Quinolone antimicrobial agents. 1. Versatile new synthesis of 1-alkyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids.

A flexible reaction sequence has been developed which starts with readily available anthranilic acids or isatoic anhydrides and leads regiospecifically to 1-alkyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids after reaction with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. The sequence is superior to earlier published methods by allowing electron-releasing and -withdrawing groups in any position on the aro;atic ring, by allowing convenient substitution at C2, and better overall yield. A number of new and known antimicrobial agents were prepared and tested in vitro, demonstrating, inter alia, that substitution of the H at C2 abolished antibacterial activity.

Total chemical synthesis and antitumor evaluation of the 9-aza analogue of N-(trifluoroacetyl)-4-demethoxydaunomycin.

The 9-aza analogue of N-(trifluoroacetyl)-4-demethoxydaunomycin has been synthesized from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde. Pomeranz-Fritsch condensation followed by borohydride reduction and acid-catalyzed cyclization led smoothly to 4-hydroxy-5,8-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline. Selective N-acetylation and subsequent Friedel-Crafts acylation with phthalic anhydride produced 2-acetyl-5,12-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydro-2-azanaphthacene-6,11-dione, which was protected as its dimethyl ether and epoxidized to an acylated aza Brigl's anhydride. This was converted to (+/-)-2-acetyl-4-hydroxy-5,12-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2- azanaphthacene-6,11-dione by dehydration to the 4-keto analogue followed by cyanoborohydride reduction either stepwise or in situ. The protecting groups were removed with boron trichloride and the resulting aglycone glycosidated with optically active N,O-bis(trifluoroacetyl)daunosamine bromide and silver trifluoromethanesulfonate. The resulting diastereoisomers were separated by column chromatography and their structures established by CD and NMR spectroscopy. Unexpectedly it was not possible to remove the N-trifluoroacetyl blocking group without aromatization to the azanaphthaquinone. Both (R)- and (S)-acetyl-4-O-[N-(trifluoroacetyl)daunosaminyl]-5,12-dihydroxy-2- azanaphthacene-6,11-dione were inactive ip in mice carrying the P388 tumor. Drugs were given at various concentrations on days 0, 5, and 9.

Quinolone antimicrobial agents. 2. Methylenedioxy positional isomers of oxolinic acid.

The synthesis and antimicrobial activity of the methylenedioxy positional isomers, 1-ethyl-1,4-dihydro-5,6-methylenedioxy-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid (9) and 1-ethyl-1,4-dihydro-7,8-methylenedioxy-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid (17), of oxolinic acid (18) have been accomplished. Isomer 9 was prepared by the reaction of N-ethyl-6,7-methylenedioxyisatoic anhydride with sodioethyl formylacetate [L. A. Mitscher, H. E. Gracey, G. W. Clark III, and T. Suzuki, J. Med. Chem., 21, 485 (1978)], while isomer 17 was prepared by thermal cyclization of diethyl 2-[(2,3-methylenedioxyanilino)methylene]malonate [D. Kaminsky and R. I. Meltzer, J. Med. Chem., 11, 160 (1968)]. Both of the new isomers are less active in vitro when compared to oxolinic acid (18) itself.

Chiral DNA gyrase inhibitors. 1. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of the enantiomers of 6-fluoro-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1-(2'-trans-phenyl-1'-cyclopropyl)-1, 4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid.

New quinolone antimicrobial agents (racemic, (1'S,2'R)- and (1'R,2'S)-6-fluoro-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1-(2'-trans-phenyl-1'-cyclopropyl)- 1, 4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids) were synthesized, and their in vitro antimicrobial potencies and spectra were determined. As compared to their conceptual parents, these agents retained a considerable amount of the antimicrobial potency and spectra of ciprofloxacin and of 6-fluoro-1-phenyl-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxy lic acid against Gram-positives. Gram-negatives were considerably less sensitive. The (-)-(1'S,2'R) analogue was the more potent of the enantiomers, but the degree of chiral discrimination by most bacteria was only 4-fold. The 4-fold chiral discrimination was observed also using purified DNA gyrase obtained from Micrococcus luteus, whereas the two enantiomers were essentially equiactive against the enzyme derived from Escherichia coli. These results confirm that there is a substantial degree of bulk tolerance available at N-1 of quinolone antimicrobial agents and suggest that electronic factors controlled by substitution at that site are of considerable importance. On the other hand, chiral recognition brought about by attachment of optically active groups to the N-1 position in these derivatives is relatively small.

Chiral DNA gyrase inhibitors. 2. Asymmetric synthesis and biological activity of the enantiomers of 9-fluoro-3-methyl-10-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-7-oxo-2,3-dihydro-7H- pyrido[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylic acid (ofloxacin).

