Nature of isomerism of solid isothiourea salts, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthases, as studied by 1H-14N nuclear quadrupole double resonance, X-ray, and density functional theory/quantum theory of atoms in molecules.

Isothioureas, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthases, have been studied experimentally in solid state by nuclear quadrupole double resonance (NQDR) and X-ray methods and theoretically by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules/density functional theory. Resonance frequencies on (14)N have been detected and assigned to particular nitrogen sites in each molecule. The crystal packings of (S)-3,4-dichlorobenzyl-N-methylisothiouronium chloride with the disordered chlorine positions in benzene ring and (S)-butyloisothiouronium bromide have been resolved in X-ray diffraction studies. (14)N NQDR spectra have been found good indicators of isomer type and strength of intra- or intermolecular N-H···X (X = Cl, Br) interactions. From among all salts studied, only for (S)-2,3,4,5,6-pentabromobenzylisothiouronium chloride are both nitrogen sites equivalent, which has been explained by the slow exchange. This unique structural feature can be a key factor in the high biological activity of (S)-2,3,4,5,6-pentabromobenzylisothiouronium salts.

Structural study of selected polyhalogenated benzimidazoles (protein kinase CK2 inhibitors) by nuclear quadrupole double resonance, X-ray, and density functional theory.

Protein kinase CK2 inhibitors, polyhalogenated benzimidazoles, have been studied experimentally in solid state by NMR-NQR double resonance and X-ray and theoretically by the density functional theory (DFT). Six resonance frequencies on (14)N have been detected and assigned to particular nitrogen sites in each polyhalogenated benzimidazole molecule. The effects of prototropic annular tautomerism and polymorphism related to stable cluster formation due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions on the (14)N NQR parameters have been analyzed within the DFT and AIM (atoms in molecules) formalism. The studies suggest that all polyhalogenobenzimidazoles are isostructural and can exhibit polymorphism and that (14)N NQR is very sensitive to hydrogen bondings but less sensitive to the specific arrangement of the hydrogen bonded molecules. NQDR and DFT results suggest the presence of the prototropic annular tautomerism 50:50, which is in a good agreement with the X-ray and (1)H NMR data.

Specific inhibition of hnRNA synthesis by 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole. Requirement of a free 3'-hydroxyl group, but not 2'- or 5'-hydroxyls.

Five structural analogues of 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), all with modified sugar moieties, have been examined for their inhibitory activities on RNA transcription in salivary glands of Chironomus tentans. The well-known ability of the parent DRB at 65 microM concentration to selectively inhibit hnRNA/mRNA synthesis by approx. 90% was essentially abolished on methylation of the 3'-OH; but, at an overdose the analogue suppressed labeling of all RNA classes examined (hnRNA/mRNA, rRNA, 4-5 S RNA) by 70-80%. By contrast, the 2'-O-methyl derivative of DRB was almost as effective as DRB itself in blocking transcription of hnRNA/mRNA genes. Blocking of both the 2' and 3' hydroxyls (2',3'-O-isopropylidene-DRB) completely abolished inhibitory activity, irrespective of the concentration employed. The 5'-deoxy-5'-chloro derivative of DRB was only slightly less effective than the parent DRB. An unusual aspect of the activities of 2'-O-methyl-DRB and 5'-deoxy-5'-chloro-DRB was their ability to stimulate synthesis of 4-5 S RNA by 25-45%. Also investigated was the influence of the various analogues on the rate of formation of [3H]UTP from [3H]uridine used as an RNA precursor. The rate of such formation of [3H]UTP was suppressed 2-6-fold by treatment with 2'-O-methyl or 3'-O-methyl-DRB, but was unaffected by 5'-deoxy-5'-chloro-DRB or 5,6-dichloro-1-alpha-D-arabinofuranosylbenzimidazole. The overall data point to the importance of a free 3'-OH in the ribose moiety of DRB for selective inhibitory activity. The alpha-D-arabinofuranosyl analogue, although less selective in inhibition of RNA transcription, still exhibits about 50% of the activity of DRB.

Crystal structure of the purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) from Cellulomonas sp. and its implication for the mechanism of trimeric PNPs.

