Use of medicinal plants as a remedy against lymphatic filariasis: Current status and future prospect.

Despite the successes achieved so far with the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, there is still an appreciable number of lymphatic filarial patients who need alternative treatment and morbidity management strategies. The unresponsiveness of some cohorts to the drugs used in the mass drug administration program is currently raising a lot of questions and this needs urgent attention. Natural medicinal plants have a long-standing history of being effective against most disease conditions. Countries such as India have been able to integrate their natural plant remedies into the treatment of lymphatic filarial conditions, and the results are overwhelmingly positive. Components of Azadirachta indica A. Juss, Parkia biglobosa, Adansonia digitata, and Ocimum spp have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anticancerous, and antimicrobial activities in animal models. Therefore, this review calls for attention toward the use of natural plant components as an alternate treatment against lymphatic filariasis to help reduce the World Health Organization's burden of providing drugs for people in need of treatment every year.

Synthesis of Novel Stilbene-Coumarin Derivatives and Antifungal Screening of Monotes kerstingii-Specialized Metabolites Against Fusarium oxysporum.

Fusarium is one of the most toxigenic phytopathogens causing diseases and reduced agricultural productivity worldwide. Current chemical fungicides exhibit toxicity against non-target organisms, triggering negative environmental impact, and are a danger to consumers. In order to explore the chemical diversity of plants for potential antifungal applications, crude extract and fractions from Monotes kerstingii were screened for their activity against two multi-resistant Fusarium oxysporum strains: Fo32931 and Fo4287. Antifungal activity was evaluated by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by broth dilution of fermentative yeasts using kinetic OD600 nm reading by a spectrophotometer. The n-butanol fraction showed the best activity against Fo4287. We screened eleven previously reported natural compounds isolated from different fractions, and a stilbene-coumarin 5-[(1E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,7-dimethoxy-3-methyl-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one (1) was the most active compound against both strains. Compound 1 was employed as a nucleophile with a selection of electrophilic derivatizing agents to synthesize five novel stilbene-coumarin analogues. These semisynthetic derivatives showed moderate activity against Fo32931 with only prenylated derivative exhibiting activity comparable to the natural stilbene-coumarin (1), demonstrating the key role of the phenolic group.

Trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activity of six limonoids.

Six limonoids [kotschyienone A and B (1, 2), 7-deacetylgedunin (3), 7-deacetyl-7-oxogedunin (4), andirobin (5) and methyl angolensate (6)] were investigated for their trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activities using bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei and promastigotes of Leishmania major. Whereas all compounds showed anti-trypanosomal activity, only compounds 1-4 displayed anti-leishmanial activity. The 50% growth inhibition (GI50) values for the trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activity of the compounds ranged between 2.5 and 14.9 µM. Kotschyienone A (1) was found to be the most active compound with a minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) value of 10 µM and GI50 values between 2.5 and 2.9 µM. Only compounds 1 and 3 showed moderate cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells with MIC and GI50 values of 100 µM and 31.5-46.2 µM, respectively. Compound 1 was also found to show activity against intracellular amastigotes of L. major with a GI50 value of 1.5 µM. The results suggest that limonoids have potential as drug candidates for the development of new treatments against trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Asymmetric Oxidation of Enol Derivatives to α-Alkoxy Carbonyls Using Iminium Salt Catalysts: A Synthetic and Computational Study.

We report herein the first examples of asymmetric oxidation of enol ether and ester substrates using iminium salt organocatalysis, affording moderate to excellent enantioselectivities of up to 98% ee for tetralone-derived substrates in the α-hydroxyketone products. A comprehensive density functional theory study was undertaken to interpret the competing diastereoisomeric transition states in this example in order to identify the origins of enantioselectivity. The calculations, performed at the B3LYP/6-31G(D) level of theory, gave good agreement with the experimental results, in terms of the magnitude of the effects under the specified reaction conditions, and in terms of the preferential formation of the ( R)-enantiomer. Just one of the 30 characterized transition states dominates the enantioselectivity, which is attributed to the adoption of an orientation relative to stereochemical features of the chiral controlling element that combines a CH-π interaction between a CH2 group in the substrate and one of the aromatic rings of the biaryl section of the chiral auxiliary with a good alignment of the acetoxy group with the other biaryl ring, and places the smallest substituent on the alkene (a hydrogen atom) in the most sterically hindered position.

