Overcoming Solubility Challenges: Liposomal isoCoQ-Carbazole as a Promising Anti-Tumor Agent for Inoperable and Radiation-Insensitive cancers.

This study evaluated the potential of isoCoQ-Carbazole, a diheterocyclic analog of isoCA-4, as an anti-tumor agent. To overcome its low aqueous solubility, liposomes were developed as a delivery system for the compound. In vitro experiments showed that loaded liposomes exhibited similar activity to the free form on multiple human tumor cell lines. In vivo experiments using a palliative intratumoral injection chemotherapy approach further demonstrated that isoCoQ-Carbazole loaded liposomes significantly reduced tumor growth in a CA-4-resistant HT29 cell model, without inducing any observable toxicity or weight loss in the treated mice. These findings suggest that liposomal isoCoQ-Carbazole may hold promise as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of inoperable, radiation-insensitive cancers.

Recent advances in the synthesis of dibenzofurans.

This review reports recent accesses to the dibenzofuran nucleus described in the literature since 2008. This article starts with synthesizing dibenzofurans by creating the C-O bond of the furan ring. In the following section, we evoke the formation of dibenzofurans by cyclizing diarylether derivatives. The last part of this update concerns the construction of dibenzofurans from benzofuran or phenol derivatives. Representative examples showing the scope of these processes illustrate new approaches and biological activities of dibenzofurans. Reaction mechanisms explaining certain dibenzofuran formation are described, as suggested by their authors.

Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Functionalized 4-Substituted-4H-Benzo[d][1,3]oxazines via Intramolecular Cyclization of ortho-Amide-N-tosylhydrazones.

Functionalized 4-aryl-4H-benzo[d][1,3]oxazines are synthesized under transition-metal-free conditions using ortho-amide-N-tosylhydrazones. This synthetic method uses readily available N-tosylhydrazones as the diazo compound precursors and involves an intramolecular ring closure reaction mediated by a protic polar additive (iPrOH). A wide range of functionalized oxazines are obtained by this straightforward method in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the viability of our strategy is illustrated by the gram-scale elaboration of a bromo-substituted 4H-benzo[d][1,3]oxazine and its post-functionalization by palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings.

GluN2C selective inhibition is a target to develop new antiepileptic compounds.

OBJECTIVE: Many early-onset epilepsies present as developmental and epileptic encephalopathy associated with refractory seizures, altered psychomotor development, and disorganized interictal cortical activity. Abnormal upregulation of specific N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) subunits is being disentangled as one of the mechanisms of severe early-onset epilepsies. In tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), upregulation of the GluN2C subunit of the NMDA-R with slow deactivation kinetic results in increased neuronal excitation and synchronization. METHODS: Starting from an available GluN2C/D antagonist, NMDA-R-modulating compounds were developed and screened using a patch clamp on neuronal culture to select those with the strongest inhibitory effect on glutamatergic NMDA currents. For these selected compounds, blood pharmacokinetics and passage through the blood-brain barrier were studied. We tested the effect of the most promising compounds on epileptic activity in Tsc1+/- mice brain slices with multielectrode array, and then in vivo at postnatal ages P14-P17, comparable with the usual age at epilepsy onset in human TSC. RESULTS: Using a double-electrode voltage clamp on isolated NMDA currents, we identified the most prominent antagonists of the GluN2C subunit with no effect on GluN2A as a means of preventing side effects. The best compound passing through the blood-brain barrier was selected. Applied in vivo in six Tsc1+/- mice at P14-P17, this compound reduced or completely stopped spontaneous seizures in four of them, and decreased the background activity disorganization. Furthermore, ictal-like discharges stopped on a human brain sample from an infant with epilepsy due to TSC. INTERPRETATION: Subunit-selective inhibition is a valuable target for developing drugs for severe epilepsies resulting from an upregulation of NMDA-R subunit-mediated transmission.

Pd-Catalyzed Coupling of N-Tosylhydrazones with Benzylic Phosphates: Toward the Synthesis of Di- or Tri-Substituted Alkenes.

This study shows that various di- and tri-substituted alkenes with high chemoselectivity were obtained in good to high yields by coupling N-tosylhydrazones (NTHs) with benzylic phosphates as electrophilic partners. The obtained new catalytic system consisted of PdCl2(CH3CN)2/dppp, LiOtBu as a base, and cyclopentyl methyl ether as a green solvent. In addition, we performed a gram-scale transformation using NTH derivatives and benzylic phosphates having a C sp2-Cl bond. The latter was used as a starting point for further postfunctionalization of the key intermediates.

