Novel multitarget directed ligands inspired by riluzole: A serendipitous synthesis of substituted benzo[b][1,4]thiazepines potentially useful as neuroprotective agents.

Riluzole, the first clinically approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), represents a successful example of a drug endowed with a multimodal mechanism of action. In recent years, different series of riluzole-based compounds have been reported, including several agents acting as Multi-Target-Directed Ligands (MTLDs) endowed with neuroprotective effects. Aiming at identical twin structures inspired by riluzole (2a-c), a synthetic procedure was planned, but the reactivity of the system took a different path, leading to the serendipitous isolation of benzo[b][1,4]thiazepines 3a-c and expanded intermediates N-cyano-benzo[b][1,4]thiazepines 4a-c, which were fully characterized. The newly obtained structures 3a-c, bearing riluzole key elements, were initially tested in an in vitro ischemia/reperfusion injury protocol, simulating the cerebral stroke. Results identified compound 3b as the most effective in reverting the injury caused by an ischemia-like condition, and its activity was comparable, or even higher than that of riluzole, exhibiting a concentration-dependent neuroprotective effect. Moreover, derivative 3b completely reverted the release of Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), lowering the values to those of the control slices. Based on its very promising pharmacological properties, compound 3b was then selected to assess its effects on voltage-dependent Na+ and K+ currents. The results indicated that derivative 3b induced a multifaceted inhibitory effect on voltage-gated currents in SH-SY5Y differentiated neurons, suggesting its possible applications in epilepsy and stroke management, other than ALS. Accordingly, brain penetration was also measured for 3b, as it represents an elegant example of a MTDL and opens the way to further ex-vivo and/or in-vivo characterization.

Systematic Modification of the Substitution Pattern of the 7-Hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-6-carboxamide Scaffold Enabled the Discovery of New Ligands with High Affinity and Selectivity for the Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor.

Selective ligands of the CB2 receptor are receiving considerable attention due to their potential as therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases. Recently, 7-hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-6-carboxamide derivatives were shown to act at the CB2 receptor either as agonists or as inverse agonists/antagonists in vitro and to have anti-osteoarthritic activity in vivo. In this article, we report the synthesis, pharmacological profile, and molecular modeling of a series of twenty-three new 7-hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-6-carboxamides with the aim of further developing this new class of selective CB2 ligands. In addition to these compounds, seven other analogs that had been previously synthesized were included in this study to better define the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Ten of the new compounds studied were found to be potent and selective ligands of the CB2 receptor, with Ki values ranging from 48.46 to 0.45 nM and CB1/CB2 selectivity indices (SI) ranging from >206 to >4739. In particular, compounds 54 and 55 were found to be high-affinity CB2 inverse agonists that were not active at all at the CB1 receptor, whereas 57 acted as an agonist. The functional activity profile of the compounds within this structural class depends mainly on the substitution pattern of the pyrazole ring.

Xanthopsin-Like Systems via Site-Specific Click-Functionalization of a Retinoic Acid Binding Protein.

The use of light-responsive proteins to control both living or synthetic cells, is at the core of the expanding fields of optogenetics and synthetic biology. It is thus apparent that a richer reaction toolbox for the preparation of such systems is of fundamental importance. Here, we provide a proof-of-principle demonstration that Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts can be employed to perform a facile site-specific, irreversible and diastereoselective click-functionalization of a lysine residue buried into a lipophilic binding pocket and yielding an unnatural chromophore with an extended π-system. In doing so we effectively open the path to the in vitro preparation of a library of synthetic proteins structurally reminiscent of xanthopsin eubacterial photoreceptors. We argue that such a library, made of variable unnatural chromophores inserted in an easy-to-mutate and crystallize retinoic acid transporter, significantly expand the scope of the recently introduced rhodopsin mimics as both optogenetic and "lab-on-a-molecule" tools.

Design, Synthesis and Characterization of a Visible-Light-Sensitive Molecular Switch and Its PEGylation Towards a Self-Assembling Molecule.

HBDI-like chromophores represent a novel set of biomimetic switches mimicking the fluorophore of the green fluorescent protein that are currently studied with the hope to expand the molecular switch/motor toolbox. However, until now members capable of absorbing visible light in their neutral (i. e. non-anionic) form have not been reported. In this contribution we report the preparation of an HBDI-like chromophore based on a 3-phenylbenzofulvene scaffold capable of absorbing blue light and photoisomerizing on the picosecond timescale. More specifically, we show that double-bond photoisomerization occurs in both the E-to-Z and Z-to-E directions and that these can be controlled by irradiating with blue and UV light, respectively. Finally, as a preliminary applicative result, we report the incorporation of the chromophore in an amphiphilic molecule and demonstrate the formation of a visible-light-sensitive nanoaggregated state in water.