The three-dimensional structure of the trimeric purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) from Cellulomonas sp. has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The binary complex of the enzyme with orthophosphate was crystallized in the orthorhombic space group P212121 with unit cell dimensions a=64.1 A, b=108.9 A, c=119.3 A and an enzymatically active trimer in the asymmetric unit. X-ray data were collected at 4 degrees C using synchrotron radiation (EMBL/DESY, Hamburg). The structure was solved by molecular replacement, with the calf spleen PNP structure as a model, and refined at 2.2 A resolution. The ternary "dead-end" complex of the enzyme with orthophosphate and 8-iodoguanine was obtained by soaking crystals of the binary orthophosphate complex with the very weak substrate 8-iodoguanosine. Data were collected at 100 K with CuKalpha radiation, and the three-dimensional structure refined at 2.4 A resolution. Although the sequence of the Cellulomonas PNP shares only 33 % identity with the calf spleen enzyme, and almost no identity with the hexameric Escherichia coli PNP, all three enzymes have many common structural features, viz. the nine-stranded central beta-sheet, the positions of the active centres, and the geometrical arrangement of the ligands in the active centres. Some similarities of the surrounding helices also prevail. In Cellulomonas PNP, each of the three active centres per trimer is occupied by orthophosphate, and by orthophosphate and base, respectively, and small structural differences between monomers A, B and C are observed. This supports cooperativity between subunits (non-identity of binding sites) rather than existence of more than one binding site per monomer, as previously suggested for binding of phosphate by mammalian PNPs. The phosphate binding site is located between two conserved beta- and gamma-turns and consists of Ser46, Arg103, His105, Gly135 and Ser223, and one or two water molecules. The guanine base is recognized by a zig-zag pattern of possible hydrogen bonds, as follows: guanine N-1...Glu204 O(epsilon1)...guanine NH2...Glu204 O(epsilon2). The exocyclic O6 of the base is bridged via a water molecule to Asn246 N(delta), which accounts for the inhibitory, but lack of substrate, activity of adenosine. An alternative molecular mechanism for catalysis by trimeric PNPs is proposed, in which the key catalytic role is played by Glu204 (Glu201 in the calf and human enzymes), while Asn246 (Asn243 in the mammalian enzymes) supports binding of 6-oxopurines rather than catalysis. This mechanism, in contrast to that previously suggested, is consistent with the excellent substrate properties of N-7 substituted nucleosides, the specificity of trimeric PNPs versus 6-oxopurine nucleosides and the reported kinetic properties of Glu201/Ala and Asn243/Ala point variants of human PNP.

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of 2-substituted halogenobenzimidazoles.

A series of substituted 2-polyfluoroalkyl and 2-nitrobenzylsulphanyl benzimidazoles was synthesized. The compounds were evaluated for their activity against four Mycobacterium strains; the activities were expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The substances tested showed appreciable antimycobacterial activity, particularly 5,6-dichloro-2-nonafluorobutylbenzimidazole (2h), and 5-halogeno- (5a-c) and 4,6-dihalogeno- (5d and 5g) 2-(3,5-dinitrobenzylsulphanyl)benzimidazoles, whose MIC values for Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium avium exceeded that of isoniazide that was used as a reference compound. Relationships between structure and biological activity of the tested benzimidazole derivatives are discussed.

L-nucleosides containing modified nucleobases.

The synthesis of base modified L-nucleosides is described with pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines, pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines, benzimidazoles, and imidazo[1,2-a]-s-triazines as nucleobases. The conformation of the nucleosides is studied and the antiviral activity is evaluated.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of deoxyadenosine analogues: isomer distribution in the sodium salt glycosylation of 2,6-disubstituted purines.

Several 2-substituted deoxyadenosine derivatives were synthesized and screened for cytotoxicity toward hematopoietic cells in culture. To prepare intermediates for these syntheses, the sodium salts of 2,6-dibromopurine and 2,6-bis(methylthio)purine were reacted with 1-chloro-3,5-di-p-toluyl-alpha-D-erythro-pentofuranose in acetonitrile. Similar reactions using 6-chloropurines have been reported to give only 9-beta and 7-beta nucleosides as major and minor products, respectively. 2,6-Dibromopurine, however, gave 9-beta and 9-alpha isomers as major and minor products, along with a lesser amount of the 7-beta isomer. 2,6-Bis(methylthio)purine, in contrast, produced 9-beta and 7-beta isomers as major and minor products. These results are discussed in terms of sugar anomerization and possible steric and kinetic effects of base substituents in the sodium salt glycosylation reaction. Reactions of the 9-beta nucleoside isomers with ammonia and alkylamines produced several 2-bromo, 2-methylthio, and 2-amino deoxyadenosines. All of the compounds showed weaker cytotoxic activity than 2-bromodeoxyadenosine against hematopoietic cells in culture, when [14C]leucine incorporation into cellular proteins was measured.