A short and efficient synthesis, starting with (R)- and (S)-alaninol, of the two optical antipodes of the quinolone antimicrobial agent ofloxacin has been devised. Testing in vitro of the products against a range of bacteria and in an assay system incorporating purified DNA gyrase from different bacterial species demonstrates that the S-(-) enantiomer is substantially the more active.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes: structure-activity studies on juncusol.

The antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of a series of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes structurally related to juncusol (1a), a postulated phytoalexin with confirmed cytotoxic properties, are detailed. Two simple 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes, 2,7-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (2h, desvinyljuncusol) and 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (3h), were found to possess in vitro antimicrobial activity comparable with that of the natural product. Two 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes substituted with quaternary ammonium salts, 2d and 3d, each containing a reactive benzylic dimethyl[(phenylthio)methyl]ammonio group, were found to be 10-20 times more potent than juncusol (1a). Confirmed in vitro cytotoxic activity that parallels antimicrobial activity was found for juncusol (1a), desvinyljuncusol (2h), 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (3h), and the quaternary dimethyl[(phenylthio)methyl]ammonium salts 2d and 3d in a human lymphoblastic leukemia cell culture (CCRF-CEM, IC50 = nt, 9.3, nt, 0.9 and 1.4 microgram/mL, respectively), B-16 mouse melanoma cell culture (IC50 = 12.5, 17.5, 27.7, 0.3, and 0.5 microgram/mL, respectively), and L-1210 mouse lymphocytic leukemia cell culture (IC50 = 13.8, 10.2, 24.5, 1.3, and 3.7 micrograms/mL, respectively). The comparable potency and spectrum of activity of juncusol (1a), desvinyljuncusol (2h), and 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (3h) suggest that the agents are acting as simple phenols in exerting their antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects.

Total chemical synthesis and antitumor evaluation of 4-demethoxy-10,10-dimethyldaunomycin.

The novel anthracycline analogue 4-demethoxy-10,10-dimethyldaunomycin was prepared in nine chemical steps from 5,8-dimethoxy-2-tetralone. It proved to be inactive as an antitumor agent in the mouse P388 lymphocytic leukemia model.

Structure-activity relationships among DNA gyrase inhibitors. Synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,2-dihydro-4, 4-dimethyl-1-oxo-2-naphthalenecarboxylic acids as 1-carba bioisosteres of oxolinic acid.

A series of oxolinic acid analogues was synthesized in an attempt to evaluate the role, if any, played by the N-1 atom in putative modes of action of antimicrobial DNA gyrase inhibitors. Carba analogues were prepared because these have no possibility of an internal resonance contribution of the nitrogen atom and yet could otherwise satisfy electronic requirements of putative modes of action. Successful routes were developed involving Friedel-Craft's cycloaddition of suitable aromatic compounds with 4,4-dimethylbutyrolactone, followed by ethoxycarbonylation, oxidation with dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone, and careful saponification. The gem-dimethyl group of these analogues prevents aromatization at the cost of nonplanarity. Only the unsubstituted parent compound, 1,2-dihydro-4,4-dimethyl-1-oxo-2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid, possessed any appreciable antimicrobial activity in vitro. This may be due to a different mode of action, however, since gave no measurable inhibition of DNA gyrase in vitro. Thus, the N-1 atom plays a significant role in enzymic and bacteriological inhibition that cannot be compensated for by the presence of C-6 oxygen atoms.

Novel cytotoxic 3'-(tert-butyl) 3'-dephenyl analogs of paclitaxel and docetaxel.

3'-(tert-Butyl) 3'-dephenyl analogs of paclitaxel were synthesized from 10-deacetylbaccatin III and oxazolidinecarboxylic acid 7 followed by acylation of intermediate amines 10 and 11. Oxazolidinecarboxylic acid 7 was prepared in five steps and in good overall yield from L-tert-leucine. Twelve analogs were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro ability to stimulate the formation of microtubules and for their cytotoxicity against B16 melanoma cells. Amide, carbamate, urea, and thiourea congeners were prepared. The most potent derivatives found in this study are the docetaxel analog 13, the N-[(tert-amyloxy)carbonyl] analog 17, and the 3'-phenylurea and 3'-tert-butylurea derivatives 20 and 23. Six of these analogs were shown to be ca. 90 times more soluble in water than paclitaxel and ca. 4-5 times more water-soluble than docetaxel.

Butitaxel analogues: synthesis and structure-activity relationships.

