2-Phenylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine derivatives highly active against Haemonchus contortus.

A series of 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus. The most active compounds had in vitro LD(99) values of 30nM, which is comparable to that of the benchmark commercial nematocide, Ivermectin.

Zinc is not required for activity of TPO agonists acting at the c-Mpl receptor transmembrane domain.

Molecules that mimic the cytokine thrombopoietin that act by an atypical mechanism of binding to a receptor transmembrane (TM) domain are widely understood to require zinc for their biological activity. We investigated potent thrombopoietin mimetics from three chemical classes including the recently registered drug Eltrombopag, which operate via this novel mechanism, to determine whether zinc is essential for inducing cell proliferation. Using addition of zinc and a potent metal chelator, we show that the existing paradigm is incorrect and the compounds exhibit excellent thrombopoietin-mimetic activity even in the presence of high concentrations of EDTA. The implications of these findings for the mechanism of action are discussed.

Applications of High-Temperature Aqueous Media for Synthetic Organic Reactions.

Preparative organic synthesis was investigated in aqueous media at temperatures up to 300 degrees C. Experiments were conducted with a recently disclosed pressurized microwave batch reactor (MBR) or in conventionally heated autoclaves. Thirty-six examples are presented. Among these, methods were developed for a Fischer synthesis, an intramolecular aldol condensation that was scaled up, decarboxylation of indole-2-carboxylic acid, Rupe rearrangement of 1-ethynyl-1-cyclohexanol, isomerization of carvone to carvacrol, and conversion of phenylacetylene to acetophenone. The applicability of high-temperature water was also demonstrated for biomimetic processes important in food, flavor, and aroma chemistry and for tandem reactions such as formation of 2-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran from allyl phenyl ether. When addition of acid or base was necessary, less agent was usually required for high-temperature processes than for those at and below boiling, and the reactions often proceeded more selectively. In some instances the requirement was orders of magnitude lower, with obvious consequences for safe, economic processing and for lowering costs of effluent disposal. The diversity of reactions indicates that high-temperature aqueous media could play an increasingly important role in the development of new preparative processes.

Reactions of Allyl Phenyl Ether in High-Temperature Water with Conventional and Microwave Heating.

In a systematic study, allyl phenyl ether (1) was heated in water for 1 h at temperatures of 180 degrees C and above. Parallel experiments were conducted with a conventionally heated autoclave and a recently developed microwave batch reactor. Relatively modest temperature differences resulted in diverse product distributions, and these were independent of the method of heating. Maximum conversion of 1 to 2-allylphenol occurred at 200 degrees C (56%) and to 2-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran at 250 degrees C (72%). Although 2-(2-hydroxyprop-1-yl)phenol comprised less than 1% of the product mixture at both 180 and 260 degrees C, it accounted for 37% at 230 degrees C. The reaction sequence was investigated by heating intermediates individually at selected temperatures up to 290 degrees C. Hydration of 2-allylphenol to 2-(2-hydroxyprop-1-yl)phenol was partially reversible. The work showed that high-temperature water constitutes an environmentally benign alternative to the use of acid catalysts or organic solvents and offers scope for interconversion of alcohols and alkenes.