Symmetric and asymmetric bolaamphiphiles from ascorbic acid.

The properties of novel bolaamphiphiles that carry epimers of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid and/or D-isoascorbic acid) as hydrophilic head groups, and an interconnecting aliphatic C(12) chain (DD, DL, and LL) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the solid state (anhydrous powders) and in aqueous dispersions as a function of the surfactant concentration. Upon heating, the aqueous dispersions undergo a phase transition from a hydrated semicrystalline "coagel" to a micellar phase. The results suggest that the headgroup chirality determines the formation of either inter- or intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the polar heads, which affect the phase behavior and structural properties of the nanoassemblies produced by these surfactants in water dispersions. The DSC data of aqueous dispersions were analyzed to obtain the size distribution of the pores in the coagel state.

Design, synthesis, and pharmacological characterization of novel spirocyclic quinuclidinyl-Δ2-isoxazoline derivatives as potent and selective agonists of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

A set of racemic spirocyclic quinuclidinyl-Δ(2)-isoxazoline derivatives was synthesized using a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition-based approach. Target compounds were assayed for binding affinity toward rat neuronal homomeric (α7) and heteromeric (α4ß2) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Δ(2) -Isoxazolines 3 a (3-Br), 6 a (3-OMe), 5 a (3-Ph), 8 a (3-OnPr), and 4 a (3-Me) were the ligands with the highest affinity for the α7 subtype (K(i) values equal to 13.5, 14.2, 25.0, 71.6, and 96.2 nM, respectively), and showed excellent α7 versus α4ß2 subtype selectivity. These compounds, tested in electrophysiological experiments against human α7 and α4ß2 receptors stably expressed in cell lines, behaved as partial α7 agonists with varying levels of potency. The two enantiomers of (±)-3-methoxy-1-oxa-2,7-diaza-7,10-ethanospiro[4.5]dec-2-ene sesquifumarate 6 a were prepared using (+)-dibenzoyl-L- or (-)-dibenzoyl-D-tartaric acid as resolving agents. Enantiomer (R)-(-)-6 a was found to be the eutomer, with K(i) values of 4.6 and 48.7 nM against rat and human α7 receptors, respectively.

Exploiting enzymatic regioselectivity: a facile methodology for the synthesis of polyhydroxylated hybrid compounds.

Polyhydroxylated hybrid molecules have been synthesized using a protocol based on the regioselective acylation of the target compounds with activated dicarboxylic acids catalyzed by Novozym-435. The procedure implies that the mixed ester derivatives prepared and isolated from the first esterification step act as acylating agents in the second esterification step.

Synthesis of novel chiral Δ2-isoxazoline derivatives related to ABT-418 and estimation of their affinity at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.

The enantiopure diastereomeric Δ2-isoxazoline derivatives (2S,5'R)-5a-10a and (2S,5'S)-5b, (2S,5'S)-9b, (2S,5'S)-11b, which are structural analogues of both ABT-418 2 and oxyimino ethers (S)-3 and (Z)-(S)-4, were synthesized through cycloaddition reactions involving nitrile oxides as 1,3-dipoles and (S)-N-Boc-2-vinylpyrrolidine-13 as the dipolarophile. The absolute configuration was unequivocally assigned to target compounds by means of an X-ray analysis. The derivatives under study were assayed at neuronal acetylcholine nicotinic receptors (nAChRs), where they showed a meaningful reduction in affinity at the heteromeric α4ß2 subtype when compared to the reference molecules. Conversely, anti (2S,5'S)-5b and syn (2S,5'R)-10a isomers showed an affinity for the α7 nAChRs comparable to that observed for the model compound ABT-418.

Intramolecular 1,6-addition to 2-pyridones. Mechanism and synthetic scope.

The scope and limitations of the intramolecular 1,6-addition of an enolate to a 2-pyridone moiety, a reaction that has found application in the synthesis of the lupin alkaloids, have been probed. This nucleophilic addition process has been shown to be reversible and favored in the case of (less stabilized) amide and lactam enolates, which readily form five- and six-membered bi-/tricyclic products. Alternative enolates (ketone, ester, thiolactam) and a variety of different acceptors (isoquinolinone, pyrimidinone, pyrazinone, pyridopyrazinone) have been evaluated, and a range of competing side reactions have been identified and characterized using various techniques, including in situ IR.

New analogues of epiboxidine incorporating the 4,5-dihydroisoxazole nucleus: synthesis, binding affinity at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and molecular modeling investigations.

A group of novel 4,5-dihydro-3-methylisoxazolyl derivatives, structurally related to epiboxidine (=(1R,4S,6S)-6-(3-methylisoxazol-5-yl)-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane), was prepared via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of acetonitrile oxide to different olefins. Target compounds 1a and 1b, 2a and 2b, 3, 4, and 5 were tested for affinity at neuronal nicotinic heteromeric (alpha4beta2) and homomeric (alpha7) acetylcholine receptors. Notably, diastereoisomers 1a and 1b were characterized by a massive drop of the affinity at the alpha4beta2 subtypes (K(i) values spanning the range 4.3-126 microM), when compared with that of epiboxidine (K(i)=0.6 nM). Therefore, the replacement of the 3-methylisoxazole ring of epiboxidine with the 4,5-dihydro-3-methylisoxazole nucleus is detrimental for the affinity at alpha4beta2 receptors. A comparable lack of affinity/selectivity for the two nAChR subtypes under study was evidenced for the remaining epiboxidine-related dihydroisoxazole derivatives 2a and 2b, and 3-5. Diastereoisomers 1a and 1b, and spirocyclic derivative 3 were docked into molecular models of the receptor subtypes under study, and their binding mode was compared with that of reference ligands endowed with high binding affinity.

Epiboxidine and novel-related analogues: a convenient synthetic approach and estimation of their affinity at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.

Racemic exo-epiboxidine 3, endo-epiboxidine 6, and the two unsaturated epiboxidine-related derivatives 7 and 8 were efficiently prepared taking advantage of a palladium-catalyzed Stille coupling as the key step in the reaction sequence. The target compounds were assayed for their binding affinity at neuronal alpha4beta2 and alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Epiboxidine 3 behaved as a high affinity alpha4beta2 ligand (K(i)=0.4 nM) and, interestingly, evidenced a relevant affinity also for the alpha7 subtype (K(i)=6 nM). Derivative 7, the closest analogue of 3 in this group, bound with lower affinity at both receptor subtypes (K(i)=50 nM for alpha4beta2 and K(i)=1.6 microM for alpha7) evidenced a gain in the alpha4beta2 versus alpha7 selectivity when compared with the model compound.