N-Acyl analogues 8, 9, and 12-26 of butitaxel (3) were prepared in one or two steps from amines 5 and 6 through Schotten-Baumann acylation. Seventeen novel analogues, consisting of aliphatic carbamates, alicyclic amides, and heteroaromatic amides, were synthesized. They were evaluated for their in vitro ability to stimulate the formation of microtubules, their cytotoxicity toward B16 melanoma cells, and their solubility in water. The most potent analogue found in this study was N-debenzoyl-N-(2-thenoyl)butitaxel (20), possessing ca. 2-fold better tubulin assembly properties and cytotoxic activity against B16 melanoma cells than paclitaxel. Compound 20 was ca. 25 times more water soluble than paclitaxel.

Streptonigrin and lavendamycin partial structures. Probes for the minimum, potent pharmacophore of streptonigrin, lavendamycin, and synthetic quinoline-5,8-diones.

The preparation and evaluation of 7-amino-5,8-dioxo-2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline-6'-carboxylic acid (5a) and 7-amino-2-(2'-aminophenyl)-5,8-dioxoquinoline-5'-carboxylic acid (6a) constituting potential minimum, potent pharmacophores of streptonigrin (1a) and lavendamycin (2a), two structurally related naturally occurring antitumor antibiotics, are detailed. In contrast to observations associated with streptonigrin and lavendamycin in which the C-ring C-6' carboxylic acid potentiates the antitumor, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties of the naturally occurring, substituted 7-aminoquinoline-5,8-dione AB ring systems, the C-6'/C-5' carboxylic acid of 5a/6a diminishes the observed antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of the 2-(2'-pyridyl)- and 2-(2'-aminophenyl)-7-aminoquinoline-5,8-diones. A direct comparison of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of a complete set of streptonigrin and lavendamycin partial structures is detailed in efforts to define the role peripheral substituents play in potentiating the biological properties of the naturally occurring and synthetic agents bearing the 7-aminoquinoline-5,8-dione AB ring system and in efforts to define the minimum, potent pharmacophore of the naturally occurring antitumor antibiotics. The relationship of these observations to a chemical mechanism of cellular toxicity is discussed.

A simple, inexpensive apparatus for performance of preparative scale solution phase multiple parallel synthesis of drug analogs. I. Preparation of a retrospective library of quinolone antiinfective agents.

A simple inexpensive apparatus is described consisting of conveniently commercially available components which is suitable for the solution phase multiple parallel synthesis of 24-72 analogs of drug-like molecules. The use of the apparatus is illustrated by preparation of a retrospective library of over 100 analogs of antimicrobial fluoroquinolones prepared in 0% to quantitative yields. Each analog was prepared in up to 150 mg quantity and each was analyzed by NMR and mass spectrometric techniques to verify its purity and identity.

A simple, inexpensive apparatus for performance of preparative scale solution phase multiple parallel synthesis of drug analogs. II. Biological evaluation of a retrospective library of quinolone antiinfective agents.

A series of pure fluoroquinolone antiinfective agents was prepared by multiple parallel synthesis using a simple new apparatus. These compounds were evaluated biologically against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms and against a BCG strain transfected with luciferase in a fluorescence-based antitubercular assay. Activity against relatively fast growing, acid-fast Mycobacterium smegmatis was determined in part by agar-dilution streak assays. Data obtained against Escherichia coli-derived DNA gyrase does not correlate well with whole cell assays against E. coli. These compounds were assayed by a convenient glass-fiber filter binding method modified for high throughput screening. In these analogs, the results with a N-1 cyclopropyl substituent were often inferior to those obtained with a N-1 2',4'-difluorophenyl substituent. None of the new compounds prepared was superior in its antimycobacterial potency to ciprofloxacin or temafloxacin.

Rate and proposed mechanism of anhydrotetracycline epimerization in acid solution.

The pathway through which the toxic tetracycline degradation product epianhydrotetracycline forms in solution was studied using high-performance liquid chromatography and circular dichroism, taking advantage of the large difference in ellipticity between the reactant and the product at 285 nm. The epimerization of anhydrotetracycline followed a reversible first-order process, and both analytical methods yielded the same rate constants. The rate constants indicate that anhydrotetracycline epimerization is faster than tetracycline epimerization. The equilibrium favored anhydrotetracycline, and the activation energies for the forward and reverse rates were almost the same as those for tetracycline epimerization. The epimerization was catalyzed by phosphate. Activation energies in 0.1 and 1 M phosphate were essentially the same. The equilibrium constants for both anhydrotetracycline and tetracycline favored the natural configuration rather than the epi series. Possible rationalization based on conformational and hydrogen bonding effects is presented.

Natural antimutagenic agents.