Synthesis, cell growth inhibition, and antitumor screening of 2-(p-n-butylanilino)purines and their nucleoside analogues.

Derivatives of N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)guanine (BuPG) and 2-(p-n-butylanilino)adenine (BuAA) were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of mammalian DNA polymerase alpha, cell growth, and macromolecule synthesis. 2-(p-n-Butylanilino)-6-chloropurine (BuACl) served as a useful intermediate to prepare a series of 6-substituted analogues. BuACl, as its sodium salt, reacted with 2-deoxy-3,5-di-p-toluoyl-beta-D-ribofuranosyl chloride in acetonitrile to give 64% of the corresponding 9-beta nucleoside (blocked BuAdCl) and only 14% of the 7-beta isomer. Deblocking and substitution of chlorine in BuAdCl generated a series of 2-(p-n-butylanilino)-9-(2-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)purine derivatives. Reaction of the sodium salt of BuACl with (2-acetoxyethoxy)methyl bromide also afforded, after deblocking and substitution of the 6-chloro group, a series of 2-(p-n-butylanilino)-9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]purines. The bases synthesized were inhibitors of DNA polymerase alpha isolated from Chinese hamster ovary cells, the most potent compounds being 6-methoxy and 6-methylthio derivatives of 2-(p-n-butylanilino)purine. When tested for their ability to inhibit [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA in HeLa cell cultures and the growth of exponentially growing HeLa cells, 9-(2-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl) derivatives had greater potency than their base counterparts, but "adenine" analogues, such as 2-(p-n-butylanilino)-2'-deoxyadenosine (BuAdA, IC50 = 1 microM), were considerably more potent than N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (BuPdG, IC50 = 25 microM). Derivatives bearing the 9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl] group were nearly as potent inhibitors of [3H]thymidine incorporation in these experiments as the corresponding deoxyribonucleosides. Base and deoxynucleoside derivatives also inhibited cellular RNA synthesis, and several compounds, at high concentrations, inhibited protein synthesis. BuPG, BuAA, and four deoxyribonucleoside derivatives of 2-(p-n-butylanilino)purines were tested against P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice. None of the compounds increased the survival time of test animals, but two of them, BuAdA and its 6-desamino derivative BuAdP, were lethal at the highest concentration used (400 mg/kg).

Synthesis and biological activity of certain 6-substituted and 2,6-disubstituted 2'-deoxytubercidins prepared via the stereospecific sodium salt glycosylation procedure.

A number of 6-substituted and 2,6-disubstituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine 2'-deoxyribonucleosides were prepared by the direct stereospecific sodium salt glycosylation procedure. Reaction of the sodium salt of 4-chloro-6-methyl-2-(methylthio)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (6a) or 4,6-dichloro-2-(methylthio)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (6b) with 1-chloro-2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-alpha-D-erythro-pentofuranose (9) provided the corresponding N7 2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl blocked derivatives (8a and 8c) which, on ammonolysis, gave 4-amino-6-methyl-2-(methylthio)-7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl )pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (11a) and 4-amino-6-chloro-2-(methylthio)-7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl )pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (11b), respectively. Dethiation of 11a and 11b afforded 6-methyl-2'-deoxytubercidin (10a) and 6-chloro-2'-deoxytubercidin (10b), respectively. Dehalogenation of 10b provided an alternate route to the reported 2'-deoxytubercidin (3a). Application of this glycosylation procedure to 4,6-dichloro and 4,6-dichloro-2-methyl derivatives of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (15a and 15b) gave the corresponding blocked 2'-deoxyribonucleosides (18a and 18b), which on ammonolysis furnished 10b and 4-amino-6-chloro-2-methyl-7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro- pentofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (17), respectively. This stereospecific attachment of the 2-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl moiety appears to be due to a Walden inversion at the C1 carbon by the anionic heterocyclic nitrogen. Controlled deacylation of 4-chloro-7-(2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl) pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (20a) gave 4-chloro-7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d] pyrimidine (20b). Dehalogenation of 20b gave the 2'-deoxynebularin analogue 7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (19), and reaction of 20b with thiourea gave 7-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-4(3H)- thione (21). All of these compounds were tested in vitro against certain viruses and tumor cells. Only compounds 12a, 20b, and 21 showed significant activity against measles in vitro, and the activity is comparable to that of ribavirin. Although compounds 3a and 12b are slightly more active than ribavirin against HSV-2 in vitro, they are relatively more toxic to Vero cells. Compounds 3a and 20b exhibited moderate cytostatic activity against L1210 and P388 leukemia in vitro but are considerably less active than 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (1).

