Discovery of an intravenous hepatoselective glucokinase activator for the treatment of inpatient hyperglycemia.

Glucokinase (hexokinase IV) continues to be a compelling target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes given the wealth of supporting human genetics data and numerous reports of robust clinical glucose lowering in patients treated with small molecule allosteric activators. Recent work has demonstrated the ability of hepatoselective activators to deliver glucose lowering efficacy with minimal risk of hypoglycemia. While orally administered agents require a considerable degree of passive permeability to promote suitable exposures, there is no such restriction on intravenously delivered drugs. Therefore, minimization of membrane diffusion in the context of an intravenously agent should ensure optimal hepatic targeting and therapeutic index. This work details the identification a hepatoselective GKA exhibiting the aforementioned properties.

Discovery and synthesis of novel 4-aminopyrrolopyrimidine Tie-2 kinase inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of novel Tie-2 kinase inhibitors are presented. Based on the pyrrolopyrimidine chemotype, several new series are described, including the benzimidazole series by linking a benzimidazole to the C5-position of the 4-amino-pyrrolopyrimidine core and the ketophenyl series synthesized by incorporating a ketophenyl group to the C5-position. Medicinal chemistry efforts led to potent Tie-2 inhibitors. Compound 15, a ketophenyl pyrrolopyrimidine urea analog with improved physicochemical properties, demonstrated favorable in vitro attributes as well as dose responsive and robust oral tumor growth inhibition in animal models.

Samarium Barbier reactions of alpha-iodomethyloxazoles and thiazoles with aliphatic aldehydes.

[reaction: see text] The reductive coupling of substituted alpha-iodomethyloxazoles and thiazoles with aliphatic aldehydes under Barbier conditions provides an effective method for the direct incorporation of intact heterocyclic systems.

Acyclic Stereoselection in the Ortho Ester Claisen Rearrangement.

The ortho ester Claisen rearrangement of trisubstituted allylic alcohols exhibits significant levels of diastereoselection. In E allylic alcohols, a 1,3-diaxial interaction develops in the chairlike transition state leading to the anti isomer, rendering the reaction syn selective by a factor of 3-5 to 1. In Z allylic alcohols, the 1,3-diaxial interaction develops in the transition state leading to the syn isomer, generating an anti:syn selectivity of 6-15 to 1. The relative stereochemistry of the syn isomer was confirmed independently by the synthesis of the mycotoxin botryodiplodin.

Potent, selective pyrimidinetrione-based inhibitors of MMP-13.

Using SAR from two related series of pyrimidinetrione-based inhibitors, compounds with potent MMP-13 inhibition and >100-fold selectivity against other MMPs have been identified. Despite high molecular weights, clogPs, and polar surface areas, the compounds are generally well absorbed and have excellent pharmacokinetic (PK) properties when dosed as sodium salts. In a rat fibrosis model, a compound from the series displayed no fibrosis at exposures many fold greater than its MMP-13 IC50.

Simple, rapid procedure for the synthesis of chloromethyl methyl ether and other chloro alkyl ethers.

[Reaction: see text]. Zinc(II) salts catalyze the reaction between acetals and acid halides to provide haloalkyl ethers in near-quantitative yield. Reactions from millimole to mole scale are typically complete in 1-4 h with 0.01 mol % catalyst. The solutions of haloalkyl ethers thus obtained can be utilized directly in reactions in which the presence of the ester byproduct does not interfere. Excess haloalkyl ether is destroyed on workup, thereby minimizing exposure to this class of carcinogenic compounds.

Remote asymmetric induction in an intramolecular ionic Diels-Alder reaction: application to the total synthesis of (+)-dihydrocompactin.

The total synthesis of (+)-dihydrocompactin via an intramolecular ionic Diels-Alder reaction that proceeds with remote stereocontrol is described. This reaction proceeds by an intermediate vinyl-oxocarbenium ion (6), the conformational constraints of which lead to the observed asymmetric induction. The sense of asymmetric induction appears contrasteric and is explained by the proposed reactive conformation shown in Figure 1.

Studies of stereocontrolled allylation reactions for the total synthesis of phorboxazole A.

A highly convergent total synthesis of the potent anticancer agent (+)-phorboxazole A (1) is accomplished. Four components (3-6) are assembled with considerations for control of absolute and relative stereochemistry. Iterative asymmetric allylation methodology addresses key stereochemical features in the preparation of the 2,6-cis- and 2,6-trans-tetrahydropyranyl rings of the C3-C19 component (3). The stereocontrolled asymmetric allylation process is also used for development of the C28-C41 fragment (4). Novel Barbier coupling reactions of alpha-iodomethyl oxazoles and related thiazoles are described with samarium iodide. The convergent assembly of components 4 and 5 features formation of the fully substituted C22-C26 pyran by intramolecular capture of an allyl cation intermediate with high facial selectivity, and further efforts lead to E-C19/C20 olefination. The synthesis culminates with use of a modified Julia olefination for attachment of the C42-C46 segment and subsequent late-stage macrocyclization by installation of the (Z)-C2/C3 alpha,beta-unsaturated lactone.