Following a brief review of recent discoveries in the field of natural antimutagenic and tumor chemopreventive agents, contemporary findings in the author's laboratories employing the direct acting mutagen, ethyl methanesulfonate, in modified Ames tests and eukaryotic murine FM3A mammary tumor cells modified to be subject to thymidine-less death are described to illustrate the underlying principles. The EMS studies are illustrated with the isolation of the novel antimutagen, plicatin B, from the medicinal plants, Psoralea juncaea and P. plicata. The FM3A studies are carried out with extracts of Styrax asiatica, a plant previously studied extensively with the EMS system. The FM3A findings closely parallel the earlier work with EMS showing that the responsible agents, cinnamic acid, cinnamoyl ricinoleate and cinnamoyl cinnamate are effective both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic tests and that the new FM3A assay system has useful properties for screening and assay of novel antimutagenic agents.

Glycyrrhiza glabra extract as an effector of interception in Escherichia coli K12+.

Glycyrrhiza glabra polar lipid extract contains a number of flavonoids and related chemical compounds. Studies on the effectiveness of Glycyrrhiza glabra polar lipid extract in intercepting reactive molecules generated from the illumination of the photosensitizers rose bengal and phenosafranin indicate that it is effective in preventing cytotoxicity against E. coli K12+ in a dose-related fashion using illuminated rose bengal. Since only a modest scavenging of singlet oxygen generated from phenosafranin is observed, the effects of the extracts are less related to singlet oxygen-mediated oxidation of substrate (type II reactions) than non-singlet oxygen-mediated oxidation of substrate (type I reactions). Elevated levels of glutathione observed in exponentially growing cells of E. coli K12 were also observed.

Antimutagenicity of secondary metabolites from higher plants.

Higher plants contain both mutagens and antimutagens and are susceptible to mutagenesis but screening programs for detection of antimutagenesis rarely employ higher plant systems. Short-term bacterial and mammalian tissue culture systems are the norm. Using modified screening tests for detecting antimutagenic agents, higher plants have been shown to contain a variety of structurally novel antimutagenic agents. Systematic bioassay-directed methodology resulted in the isolation in pure form and biological and chemical characterization of the responsible individual active components from various plants. The methodology in use is illustrated by the isolation of cinnamic acid, cinnamyl cinnamate and cinnamyl ricinoleate as the active constituents of the classic medicinal plant product, Styrax asiatica. The methods which may be used to reveal structure-activity relationships and to explore putative molecular modes of action are illustrated with excerpts from the same study.

The ability of certain antimutagenic agents to prevent development of antibiotic resistance.

Resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents has now become a prominent fact of contemporary life. It is believed that poor patient compliance, e.g. interrupted or premature cessation of therapy; and misuse or abuse of antibiotics, e.g. wrong antibiotic or insufficient dose, play important roles in resistance development. We present evidence that, this form of resistance often stems from spontaneous mutations accompanied by the positive selecting pressure of the doses of antibiotics being between the MIC and MBC levels. A number of antimutagenic agents, e.g. green tea catechins, and other antioxidants, etc. are able to suppress the emergence of resistance. In many cases, these agents are capable of exerting these effects at doses which by themselves produce no visible effect on growth. In a number of cases antimutagenic substances capable of preventing resistance emergence are present in normal food stuffs. These effects are exerted against resistance to tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides and the like. The implications of these laboratory findings for practical chemotherapy are discussed.

Antimutagenic activity of extracts of leaves of four common edible vegetable plants in Nigeria (west Africa).

Organic solvent extracts of leaves of 4 common edible vegetable plants--Bryophyllum pinnatum, Dialium guincense, Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina--had inhibitory activity for His- to His+ reverse-mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate acting on Salmonella typhimurium TA100. The concentrated ethyl acetate, methanol and petroleum ether extracts were heat-stable when dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. The Bryophyllum ethyl acetate extract was fractionated into alkaloidal/water-soluble, acids, polar lipid and non-polar lipid fractions. The polar and non-polar lipid fractions inhibited reversion mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate acting on TA100 or TA102, and were also active against reversions induced by 4-nitro-O-phenylenediamine and 2-aminofluorene in TA98. The alkaloidal/water-soluble and the acid fractions had no appreciable antimutagenic activities.

University education of medicinal chemists: comparison of eight countries.

Medicinal chemists are mainly taught in faculties or schools of pharmacy and are available for employment. Yet major pharmaceutical research companies seek organic chemists, rather than medicinal chemists, for new drug discovery. This apparent contradiction led the Medicinal Chemistry Section of IUPAC to send a questionnaire regarding postgraduate academic education for medicinal chemists to the faculties or schools of pharmacy in eight countries, namely, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA. The questionnaire aimed to elicit information about postgraduate medicinal chemistry students, their courses and training, and the occupations taken up after graduation. The replies representing 109 medicinal chemistry departments or sections have been analysed and the results are presented to provide a data base on modern medicinal chemistry curricula for comparative purposes. The information should help guide discussion of the optimum paths to be followed by students in preparation for their careers. The evidence suggests that academic training of medicinal chemists equips them to enter a wide range of occupations, many of which are in industry.