Acyclonucleosides: acyclobenzimidazole nucleoside and nucleotide analogues and conformations of the acyclic chains by means of NMR spectroscopy.

A number of acyclo nucleosides of benzimidazole derivatives has been synthesized, in which the benzimidazole ring includes substituents at C(5), C(6) and C(2). The acyclic chains which replace the sugar moiety are 2',3'-dihydroxypropyl, 2'-hydroxyethoxymethyl and 1',5'-dihydroxy-4'-hydroxymethyl-3'- oxypentyl -2' (R), each of which corresponds to some fragment of the ribose ring. 1H NMR spectroscopy has been employed to determine the conformations of these acyclic chains in solutions of fully deuterated dimethylsulfoxide and methanol, utilizing for this purpose vicinal proton-proton coupling constants, and the new Karplus relation developed by Haasnoot , de Leeuw & Altona ( Tetrahedron , 36, 2783-2792, 1980). The data thus obtained are compared with those available for the solid state from X-ray diffraction data, and should be applicable to other classes of acyclonucleosides . Nucleotides of the three types of acyclo benzimidazole nucleosides have also been prepared, and their susceptibilities to snake venom 5'-nucleotidase examined. In contrast to acycloG , the nucleoside analogues did not exhibit significant in vitro activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 or influenza virus.

7-Deazapurine 2'-deoxyribofuranosides are noncleavable competitive inhibitors of Escherichia coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP).

A series of 7-deazapurine 2'-deoxyribofuranosides were synthesized according to already known procedures and their substrate and inhibitor properties with purified E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase were examined. In agreement with previous findings, substrate activity was not detected for any of the compounds tested. Most of the nucleosides showed weak inhibition in the preliminary screening, i.e. at a concentration of about 100 microM. However some combinations of 6-chloro, 6-amino or 6-methoxy substituents with bulky hydrophobic groups at position 7 of the base and/or chloro, amino, methoxy or methylthio group at position 2 markedly enhanced affinity of such modified nucleosides for the E. coli enzyme. The most potent inhibition was observed for two nucleosides: 6-chloro- and 2-amino-6-chloro-7-deazapurine 2'-deoxyribofuranosides that show inhibition constants Ki = 2.4 and 2.3 microM, respectively. Several other compounds were also found to be good inhibitors, with inhibition constants in the range 5-50 microM. In all instances the inhibition was competitive vs. the nucleoside substrate 7-methylguanosine. Inhibition constants for 7-deazapurine nucleosides are in general several-fold lower than those observed for their purine counterparts. Therefore 7-deaza modification together with substitutions at positions 2, 6 and 7 of the base is a very promising approach to obtain competitive noncleavable inhibitors of E. coli PNP that may bind to the enzyme with inhibition constants in the microM range.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of new adamantane derivatives I.

A series of fourteen derivatives of adamantane was synthesised. The new compound 4-(adamant-1-ylmethoxycarbonyl)phthalanhydride obtained from 1-adamantane-methanol and trimellitic anhydride chloride appeared very useful for preparation of a number of N-substituted phthalimides. Antimicrobial activity of the newly obtained derivatives such as, for example, 4-(adamant-1-ylmethoxycarbonyl)-N-(5-carboxypentamethylene)p hthalimide or 4-(adamant-1-ylmethoxycarbonyl)-N-(L-alanyl)phthalimide was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp., Micrococcus flavus and Enterococcus faecium. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for these compounds against S. aureus were 0.022 and 0.05 microg/ml, respectively.

Stability of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine at various pH and temperature.

