Synthesis and Cytotoxic Analysis of Novel Myrtenyl Grafted Pseudo-Peptides Revealed Potential Candidates for Anticancer Therapy.

Myrtenal is a natural monoterpene isolated from essential oils of several plants and their derivates have shown to have several biological properties including cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic activity of these derivates are being investigated for their antitumor effect leading to the development of potential anticancer agents. In this study, novels Myrtenyl grafted pseudo-peptides were designed, synthesized and functionally characterized as possible therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. Thirteen novel Myrtenyl grafted pseudo-peptides were prepared in high atom economy and efficiency by a classic Ugi-4CR and sequential post-modification. Their structures were confirmed by NMR, and ESI-MS, and its cytotoxic activity was evaluated in three cancer cell lines and primary CD4+ T cells at different proliferative cycles. Our results revealed that some of these compounds showed significant cytotoxicity against human gastric, breast and colon adenocarcinoma cells lines, but not against human dermal fibroblast cell line. Moreover, from the thirteen novel myrtenyl synthesized the compound (1R,5S)-N-{[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]methyl}-N-[2-(cyclohexylamino)-2-oxoethyl]-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene-2-carboxamide (3b) proved to be the best candidate in terms of acceptable EC50, and Emax values in cancer cell lines and at inducing cytotoxicity in CD4+ T cells undergoing active proliferation, without affecting non-proliferating T cells. Overall, the synthesis and characterization of our Myrtenyl derivates revealed novel potential anticancer candidates with selective cytotoxic activity.

New anionic cobalt complexes using highly hindered bis-amides with varying donor abilities as ligands.

Four potential tetradentate ligands of formulae 1,2-bis-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzamido)ethane (H(4)L(1), 1), 1,2-bis-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzamido)propane (H(4)L(2), 2), 1,2-bis-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzamido)benzene (H(4)L(3), 3) and 1,8-bis-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzamido)naphthalene (H(4)L(4), 4) have been prepared and the crystal structures of three of them (1, 3 and 4) determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The investigation of their complexing ability toward Co(II) afforded the compounds of formulae [Co(III)(L(3))Na(I)(H(2)O)(2)] (5), [Co(III)(L(n))Li(I)(H(2)O)2] with n = 1 (6), 2 (7) and 3 (8) and [Co(II)(L(4))Li(I)(2)] (9). Complexes 5-8 are square planar Co(III) species, as corroborated by the crystal structure of 5. In this compound, two amide-nitrogen and two phenolate-oxygen atoms of a fully deprotonated (L(3))(4-) anion build a slightly distorted square planar surrounding around the cobalt atom, the Co-N distances [1.858(3) and 1.861(3) A] being somewhat longer than the Co-O ones [1.798(3) and 1.801(3) A]. Magnetic and 1H NMR data at room temperature for 6-8 support the occurrence of an intermediate S = 1 low-lying state for the Co(III) center which is stabilized by the strong donating ability of the fully deprotonated bis-amidate ligands. In the case of the compound with the naphthalene derivative (9), the analytical and spectroscopic data suggest the occurrence of a low spin Co(II) complex. The weakening of the ligand field strength of the tetradentate bis-amidate ligand in the naphthalene derivative (5-6-5 ring-membered fused chelate) when compared to the situation in complexes 5-8 (5-5-5 ring-membered fused chelate) would account for this feature.

A unique tautomer of 1-n-hexyl-3-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ol.

In the title compound, C15H20N2O, the bond distances and angles are consistent with the presence of the hydroxy tautomer. This tautomer was unambiguously determined by the clear presence of a H atom bonded to oxygen, as well as the total absence of any residual electron density around the N atom in the heterocycle, thus precluding any possibility of desmotropism.

An oximino tautomer of 1-n-decyl-4-hydroxyimino-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one.

The title compound, C14H25N3O2, consists of a five-membered heterocyclic ring to which a pendant decyl group is attached. The oximino tautomeric character of the molecule is clearly defined by the distribution of well defined double bonds in the heterocycle region (one C=O and two C=N). The most conspicuous packing interaction is the strong intermolecular hydrogen bond linking the oximino OH group and the carbonyl O atom to define broad planar hydrophilic strips running along the unique b axis. The alkyl chains adopt a fully extended conformation and lie almost at right angles to these one-dimensional structures, defining their hydrophobic counterpart.

Bis{1-n-hexyl-3-methyl-4-[1-(phenylimino)propyl]-1H-pyrazol-5-olato}copper(II): a new copper(II) complex with a chelating alkylpyrazolone-based enamine.

The title compound, [Cu(C19H26N3O)2], is the first reported complex of the alkylpyrazolone-derived ligand 1-n-hexyl-3-methyl-4-[1-(phenylimino)propyl]-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one. The most notable feature is the imine-enol character presented by the ligand due to coordination, in spite of its enamine-ketone structure in the free state. The ligand chelates through N and O atoms, resulting in a square-planar coordination around the CuII atom, which lies on an inversion centre.

Two enamines derived from 1-n-alkyl-3-methylpyrazol-5-ones.

The first two crystal structures of enamines derived from 1-n-alkyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolones, namely 1-(n-hexyl)-3-methyl-4-[1-(phenylamino)propylidene]-2-pyrazolin-5-one, C19H27N3O, (I), and N,N'-bis[1-[1-(n-hexyl)-3-methyl-5-oxo-2-pyrazolin-4-ylidene]ethyl]hexane-1,6-diamine, C30H52N6O2, (II), are reported. The molecule of (II) lies about an inversion centre. Both (I) and (II) are stabilized by intramolecular N-H...O hydrogen bonding. This confirms previous results based on spectroscopic evidence alone.