Asymmetric Synthesis of Vitamin D3 Analogues: Organocatalytic Desymmetrization Approach toward the A-Ring Precursor of Calcifediol.

A novel asymmetric synthesis has been developed for the construction of the A-ring of a chiral precursor to calcifediol. The highlights of this synthesis include (i) the introduction of the stereochemistry at the C5-position of the A-ring through the organocatalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of a prochiral cyclic anhydride using a bifunctional urea catalyst and (ii) the introduction of the exo-cyclic (Z)-dienol side chain by a tandem Claisen rearrangement/sulfoxide thermolysis of an allylic alcohol.

Discovery of piperidin-4-yl-aminopyrimidine derivatives as potent non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

A novel series of piperidin-4-yl-aminopyrimidine derivatives were designed fusing the pharmacophore templates of etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids our group previously described and piperidine-linked aminopyrimidines. Most compounds displayed significantly improved activity against wild-type HIV-1 with EC50 values in single-digit nanomolar concentrations compared to etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids. Selected compounds were also evaluated for activity against reverse transcriptase, and had lower IC50 values than that of nevirapine. The improved potency observed in this in vitro model of HIV RNA replication partly validates the mechanism by which this class of allosteric pyrimidine derivatives inhibits reverse transcriptase, and represents a remarkable step forward in the development of AIDS therapeutics.