Synthesis of the Paralytic Shellfish Poisons (+)-Gonyautoxin 2, (+)-Gonyautoxin 3, and (+)-11,11-Dihydroxysaxitoxin.

The paralytic shellfish poisons are a collection of guanidine-containing natural products that are biosynthesized by prokaryote and eukaryote marine organisms. These compounds bind and inhibit isoforms of the mammalian voltage-gated Na(+) ion channel at concentrations ranging from 10(-11) to 10(-5) M. Here, we describe the de novo synthesis of three paralytic shellfish poisons, gonyautoxin 2, gonyautoxin 3, and 11,11-dihydroxysaxitoxin. Key steps include a diastereoselective Pictet-Spengler reaction and an intramolecular amination of an N-guanidyl pyrrole by a sulfonyl guanidine. The IC50's of GTX 2, GTX 3, and 11,11-dhSTX have been measured against rat NaV1.4, and are found to be 22 nM, 15 nM, and 2.2 µM, respectively.

Evaluation of selective inhibitors of 11ß-HSD1 for the treatment of hypertension.

In an effort to understand the origin of blood-pressure lowering effects observed in recent clinical trials with 11ß-HSD1 inhibitors, we examined a set of 11ß-HSD1 inhibitors in a series of relevant in vitro and in vivo assays. Select 11ß-HSD1 inhibitors reduced blood pressure in our preclinical models but most or all of the blood pressure lowering may be mediated by a 11ß-HSD1 independent pathway.

Total synthesis of dolabelide C: a phosphate-mediated approach.

The first synthesis of dolabelide C (1), a cytotoxic marine macrolide, is reported utilizing a phosphate tether-mediated approach. Bicyclic phosphates (S,S,S(P))-5 and (R,R,R(P))-5 serve as the central building blocks for the construction of two major 1,3-anti-diol subunits in 1 through selective cleavage pathways, regioselective olefin reduction, and cross-metathesis. Overall, phosphate-mediated processes provided copious amounts of both major subunits allowing for a detailed RCM macrocyclization study to the 24-membered macrolactone 1.

A multifaceted phosphate tether: application to the C15-C30 subunit of dolabelides A-D.

Construction of the C15-C30 subunit of dolabelide utilizing a temporary phosphate tether is described. Two routes are reported that make use of the orthogonal protecting- and leaving-group properties innate to phosphate esters. One route relies on a selective terminal oxidation, while a second utilizes a CM/selective hydrogenation sequence. Both routes depend on a highly regio- and diastereoselective cuprate addition to set the requisite stereochemistry at C22.

Synthesis of novel and uniquely shaped 3-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-4-one derivatives by sequential Ugi/[2+2] ene-enone photocycloadditions.

[structure: see text]. We report a new methodology for the construction of novel and uniquely shaped 3-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-4-one derivatives by combining the Ugi multicomponent reaction with [2+2] enone-olefin photochemical transformations. The overall sequence is capable of creating up to five stereocenters; however, in most cases, only two diastereomers are observed.

Selective Formation of Functionalized α-Quaternary Malononitriles toward 5,5-Disubstituted Pyrrolopyrimidinones.

A modular, selective approach to complex α-tertiary substituted malononitriles is reported. The method takes advantage of ß-ester-substituted α,α-dinitrile alkenes as highly reactive, chemoselective electrophiles for 1,4-additions with organometallic nucleophiles to produce functionally and sterically dense all-carbon quaternary centers. In the presence of a chiral ester auxiliary bearing an aromatic ring, the 1,4-addition occurs with good to excellent selectivity due to favorable cation-π interactions. The highly functionalized malononitriles represent versatile building blocks and can be applied toward efficient, highly selective syntheses of 5,5-disubstituted pyrrolopyrimidinones.

Divalent activation in temporary phosphate tethers: highly selective cuprate displacement reactions.

Desymmetrization of a readily derived pseudo-C(2)-symmetric monocyclic phosphate via highly diastereoselective anti-S(N)2' allylic displacement reactions is reported. This method utilizes of a wide variety of zinc-derived organocuprates to afford E-1,2-syn-configured phosphate acid building blocks. Extension of this protocol to unsymmetric monocyclic phosphates exclusively yields 1,2-anti-configured products. Within this study, stereoelectronic factors, coupled with allylic strain, ultimately govern regio- and diastereoselective cuprate reactions, further substantiating the Corey mechanism for organocuprate additions into allylic esters. [reaction: see text]

Multivalent activation in temporary phosphate tethers: a new tether for small molecule synthesis.

[reaction: see text]. A new tether for small molecule synthesis is reported. This functionally active tether mediates the desymmetrization of a pseudo-C(2)-symmetric tris-allylic phosphate triester to generate a P-chiral bicyclo[4.3.1]phosphate containing ample steric and stereoelectronic differentiation for investigating chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective transformations. Overall, the method reported herein demonstrates a fundamentally new role of phosphates in synthesis and provides differentiated polyol building blocks for use in natural product synthesis.

Geographic variation in radon and associated lung cancer risk in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: Radon is an important risk factor for lung cancer. Here we use maps of the geographic variation in radon to estimate the lung cancer risk associated with living in high radon areas of Canada. METHODS: Geographic variation in radon was estimated using two mapping methods. The first used a Health Canada survey of 14,000 residential radon measurements aggregated to health regions, and the second, radon risk areas previously estimated from geology, sediment geochemistry and aerial gamma-ray spectrometry. Lung cancer risk associated with living in these radon areas was examined using a population-based case-control study of 2,390 lung cancer cases and 3,507 controls collected from 1994-1997 in eight Canadian provinces. Residential histories over a 20-year period were used in combination with the two mapping methods to estimate ecological radon exposures. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios for lung cancer incidence, after adjusting for a comprehensive set of individual and geographic covariates. RESULTS: Across health regions in Canada, significant variation in average residential radon concentrations (range: 16-386 Bq/m3) and in high geological-based radon areas (range: 0-100%) is present. In multivariate models, a 50 Bq/m3 increase in average health region radon was associated with a 7% (95% CI: -6-21%) increase in the odds of lung cancer. For every 10 years that individuals lived in high radon geological areas, the odds of lung cancer increased by 11% (95% CI: 1-23%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide further evidence that radon is an important risk factor for lung cancer and that risks are unevenly distributed across Canada.

P-heterocyclic building blocks: application to the stereoselective synthesis of P-sugars.

A strategy relying on the utilization of stereoselective additions to allyldiphenylphosphonate esters and subsequent ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to access P-chiral P-heterocyclic building blocks for the synthesis of phosphono sugars is described. These building blocks possess several attractive components, including the following: (i) P(2) and C(6) stereogenic centers for directing stereoselective transformations; (ii) an activated C(3) methylene group that promotes base-mediated olefin transposition to generate vinyl phosphonates available for further stereoselective reactions; and (iii) a P(2)-stereogenic center containing an exchangeable phosphonate ester armed to attenuate the "stereochemical environment" at phosphorus. Taken collectively, these attributes contribute to a concise method for the stereoselective synthesis of an array of P-sugars.