An Easy Access to Furan-Fused Polyheterocyclic Systems.

Nitrostilbenes characterized by two different or differently substituted aryl moieties can be obtained from the initial ring-opening of 3-nitrobenzo[b]thiophene with amines. Such versatile building blocks couple the well-recognized double electrophilic reactivity of the nitrovinyl moiety (addition to the double bond, followed by, e.g., intramolecular replacement of the nitro group) with the possibility to exploit a conjugated system of double bonds within an electrocyclization process. Herein, nitrostilbenes are reacted with different aromatic enols provided by a double (carbon and oxygen) nucleophilicity, leading to novel, interesting naphthodihydrofurans. From these, as a viable application, aromatization and electrocyclization lead in turn to valuable polycondensed, fully aromatic O-heterocycles.

Laccase-Catalyzed 1,4-Dioxane-Mediated Synthesis of Belladine N-Oxides with Anti-Influenza A Virus Activity.

Belladine N-oxides active against influenza A virus have been synthetized by a novel laccase-catalyzed 1,4-dioxane-mediated oxidation of aromatic and side-chain modified belladine derivatives. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed the role of 1,4-dioxane as a co-oxidant. The reaction was chemo-selective, showing a high functional-group compatibility. The novel belladine N-oxides were active against influenza A virus, involving the early stage of the virus replication life cycle.

Synthesis of Polycyclic Fused Indoline Scaffolds through a Substrate-Guided Reactivity Switch.

Zn(II)-catalyzed divergent synthesis of functionalized polycyclic indolines through formal [3 + 2] and [4 + 2] cycloadditions of indoles with 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs) is reported. The nature and type of substituents of substrates are found to act as a chemical switch to trigger two distinct reaction pathways and to obtain two different types of products upon the influence of the same catalyst. The mechanism of both [4 + 2] and [3 + 2] cycloadditions was investigated and fully rationalized by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of novel selective COX-2 inhibitors: sulfide, sulfoxide, and sulfone derivatives of 1,5-diarylpyrrol-3-substituted scaffold.

A novel series of 1,5-diarylpyrrol-3-sulfur derivatives (10-12) was synthesized and characterized by NMR and mass spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The biological activity of these compounds was evaluated in in vitro and in vivo tests to assess their COX-2 inhibitory activity along with anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effect. Results showed that the bioisosteric transformation of previously reported alkoxyethyl ethers (9a-c) into the corresponding alkyl thioethers (10a-c) still leads to selective and active compounds being the COX-2 inhibitory activity for most of them in the low nanomolar range. The oxidation products of 10a,b were also investigated and both couple of sulfoxides (11a,b) and sulfones (12a,b) showed an appreciable COX-2 inhibitory activity. Molecular modeling studies were performed to investigate the binding mode of the representative compounds 10b, 11b, and 12b into COX-2 enzyme and to explore the potential site of metabolism of 10a and 10b due to the different in vivo efficacy. Among the developed compounds, compound 10b showed a significant in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity paving the way to develop novel anti-inflammatory drugs.

Divergent Approach to Thiazolylidene Derivatives: A Perspective on the Synthesis of a Heterocyclic Skeleton from ß-Amidothioamides Reactivity.

Herein we report a domino protocol able to reach regioselectively thiazolylidene systems by combining the reactive peculiarities of both ß-amidothioamides (ATAs) and 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs). Depending on the reaction conditions and/or the nature of the residue at C4 of the heterodiene system, ATAs can act as hetero-mononucleophiles or hetero-dinucleophiles in the diversified thiazolylidene ring assembly.

Anti-Selective Organocatalytic Michael Addition between Phenylacetaldehyde and Nitrostyrene.

Using the reaction between phenylacetaldehyde and nitrostyrene catalyzed by pyrrolidine as a simple model, we have studied the diastereochemical outcome of the organocatalytic Michael reactions between benzylic aldehydes and nitrostyrenes. We found that the anti adduct was obtained in high yield and diastereoselection as was demonstrated by the X-ray structure of the product. In situ NMR studies showed a different reaction pathway when compared to aliphatic aldehydes that yield the syn adduct as major isomer.

Phenylindenone isomers as divergent modulators of p38α MAP kinase.

Two new fluorophenylindenone derivatives were designed as potential p38α MAPK modulators by preserving the key interactions of the vicinal pyridine/fluorophenyl pharmacophore with the enzyme protein. Interestingly, these two fluorophenylindenone isomers showed divergent activities, with compound 6 behaving as an inhibitor and 5 as a putative activator. These results were rationalized by docking studies and molecular dynamics simulations in terms of stabilization of DFG loop, by compound 5 in a conformation more accessible to phosphorylation.