Site-Selective Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Methylene C(sp3)-H Diarylation of a Tropane Scaffold.

A series of 2,4-di-arylated tropane derivatives was synthesized through a site-selective palladium-catalyzed ß-C(sp3)-H di-arylation process. This type of structure has been scarcely reported in literature. They nevertheless represent an interesting class of biologically relevant molecules as illustrated by the observed activity at the micromolecular level of eight derivatives toward human colorectal cancer cell line HCT116.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of 3-(Heteroaryl)quinolin-2(1H)-ones Bis-Heterocycles as Potential Inhibitors of the Protein Folding Machinery Hsp90.

In the context of our SAR study concerning 6BrCaQ analogues as C-terminal Hsp90 inhibitors, we designed and synthesized a novel series of 3-(heteroaryl)quinolin-2(1H), of types 3, 4, and 5, as a novel class of analogues. A Pd-catalyzed Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling was developed as a convenient approach for easy access to complex purine architectures. This series of analogues showed a promising biological effect against MDA-MB231 and PC-3 cancer cell lines. This study led to the identification of the best compounds, 3b (IC50 = 28 µM) and 4e, which induce a significant decrease of CDK-1 client protein and stabilize the levels of Hsp90 and Hsp70 without triggering the HSR response.

Recent advances in the synthesis of pyrido[1,2-a]indoles.

The pyrido[1,2-a]indole unit found in many organic compounds such as natural products, pharmaceuticals, and materials, has intensively stimulated the research of new synthetic pathways giving access to this heterocyclic nucleus in very recent years. In this review, the synthesis of pyrido[1,2-a]indoles will be divided into two parts, which concern accesses to this skeleton using or not metal catalysis.

Copper-catalyzed sulfonylation of N-tosylhydrazones followed by a one-pot C-N bond formation.

A new methodology to synthesize sulfonyl-N-phenylaniline derivatives via the trapping of bromo-sulfone derivatives generated from N-tosylhydrazones (NTHs) with amines is described. The reaction proved successful for a wide range of NTHs and amines and tolerated various functional groups on either coupling partner (35 examples). The mechanism was studied, and we showed that the sulfone formation does not follow a radical pathway.

Sequential One-Pot Synthesis of 3-Arylbenzofurans from N-Tosylhydrazones and Bromophenol Derivatives.

A divergent and efficient one-pot sequence allowing direct access to 3-arylbenzofuran derivatives has been developed. The process, involving N-tosylhydrazones and bromophenols, proceeds via a palladium-catalyzed Barluenga-Valdés cross-coupling, followed by an aerobic, copper-catalyzed, radical cyclization to form Csp2-Csp2 and O-Csp2 bonds. 3-Arylated benzofurans bearing various substituents were obtained with good to excellent yields (up to 90%). Mechanistic investigation strongly supports a radical process for the cyclization step.

Reversing Reactivity: Stereoselective Desulfurative 1,2-trans-O-Glycosylation of Anomeric Thiosugars with Carboxylic Acids under Copper or Cobalt Catalysis.

We have discovered a new mode of reactivity of 1-thiosugars in the presence of Cu(II) or Co(II) for a stereoselective O-glycosylation reaction. The process involves the use of a catalytic amount of Cu(acac)2 or Co(acac)2 and Ag2CO3 as an oxidant in α,α,α-trifluorotoluene. Moreover, this protocol turned out to have a broad scope, allowing the preparation of a wide range of complex substituted O-glycoside esters in good to excellent yields with an exclusive 1,2-trans-selectivity. The late-stage modification of pharmaceuticals by this method was also demonstrated. To obtain a closer insight into the reaction mechanism, cyclic voltammetry was performed.

Copper-Catalyzed Anomeric O-Arylation of Carbohydrate Derivatives at Room Temperature.

Direct and practical anomeric O-arylation of sugar lactols with substituted arylboronic acids has been established. Using copper catalysis at room temperature under an air atmosphere, the protocol proved to be general, and a variety of aryl O-glycosides have been prepared in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, this approach was extended successfully to unprotected carbohydrates, including α-mannose, and it was demonstrated here how the interaction between carbohydrates and boronic acids can be combined with copper catalysis to achieve selective anomeric O-arylation.