In this paper data concerning the stability of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA) solutions at various pH and temperature conditions are presented. Decomposition of 2-CdA was measured as content of its hydrolysis product--2-chloroadenine, using the HPLC method. We found that 2-CdA is stable at basic and neutral pH and temperatures between 37 and 80 degrees C. At acidic pH, decomposition markedly increased with time, even in physiological temperatures. At pH 2 and 37 degrees, after 6 h, only 13% of 2-CdA remained in solution. At pH 1--after 2 h of heating to 37 degrees 2-CdA content was as low as 2%. Calculated half time T 1/2 was equal to 1.6 h (pH 2, temperature = 37 degrees) and 0.37 h (pH 1, temperature = 37 degrees).

Apoptotic death of lymphocytes upon treatment with 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA).

In this work we addressed the question if the difference in the mechanism by which 2-CdA kills resting and proliferating cells could be responsible for the therapeutic window of the drug. We show that 2-CdA triggers programmed cell death in proliferating human promyelocytic cell line, HL-60, human lymphocytic cell line, MOLT-4, and human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated to proliferation by PHA. Under our experimental conditions 2-CdA failed to induce apoptosis in the resting human peripheral blood lymphocytes despite induction of massive apoptosis in the same lymphocytes stimulated to proliferation by PHA. We also show that 2-CdA-induced apoptosis in HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells can not be prevented by addition of nicotinamide or inhibiting poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase by 3-aminobenzamide. In the case of HL-60 cells apoptosis is specific to the S phase of the cell cycle. Taking together these data suggest that selective induction of apoptosis in proliferating cells may be responsible for the therapeutic value of 2-CdA.

Substrate/inhibitor specificities of human deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and thymidine kinases (TK1 and TK2).

Substrate/inhibitor specificities of nucleoside analogues with modified sugar moieties toward highly purified deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and thymidine kinases (TK1 and TK2) from human leukemic spleen have been examined. Substrate activities of cytosine nucleosides vs dCK were as follows: 2'-fluoro-dC > 2'-O-methyl-C > araC > 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-araC > 3'-O-methyl-dC = 3'-fluoro-2',3'-ddC > cytosine beta-L-riboside > 2',3'-ddC > C = 1-(4-hydroxy-1,2,-butadienyl)-cytosine (cytalene) = 2'-azido-dC. Modified purine nucleosides were only feeble substrates: ara-A > 2'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxy-araA = 2'-O-methyl-A. With TK1 and TK2, similar sugar-modified analogues of dU and dT were feeble substrates. Surprisingly alpha-dT was a relatively good substrate, as well some beta-L-ribonucleo-sides. Several 5'-substituted analogues of dC were good non-substrate inhibitors of dCK and, to a lesser extent, of TK2. The overall data are relevant to the role of these enzymes in "activation" (by phosporylation) of nucleoside analogues with antiviral and antitumor activities.

Synthesis of 6-aryloxy- and 6-arylalkoxy-2-chloropurines and their interactions with purine nucleoside phosphorylase from Escherichia coli.

The phase transfer method was applied to perform the nucleophilic substitution of 2,6-dichloropurines by modified arylalkyl alcohol or phenols. Since under these conditions only the 6-halogen is exchanged, this method gives 2-chloro-6-aryloxy- and 2-chloro-6-arylalkoxy-purines. 2-Chloro-6-benzylthiopurine was synthesized by alkylation of 2-chloro-6-thiopurine with benzyl bromide. The stereoisomers of 2-chloro-6-(1-phenyl-1-ethoxy)purine were obtained from R- and S-enantiomers of sec.-phenylethylalcohol and 2,6-dichloropurine. All derivatives were tested for inhibition with purified hexameric E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP). For analogues showing IC50 < 10 microM, the type of inhibition and inhibition constants were determined. In all cases the experimental data were best described by the mixed-type inhibition model and the uncompetitive inhibition constant, Kiu, was found to be several-fold lower than the competitive inhibition constant, Kic. This effect seems to be due to the 6-aryloxy- or 6-arylalkoxy substituent, because a natural PNP substrate adenine, as well as 2-chloroadenine, show mixed type inhibition with almost the same inhibition constants Kiu and Kic. The most potent inhibition was observed for 6-benzylthio-2-chloro-, 6-benzyloxy-2-chloro-, 2-chloro-6-(2-phenyl-1-ethoxy), 2-chloro-6-(3-phenyl-1-propoxy)- and 2-chloro-6-ethoxypurines (Kiu = 0.4, 0.6, 1.4, 1.4 and 2.2 microM, respectively). The R-stereoisomer of 2-chloro-6-(1-pheny-1-ethoxy)purine has Kiu = 2.0 microM, whereas inhibition of its S counterpart is rather weak (IC50 > 12 microM). More rigid (e.g. phenoxy-), non-planar (cyclohexyloxy-), or more bulky (2,4,6-trimethylphenoxy-) substituents at position 6 of the purine base gave less potent inhibitors (IC50 = 26, 56 and > 100 microM, respectively). The derivatives are selective inhibitors of hexameric "high-molecular mass" PNPs because no inhibitory activity vs. trimeric Cellulomonas sp. PNP was detected. By establishing the ligand-dependent stabilization pattern of the E. coli PNP it was shown that the new derivatives, similarly as the natural purine bases, are able to form a dead-end ternary complex with the enzyme and orthophosphate. It was also shown that the derivatives are substrates in the reverse synthetic direction catalyzed by E. coli PNP.

