been determined. The monoketal obtained from methyl-3,7,12-trioxo-5beta-cholan-24-oate (dehydrocholate) revealed to have an unusual packing pattern in its solid state compared to other bile acid derivatives reported in the literature. The synthesis of diketals from pentaerythritol furnished a mixture of two diastereomers which, in the case of the methyl lithocholate derivative, have been separated and the X-ray crystal structure of one isomer resolved.

Synthesis of nucleoside and nucleotide conjugates of bile acids, and polymerase construction of bile acid-functionalized DNA.

Aqueous Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions of 5-iodopyrimidine or 7-iodo-7-deazaadenine nucleosides with bile acid-derived terminal acetylenes linked via an ester or amide tether gave the corresponding bile acid-nucleoside conjugates. Analogous reactions of halogenated nucleoside triphosphates gave directly bile acid-modified dNTPs. Enzymatic incorporation of these modified nucleotides to DNA was successfully performed using Phusion polymerase for primer extension. One of the dNTPs (dCTP bearing cholic acid) was also efficient for PCR amplification.