Unexpected Oxidative Ring Opening of Electron-Rich 3-Aminobenzofurans into α-Ketoimines Derivatives.

An unexpected ring opening of 3-aminobenzofurans promoted by NaO tBu in hot toluene, leading to a variety of α-ketoimines, is described. In the presence of 3-iodobenzofurans, NaO tBu mediates the 3-aminobenzofurans ring opening via a possible radical pathway without the help of any external radical sources.

Pyrrolo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine Scaffolds through a Sequential Coupling of N-Tosylhydrazones with Imidazopyridines and Reductive Cadogan Annulation, Synthetic Scope, and Application.

A new strategy for the construction of 3-phenyl-1H-pyrrolo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine backbone is described. The reaction starts from the coupling between N-tosylhydrazones and 2-chloro-3-nitroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines leading to the formation of 3-nitro-2-(arylvinyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives. Optimization of Cadogan-reductive conditions allowed the conversion of the obtained nitro derivative to a new scaffold of the type 3-aryl-1H-pyrrolo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine. This method provides rapid access to new libraries in the context of diversity-oriented synthesis, which intends to generate small molecules with a large structure diversity in an efficient manner. Screening of the biological activity of the newly generated compounds leads to the identification of a new promising compound 5cc, which exhibits good antiproliferative activity in the submicromolar range against a human colon cancer cell line.

One-Pot Reaction between N-Tosylhydrazones and 2-Nitrobenzyl Bromide: Route to NH-Free C2-Arylindoles.

A one-pot Barluenga coupling between N-tosylhydrazones and nitro-benzyl bromide, followed by deoxygenation of ortho-nitrostyrenes, and subsequent cyclization has been developed, providing a new way to synthesize various C2-arylindoles. This method exhibits a good substrate scope and functional group tolerance, and it allows an access to NH-free indoles, which can present a potential utility in medicinal chemistry applications.

Efficient Buchwald-Hartwig-Migita Cross-Coupling for DNA Thioglycoconjugation.

An efficient method for the thioglycoconjugation of iodinated oligonucleotides by Buchwald-Hartwig-Migita cross-coupling under mild conditions is reported. The method enables divergent synthesis of many different functionalized thioglycosylated ODNs in good yields, without affecting the integrity of the other A, C, and G nucleobases.

One-Pot Synthesis of 2-Styrylindoles from Ortho-Substituted Chloroenynes.

A facile one-pot synthesis of 2-styrylindoles, through Suzuki arylation of ortho-substituted chloroenynes followed by N-cyclization and N-demethylation, has been developed. A variety of 2-styrylindoles were obtained in good to excellent yields and were evaluated for their anticancer properties.

Convergent Strategy to Dizocilpine MK-801 and Derivatives.

A convergent total synthesis of MK-801 has been achieved. Key synthetic transformations include a multicomponent Barbier-type reaction to construct the α-branched amine, a selective Heck α-coupling tactic to generate the exocyclic alkene skeleton, and a late-stage intramolecular hydroamination reaction between the exocyclic alkene and the secondary protected amine. The efficacy of this method was demonstrated by the synthesis of two news analogues substituted on the aromatic rings.

Convergent Synthesis of N,S-bis Glycosylquinolin-2-ones via a Pd-G3-XantPhos Precatalyst Catalysis.

Buchwald-Hartwig-Migita cross-coupling of 1-thiosugars with α- or ß-3-iodo-N-glycosylquinolin-2-ones has been accomplished under mild and operationally simple reaction conditions through the use of a Pd-G3 XantPhos palladacycle precatalyst. This new methodology has been successfully applied to a variety of α- or ß-mono-, di-, and poly-thiosugar derivatives to efficiently synthesize a series of α- or ß-N,S-bis-glycosyl quinolin-2-ones, which are difficult to synthesize by classical methods.

Synthesis of (1 → 2)-S-Linked Saccharides and S-Linked Glycoconjugates via a Palladium-G3-XantPhos Precatalyst Catalysis.

Buchwald-Hartwig-Migita cross-coupling of 1-thiosugars with 2-iodoglycals has been accomplished under mild and operationally simple reaction conditions through the use of Pd-G3 XantPhos palladacycle precatalyst. This new methodology has been successfully applied to a variety of α- or ß-mono-, di-, and polythiosugar derivatives to synthesize efficiently a series of (1 → 2)-S-linked thiosaccharides and S-linked glycoconjugates, which are difficult to synthesize by classical methods.