Upper-Rim Monofunctionalisation in the Synthesis of Triazole- and Disulfide-Linked Multicalix[4]- and -[6]arenes.

Covalently linked multiple calixarenes are valued in supramolecular chemistry. This work reports an easy and versatile synthetic route to covalently linked double and triple calix[4]arene and calix[6]arenes by a novel DMF-controlled selective alkylation of a convenient and readily available upper-rim dimethylaminomethyl-substituted tetrahydroxy and hexahydroxy calix[4]arene and -[6]arenes. Synthetic routes to upper-rim functionalised redox active disulfide-linked double-, tetra- and peptidohybrid-calixarenes employing either redox chemistry (CH2 SH) or thiolates (CH2 S- ) are also opened up from the same key starting material.

Discovery of Small Molecule WWP2 Ubiquitin Ligase Inhibitors.

We have screened small molecule libraries specifically for inhibitors that target WWP2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase associated with tumour outgrowth and spread. Selected hits demonstrated dose-dependent WWP2 inhibition, low micromolar IC50 values, and inhibition of PTEN substrate-specific ubiquitination. Binding to WWP2 was confirmed by ligand-based NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, we used a combination of STD NMR, the recently developed DEEP-STD NMR approach, and docking calculations, to propose for the first time an NMR-validated 3D molecular model of a WWP2-inhibitor complex. These first generation WWP2 inhibitors provide a molecular framework for informing organic synthetic approaches to improve activity and selectivity.

Unusual Nucleophilic Addition of Grignard Reagents in the Synthesis of 4-Amino-pyrimidines.

Pyrimidines have always received considerable attention because of their importance in synthesis and elucidation of biochemical roles, in particular that of vitamin B1. Herein, we describe a reaction pathway in a Grignard reagent-based synthesis of substituted pyrimidines. A general synthesis of α-keto-2-methyl-4-amino pyrimidines and their C6-substituted analogues from 4-amino-5-cyano-2-methylpyrimidine is reported. The presence of the nitrile substituent in the starting material also results in an unusual reaction pathway leading to C6-substituted 1,2-dihydropyrimidines. Grignard reagents that give normal pyrimidine products under standard reaction conditions can be switched to give dihydropyrimidines by holding the reaction at 0 °C before quenching.

Gaining Insight Into Reactivity Differences Between Malonic Acid Half Thioesters (MAHT) and Malonic Acid Half Oxyesters (MAHO).

An efficient two-step synthesis of structurally and functionally diverse thiophenol- and (cyclo)alkyl-derived malonic acid half thioesters (MAHTs) and phenol-derived malonic acid half oxyesters (MAHOs) has been achieved using cheap, readily available and easily handled starting materials. The synthesis of the MAHTs and MAHOs (the majority of which have not been previously reported) is readily scalable to afford gram quantities of product. In a hydrogen→deuterium exchange, an interesting stereoelectronic effect was observed when different aryl groups were incorporated. Significant changes in the rates of hydrogen→deuterium exchange and levels of isotope incorporation were observed. By way of example, using [2 H]methanol and 4-bromophenol-derived MAHO afforded only 14 % [2 H]-incorporation (9 min, k=31) whereas the corresponding 4-bromothiophenol-derived MAHT afforded 97 % [2 H]-incorporation (9 min, k=208). In a benchmark procedure and comprehensive DFT study, 54 ester and thioester configurations and conformations were characterized. In the MAHT series, a sulfur-containing molecular orbital provides a path for increased delocalisation of electron density into the enol that is unavailable in MAHOs. This facilitates keto-enol tautomerisation and consequently enhances the rate and percentage of hydrogen→deuterium exchange.

The Use of (-)-Sparteine/Organolithium Reagents for the Enantioselective Lithiation of 7,8-Dipropyltetrathia[7]helicene: Single and Double Kinetic Resolution Procedures.

