A dual mode 'turn-on' fluorescence-Raman (SERS) response probe based on a 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one scaffold for monitoring H2S levels in biological samples.

Discovery of the biological signaling roles of H2S has spurred great interest in developing reliable methods for its accurate detection and quantification. As considerable variation in its levels is seen during pathological conditions such as sepsis, real-time quantification methods have relevance in diagnosis as well. Of various approaches, reaction-based probes which respond through 'off-on' fluorescence emission remain the most studied. Since the intensity of emission is related to the analyte concentration in these measurements, the presence of built-in features which provide an opportunity for internal referencing will be advantageous. In view of this, a dual mode response system that senses H2S through characteristic fluorescence and Raman (SERS) signals based on a 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one scaffold was developed and is the main highlight of this report. This probe offers several advantages such as fast response (<1 min), and high selectivity and sensitivity with a detection limit of ∼7 nM. Imaging of H2S in HepG2 cells, making use of the SERS signal from the thiolysis product is also demonstrated.

Hybridization of the Pharmacophoric Features of Discoipyrrole C and Combretastatin A-4 toward New Anticancer Leads.

Pharmacophore hybridization is an attractive strategy to identify new leads against multifactorial diseases such as cancer. Based on literature analysis of compounds possessing 'vicinal diaryl' fragment in their structure, we considered Discoipyrroles A-D and Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) as possible components in hybrid design. Discoipyrrole C (Dis C) and CA-4 were used as reference compounds in these studies and their hybrids, in the form of 4,5-diaryl-1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-ones, were synthesized from suitable amino acid precursors though their ynone intermediates. Of these, the hybrid having exact substitution pattern as that of CA-4 showed better potency and selectivity than Dis C, but its activity was less compared to CA-4. This new analog disrupted interphase microtubules by inhibiting tubulin assembly by binding to the colchicine site, induced multipolar spindles, caused cell cycle block and apoptosis in HeLa cells. It also inhibited colony formation and migration of breast cancer cell lines.

Adenine Modification at C7 as a Viable Strategy to Potentiate the Antimalarial Activity of Quinolones.

Although many quinolones have shown promise as potent antimalarials, their clinical development has been slow due to poor performance in vivo. Insights into structural modifications that can improve their therapeutic potential will be very valuable in this vibrant area of research. Our studies involving a library of quinolones which vary in substitution pattern at N1, C3, C6 and C7 positions have shown that the presence of adenine moiety at C7 can bring a noticeable improvement in activity compared to other heterocyclic groups at this location. The most potent compound emerged from this study showed IC50 values of 0.38 µM and 0.75 µM against chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant (W2) strains, respectively. Docking analysis in the Qo site of cytochrome bc1 complex revealed the contribution of a key H-bonding interaction from the adenine unit in target binding. This corroborates with compound-induced loss of mitochondrial functions. These findings not only open avenues for further exploration of antimalarial potential of adenine-modified quinolones, but also suggests broader opportunities during lead-optimization against other antimalarial targets.

Delocalization Effects and Tunable Emission in a Class of Charged Cyclazines with Nitrogen on the Periphery.

A new class of cyclazine analogues with periphery reminiscent of an aza[10]annulene framework, tethered internally by an sp3 carbon, is presented. In depth structure analysis based on NMR and X-ray diffraction data gave a deeper insight into the effect of electron delocalization on their structure and properties. A characteristic change in chemical shift positions suggested an aromatic ring current in these systems. Attractive emission properties in solid and solution states involving charge transfer is another highlight.

Synthesis of new cyclazines and 4,5-diaryl-1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one units in discoipyrroles from indolizinone-DMAD cycloadducts.

The reaction of indolizinones with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate gave direct access to 3',8a-dihydrocyclopenta[hi]indolizin-8a-ol and 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one in good yields. The former skeleton is a precursor to cyclazines with nitrogen on the periphery, a hitherto un-accessed 10-π system. Their formation involves initial [4 + 2] or [8 + 2] modes of cycloadditions; the retro-Diels Alder reaction of the [4 + 2] cycloadduct leads to 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one, whereas [8 + 2] addition followed by π-reorganization leads to the azatricyle. Analysis of substituent effects on product distribution showed that electron donating groups on the C3-aryl ring promote the formation of the azatricycle preponderantly. Treatment of one of these azatricycles (3c) with HBF4 led to the formation of the corresponding 10e-aromatic species which was detected by NMR spectroscopy. In addition, formation of the 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one skeleton through the normal retro-Diels Alder pathway was employed in the total synthesis of Discoipyrrole C, which is a new lead against lung cancer.