Solution conformations of some acyclo nucleoside and nucleotide analogues of antiviral acyclonucleosides, and their substrate/inhibitor properties in several enzyme systems.

Chemical and enzymatic procedures have been employed for the preparation of various phosphorylated derivatives of the acyclonucleoside 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)adenine, an analogue of the active antiviral agent 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine (DHPG). In combination with the previously reported 2',3'-seco nucleosides and their phosphates and cyclic phosphates (Stolarski et al., Z. Naturforsch. 41c, 758-770, 1986), this made available a broad class of acyclonucleosides and nucleotides, the acyclic moieties of which are capable of mimicking the ribose and 2'-deoxyribose rings. The solution conformations of the foregoing were determined with the aid of 1H, 13C and 31P NMR, and compared with those of DHPG and 9-(hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine (Acyclovir, ACV). Particular attention was devoted to conformations about C-O bonds in different acyclic fragments, which demonstrated well-defined differences between 2',3'-seco derivatives on the one hand (conformational "rigidity") and derivatives with DHP and AC acyclic chains on the other (rotation about the C(1')-O(4') bond). The overall results are in good general agreement with reported crystal structures, and are compared with those obtained by quantum mechanical calculations. The conformational features of the various compounds are also discussed in relation to their substrate and/or inhibitor properties in a number of enzyme systems, including adenosine deaminase, phosphodiesterases, nuclease P1,3'-nucleotidase and herpes virus type 1 thymidine kinase.

Alkaline hydrolysis of cladribine.

The kinetics of hydrolysis of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (cladribine) was studied at various sodium hydroxide concentrations and temperatures. HPLC analysis of reaction mixtures showed that the main products were 2'-deoxyisoguanosine and 2'-deoxyguanosine. The first one was the result of the hydroxyl anion attack, whereas the presence of the other nucleoside has evidenced the existence of hitherto undescribed rearrangement reaction in purine derivatives.

Antimicrobial activity of organic thiosulfates (Bunte salts).

A number of organic thiosulfates (Bunte salts) were prepared from appropriate primary bromides or iodides. In the case of substrates with long aliphatic chains, an addition of benzyltrimethylammonium chloride as phase transfer catalyst was very successful. The Bunte salts obtained were tested for antibacterial and fungicidal activity by means of the agar disc-diffusion method and by assignation of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). It was found that the microorganisms Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus showed the highest sensitivity. Biological activity of the compounds studied was dependent on the length of the aliphatic chain. Among the investigated compounds, aliphatic thiosulfates with 10-13 carbon atom chain were the most potent.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (cladribine) in human plasma by photochemical reaction and chloroacetaldehyde derivatization.

A quantitative fluorescence assay for 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (cladribine, leustatin, 2-CdA) in human plasma is described. The drug was isolated from plasma by ethyl acetate extraction and derivatized by a two-step procedure in which 2'-deoxyisoguanosine (2'-diG) was first prepared by UV irradiation of 2-CdA and was then treated with chloroacetaldehyde to form the fluorescent derivative, 1,N6-etheno-2'-deoxyisoguanosine. Fluorescence intensity of the solutions was measured using an excitation wavelength of 275 nm and emission of 397 nm. The analytical measuring range of the method extends from about 1 microgram/l to at least 100 micrograms/l.