The effect of organolithium reagent (RLi: R=nBu, iPr, sBu, tBu), solvent (diethyl ether, diethyl ether/THF and MTBE), and stoichiometry on the (-)-sparteine-mediated silylation of 7,8-dipropyltetrathia[7]helicene shows that, unusually, substantially more than 0.5 equivalent of RLi (R=iPr, sBu, tBu) and a large excess of (-)-sparteine (R=nBu, sBu) is often needed to achieve substantial conversions and good ee values. With nBuLi, however, just one equivalent of the organolithium reagent is sufficient to obtain high conversions. Our best results were obtained using the convenient tBuLi/(-)-sparteine adduct with which the need for a high (-)-sparteine/RLi ratio can be avoided. Single- and double-kinetic resolution (KR) procedures give enantiopure samples of 2-trimethylsilyl- and 2,13-di(trimethylsilyl)-7,8-dipropyltetrathia[7]helicene and two-step double-KR combining (-)-sparteine/sBuLi and chiral formamides affords the synthetically valuable 2-formyl-7,8-dipropyltetrathia[7]helicene. This is the first use of (-)-sparteine for the enantioselective lithiation of helicenes and the first report of tBuLi outperforming sBuLi in a (-)-sparteine-mediated procedure.

Novel Asymmetric Formylation of Aromatic Compounds: Enantioselective Synthesis of Formyl 7,8-Dipropyltetrathia[7]helicenes.

Asymmetric formylation of aromatic compounds is virtually unexplored. We report the synthesis and evaluation of a library including 20 new chiral formamides in the kinetic resolution of 7,8-dipropyltetrathia[7]helicene, affording the corresponding formyl- or diformylhelicenes in up to 73 % ee, making enantiopure compounds available by recrystallisation. With the N,N-disubstituted formamides used in this study, the best enantioselectivity has been achieved with R(1) =iPr, R(2) =Me, R(3) =H, R(4) =1-naphthyl or its 1-pyrenyl equivalent.

Malonic acid half oxyesters and thioesters: solvent-free synthesis and DFT analysis of their enols.

A much improved synthetic route to malonic acid half thioesters (MAHTs) and oxyesters (MAHOs), the easy incorporation of deuterium labeling expecially in MAHTs, and an unexpectedly large difference in enolization chemistry between MAHTs and MAHOs are reported. Density functional theory calculations explore the origins of this difference and identify an additional MAHT molecular orbital which increases delocalization between sulfur and the enol in both cisoid and transoid forms.

Stereochemical requirements of oxidative cyclizations in extended iterative organoiron-mediated routes to alkaloids.

Oxidative cyclization by reaction of benzylic and phenolic OH groups on tricarbonyl(η(4)-cyclohexa-1,3-diene)iron(0) complexes has been achieved with the hypervalent iodine oxidant PIFA which was shown to be compatible with the tricarbonyliron complex. The reaction proceeds with substrates with the nucleophilic substituent on the opposite face of the ligand to the iron. IBX gives efficient oxidation of the benzyl alcohol to the aldehyde in the presence of the Fe(CO)(3) group. Reduction of 1-arylcyclohexadienyliron(1+) complexes with sodium borohydride to access the endo series also gave a novel rearranged 2-aryl reduction product with a 5-endo OMe group. The cis relative stereochemistry of the oxidative cyclization product, the exo delivery of hydride to the 1-arylcyclohexadienyliron(1+) complex, and the 2-aryl-5-endo-methoxy relative stereochemistry of the rearranged product were proved by X-ray crystallography.

(2E)-N-(2-iodo-4,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-methylbut-2-enamide.

The title compound, C14H18INO, crystallizes as +sc/+sp/+sc 2-iodoanilide molecules (and racemic opposites) and shows significant intermolecular I...O interactions in the solid state, forming dimeric pairs about centres of symmetry. Under asymmetric Heck conditions, the S enantiomer of the dihydroindol-2-one was obtained using (R)-(+)-2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl [(R)-BINAP], suggesting a mechanism that proceeds by oxidative addition to give the title (P) enantiomer of the compound and pro-S coordination of the Re face of the alkene in a conformation similar to that defined crystallographically, except that rotation about the C-C bond of the butenyl group is required.

Electrophilic C12 building blocks for alkaloids: formal total synthesis of (+/-)-maritidine.