The in situ gas-phase formation of a C-glycoside ion obtained during electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A unique intramolecular mechanism involving an ion-molecule reaction.

RATIONALE: This study examines the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), in-source collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation and low-energy collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS/MS) of a synthetic pair of ß- and α-anomers of the amphiphilic cholesteryl polyethoxy neoglycolipids containing the 2-azido-2-deoxy-D-galactosyl-D-GalN3 moiety. We describe the novel and unique in situ gas-phase formation of a C-glycoside ion formed during all these gas-phase processes and propose a reasonable mechanism for its formation. METHODS: The synthetic amphiphilic glycolipids were composed of the 2-deoxy-2-azido-D-galactosyl moiety (GalN3, the hydrophilic part) covalently attached to a polyethoxy spacer which is covalently linked to the cholesteryl moiety (hydrophobic part). The 2-azido-2-deoxy-α- and ß-D-galactosyl-containing glycolipids were studied by in-time and in-space ESI-MS and CID-MS/MS in positive ion mode, with quadrupole ion trap (QIT), quadrupole-quadrupole-time-of-flight (QqTOF), and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) instruments. RESULTS: Conventional single-stage ESI-MS analysis showed the formation of the protonated molecule. During the single-stage ESI-MS analysis and the CID-MS/MS of the [M+H](+) and [M+NH4](+) adducts obtained from both glycolipid anomers, the presence of a series of specific product ions with different intensities was observed, consistent with the [C-glycoside+H-N2](+), [cholestadiene+H](+), 2-deoxy-2-D-azido-galactosyl [GalN3](+), [GalNH](+) and [sugar-Spacer+H](+) ions. CONCLUSIONS: The gas-phase formation of the [C-glycoside+H-N2](+) ion isolated from the glycolipid anomers was observed during both the ESI-MS of the glycolipids and the CID-MS/MS analyses of the [M+H](+) ions and it was found to occur by an intramolecular rearrangement involving an ion-molecule complex. CID-QqTOF-MS/MS and CID-FTICR-MS(2) analysis allowed the differentiation of the two glycolipid anomers and showed noticeable variation in the intensities of the product ions.

Evaluation of different methods of stunning/killing sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) by tissue stress/quality indicators.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect on the final product quality of certain innovative stunning/killing methods for sea bass as substitutes for the most common methods used by European farmers. The changes in tissue stress/quality parameters were monitored from the first hours after death and during the shelf life of the fish. Two trials were conducted in July and November on n. 231 sea bass stunned/killed by ice-water slurry, by single gas or mixture of gases in ice-water and by single- or two-stage electrical stunning/killing methods. Behavioural responses, stun/death time, rigor index, muscular and ocular pH, lactic acid, ATP and catabolites at death and within the 24 h after death were determined. In the November trial, the sensorial evaluation, rigor index, IMP, inosine, hypoxanthine, and K1 values were also evaluated during refrigerated storage until spoilage. The stunning/killing in ice-water appeared to induce low effects on the analysed parameters and preserve a good product quality as indicated by the highest pH and ATP values at death, the delayed full rigor onset and the 1 day longer shelf life (14 days) in comparison with the single- or two-stage electrical stunning/killing. The gas mixture addition provided a 40 % shortening of the time to obtain stunning/killing and 14 days of shelf life. The actual level of quality loss with the different killing conditions and the actual impact of a significant shortage of rigor mortis onset and pH drop on the possible pre-rigor filleting remain to be studied in depth.

Access to novel imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazine scaffolds by the combined use of a three-component reaction and a base-assisted intramolecular cyclization.

A novel and practical two-step approach to an intriguing class of imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazines with exocyclic C=X (X = CH2, O) bonds is described. The process utilizes a sequential three-component reaction of propargyl amine or aminoester, 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes and isothiocyanates to furnish functionalized 2-thiohydantoins which are transformed into thiohydantoin-fused tetrahydropyrazines by subsequent regioselective base-promoted cyclization.

Electrospray ion mobility mass spectrometry of positively charged sodium bis[2-ethythexyl)sulfosuccinate aggregates.