Silyl-protected benzyl alcohol derivatives and the salt 1 are used to form ortho-substituted C12 electrophilic organoiron building blocks which are converted into a spirocyclic cyclohexenone to complete a formal total synthesis of (+/-)-maritidine (5). The choice of TBDPS protection was shown to be better than TIPS and compatible with ipso nucleophile addition to form a quaternary center. The reaction sequence is the first example of a successful application in the synthesis of an arylcyclohexadienyliron complex with an ortho-carbon substituent in the position required for Amaryllidaceae alkaloids of this type.

Actinorhodin biosynthesis: structural requirements for post-PKS tailoring intermediates revealed by functional analysis of ActVI-ORF1 reductase.

Actinorhodin (ACT) produced by Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is an aromatic polyketide antibiotic, whose basic carbon skeleton is derived from type II polyketide synthase (PKS). Although an acyl carrier protein (ACP) serves as an anchor of nascent intermediates during chain elongation in the type II PKS complex, it generally remains unknown when an ACP-free intermediate is released from the complex to post-PKS modification ("tailoring") steps. In ACT biosynthesis, a stereospecific ketoreductase (RED1) encoded by actVI-ORF1 reduces the 3beta-keto group of a proposed bicyclic intermediate to an (S) secondary alcohol. The bicyclic intermediate is formed from the steps of PKS and its closely associated enzymes and lies at the interface toward ACT-tailoring steps. To clarify whether RED1 recognizes the ACP-bound bicyclic intermediate or the ACP-free bicyclic intermediate, recombinant RED1 was purified for enzymatic characterization. RED1 was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni-chelate and gel filtration column chromatographies to homogeneity in soluble form. Enzymatic studies in vitro on RED1 with synthetic analogues, in place of an unstable bicyclic intermediate, showed that RED1 recognizes 3-oxo-4-naphthylbutyric acid (ONBA) as a preferred substrate and not its N-acetylcysteamine thioester. This strongly suggests that RED1 recognizes ACP-free bicyclic beta-keto acid as the first committed intermediate of tailoring steps. Kinetic studies of RED1 showed high affinity with ONBA, consistent with the requirement for an efficient reduction of a labile beta-keto carboxylic acid. Interestingly, the methyl ester of ONBA acted as a competitive inhibitor of RED1, indicating the presence of strict substrate recognition toward the terminal acid functionality.

Selective synthesis and reactivity of eta5-arylcyclohexadienyliron complexes.

A series of aryl-substituted cyclohexadienyliron complexes have been prepared by a general procedure that determines regioselectivity by correctly positioning leaving groups in the precursor complexes. The aryl groups at 1-C or 2-C have been shown to be omega directing by the study of reactions with a representative range of nucleophiles, and these regioselectivity properties have been related to the spectroscopic properties of the cationic cyclohexadienyliron complexes. A high level of electron-donating substituents on the arene, or switching between the [Fe(CO)3] and [Fe(CO)2PPh3] series, reduces the minor ipso pathway, improving regiocontrol. Placing opposed directing groups in the arylcyclohexadienyliron complexes reverts reactivity to the ipso pathway with stabilised enolate nucleophiles, and when the additional directing group reinforces the effect of the aryl group, the ipso pathway is stopped.

Intramolecular asymmetric Heck reactions: evidence for dynamic kinetic resolution effects.

[reaction: see text] Enantioselectivity of the cyclization of 1 varies at different stages in the reaction. X-ray crystallography has shown that 1 exists as enantiomerically pure (M) and (P) chiral helical structures defined by the relative orientations of the arene, amide, and alkene. The relative rates of interconversion of the rotamers of 1 have been established, leading to mechanistic proposals to account for the variation of ee based on kinetic resolution effects.

Remarkably different structures and reaction mechanisms of ketoreductases for the opposite stereochemical control in the biosynthesis of BIQ antibiotics.

Two ketoreductases, RED1 and RED2, are involved in the biosynthesis of actinorhodin in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) and dihydrogranaticin in S. violaceoruber Tu22, respectively. They are responsible for the stereospecific reductions of the bicyclic intermediate to give (S)- or (R)-DNPA, although there is no similarity between their amino acid sequences. Biotransformation using synthetic analogous substrates revealed that the substrate specificities are quite different. Homology modelling studies and site directed mutagenesis showed remarkable differences in three-dimensional structures and catalytic mechanisms between RED1 and RED2.