Collision cross-sections (CCS) of positively singly and multiply charged aggregates of the surfactant sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOTNa) in the gas phase have been measured by quadrupole ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Calibration of the observed drift times to the CCS of the AOTNa non-covalent aggregates was achieved by collecting, under the same experimental conditions, the drift times of a range of singly and multiply charged polyalanine peptides whose CCS had been obtained by conventional ion mobility spectrometry. Together with an obvious increase of the aggregate cross-section with the aggregation number, it was found that the aggregate cross-section increases with the charge state due to the sodium counterions steric effect and the augmented electrostatic repulsion. This finding is consistent with the result of a previous molecular dynamics study on positively charged AOTNa aggregates in the gas phase showing that, by increasing the charge state, the aggregates become progressively more oblate; implying a rise of their CCS. Moreover, the occurrence at each aggregation number and extra charge of a unique value of cross section points toward aggregates whose conformations do not show discernible shape change in the experiment time scale.

Multiple site-selective insertions of noncanonical amino acids into sequence-repetitive polypeptides.

A simple and efficient method is described for the introduction of noncanonical amino acids at multiple, defined sites within recombinant polypeptide sequences. Escherichia coli MRA30, a bacterial host strain with attenuated activity of release factor 1 (RF1), was assessed for its ability to support incorporation of a diverse range of noncanonical amino acids in response to multiple encoded amber (TAG) codons within genes derived from superfolder GFP and an elastin-mimetic protein polymer. Suppression efficiency and protein yield depended on the identity of the orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA(CUA) pair and the noncanonical amino acid. Elastin-mimetic protein polymers were prepared in which noncanonical amino acid derivatives were incorporated at up to 22 specific sites within the polypeptide sequence with high substitution efficiency. The identities and positions of the variant residues were confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis of the full-length polypeptides and proteolytic cleavage fragments from thermolysin digestion. The data suggest that this multisite suppression approach permits the preparation of protein-based materials in which novel chemical functionalities can be introduced at precisely defined positions within the polypeptide sequence.

Insights into diastereoisomeric characterization of tetrahydropyridazine amino acid derivatives: crystal structures and gas phase ion chemistry.

Structural, conformational properties, and gas phase reactivity of two representative diastereoisomeric members of a series of α,α-tetrahydropyridazine amino acid derivatives have been investigated by using X-ray crystallography, tandem mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations. Both diastereoisomers show an unusual screw-boat conformation of the tetrahydropyridazine ring. While protonated molecules mainly decompose in the gas phase by loss of acetamide, the main reactivity of the [M + Na](+) species consists of loss of PhNCO followed by acetamide and it is strictly dependent upon the stereochemistry of the parent compound. The most stable energy minimized structures obtained by theoretical calculations are in full agreement with the experimental data and allowed us to rationalize the gas phase reaction pathways.

A tri(ethylene glycol)-tethered Morita-Baylis-Hillman dimer in the formation of macrocyclic crown ether-paracyclophane hybrid structures.

A Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetate was dimerized by a click-chemistry Copper(i)-Catalysed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction employing a tri(ethylene glycol) diazide derivative to obtain a dimeric MBHA derivative. The reaction of this dimeric MBHA derivative with n-butylamine afforded a photoisomerizable macrocyclic crown ether-paracyclophane hybrid architecture that is potentially useful in a large variety of applications as well as those already well-known for crown ethers.

Reactivity of ethyl nitrosoacrylate toward pyrrole, indole and pyrrolo[3,2-c]carbazole: an experimental and theoretical study.

Nitrosoalkenes react with 8-methyl-1,6-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]carbazole to give both 2- and 3-alkylated products via hetero-Diels-Alder reaction followed by the cycloadduct ring-opening. Quantum chemical calculations, at DFT level of theory, were carried out to investigate the regioselectivity of the cycloaddition of ethyl nitrosoacrylate with 1,6-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]carbazoles as well as with pyrrole and indole, allowing a more comprehensive analysis of the reactivity pattern of nitrosoalkenes with five-membered heterocycles. Furthermore, theoretical calculations confirmed that ethyl nitrosoacrylate reacts with these heterocycles via a LUMOheterodiene-HOMOdienophile controlled cycloaddition. The reactivity of one of the oxime-functionalized 1,6-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]carbazole was explored and a new hexahydropyrido[4',3':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-c]carbazole system was obtained in high yield via a one-pot, two-step procedure.

Powerful approach to heterocyclic skeletal diversity by sequential three-component reaction of amines, isothiocyanates, and 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes.

By highly efficient, one-pot, three-component reactions, combining one set of 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs), primary amines, and isothiocyanates in a different sequential order of addition, heterocyclic skeletal diversity can be achieved. The key feature discriminating the different heterocyclic core formation is the availability of the N or S heteronucleophile to give the first Michael addition step affording regioselective substituted 2-thiohydantoins or 2-iminothiazolidinones. The hydrazone or enehydrazino side chain at the 5-position of both heterocycles represents a valuable functionality to reach novel 5-hydroxyethylidene derivatives difficult to obtain by other methods.