Synthesis and SAR of thieno[3,2-b]pyridinyl urea derivatives as urotensin-II receptor antagonists

The preparation and SAR profile of thieno[3,2-b]pyridinyl urea derivatives as novel and potent urotensin-II receptor antagonists are described. An activity optimization study, probing the effects of substituents on thieno[3,2-b]pyridinyl core and benzyl group of the piperidinyl moiety, led to the identification of p-fluorobenzyl substituted thieno[3,2-b]pyridinyl urea 6n as a highly potent UT antagonist with an IC₅₀ value of 13 nM. Although 6n displays good metabolic stability and low hERG binding activity, it has an unacceptable oral bioavailability.     

Synthesis of new thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives as pim-1 inhibitors

Three series of 5-bromo-thieno[2,3-b]pyridines bearing amide or benzoyl groups at position 2 were prepared as pim-1 inhibitors. All the prepared compounds were tested for their pim-1 enzyme inhibitory activity. Two compounds (3c and 5b) showed moderate pim-1 inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ of 35.7 and 12.71?μM, respectively. Three other compounds (3d, 3g and 6d) showed poor pim-1 inhibition. The most active compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity on five cell lines [MCF7, HEPG2, HCT116, A549 and PC3]. Compound 3g was the most potent cytotoxic agent on almost all the cell lines tested.     

Novel cyano- and amidino-substituted derivatives of thieno[2,3-b]- and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2-carboxanilides and thieno[3',2':4,5]thieno- and thieno[2',3':4,5]thieno [2,3-c]quinolones: synthesis, photochemical synthesis, DNA binding, and antitumor evaluation

A series of cyano- and amidino-substituted derivatives of thieno[2,3-b]- and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2-carboxanilides and their 'cyclic' derivatives (quinolones) were synthesized. 'Cyclic' compounds displayed a rather strong and differential antiproliferative effect on various cell lines, while the 'acyclic' amidino-substituted compounds were much more active, but showing mostly non-differential cytotoxicity, whereas cyano-substituted compounds (2a,b) produced a strikingly strong effect selectively on HeLa and Hep-2 cell lines. Antiproliferative activity of 'cyclic' derivatives is very likely caused by intercalation into DNA, while their 'acyclic' analogues use other target(s) and/or mechanisms of action.     

Synthesis and antidiabetic activity of 2,5-disubstituted-3-imidazol-2-yl-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines and thieno[2,3-b]pyridines

In the present investigation, two series of 2,5-disubstituted-3-imidazol-2-yl-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines (2a-l) and thieno[2,3-b]pyridines (3a-l) were designed as analogs of BL 11282 (1). The in vitro glucose dependent insulinotropic activity of all the test compounds was evaluated using RIN5F cell based assay and all the test compounds showed glucose and concentration dependent insulin secretion. The in vivo antidiabetic activities of most potent compounds from each series (2c and 3c) were assessed in C57BL/6J mice. Compounds 2c and 3c showed dose dependent insulin secretion and significant glucose reduction in vivo. In general, compounds 2c and 3c were found to be equipotent at all the three different doses selected and with respect to BL 11282, both the test compounds were found to be more potent, at all the time points.     

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives as novel c-Src inhibitors

Among the recently investigated targets for cancer therapy is the c-Src non-receptor tyrosine kinase. Indeed research around deregulated activity of this enzyme has proven its role in tumor progression, while the beneficial effects of c-Src inhibitors in several pathological models has also been demonstrated. We report here the preparation and pharmacological profile of a novel series of c-Src inhibitors that was elaborated around a 3-amino-thieno[2,3-b]pyridine discovered during an HTS campaign. c-Src enzyme inhibition and c-Src inhibition were investigated in a series of related compounds derived from the initial hit. Molecular modeling as well as X-ray studies on one active compound allowed us to hypothesize on ligand orientation and interactions within the ATP hydrophobic pocket. Design and synthesis of structural analogs then led to new ligands possessing quite efficient enzymatic and c-Src inhibition. The structure-activity elements disclosed in this study shed light on the role played by substituents on the thienopyridine ring as well as the impact of other aromatic moieties in the molecule when interacting with the enzyme.     

Synthesis of substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides, [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]quinoline-4-carboxamides and 10H-quindoline-4-carboxamides: evaluation of structure-activity relationships for cytotoxicity

New substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides, [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]quinoline-4-carboxamides and 10H-quindoline-4-carboxamides were prepared from methyl 2-amino-3-formylbenzoate by a new Friedlander synthesis. Evaluation of these carboxamides for cytotoxicity in a panel of cell lines showed that small lipophilic substituents in the non-carboxamide ring, in a pseudo-peri position to the side chain, significantly increased cytotoxic potency while retaining a pattern of cytotoxicity consistent with a non-topo II mode of action. The methyl-substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamide demonstrated substantial effectiveness (20-day growth delays) in a sub-cutaneous colon 38 in vivo tumor model. This is comparable to that reported for the dual topo I/II inhibitor DACA that is in clinical trial.     

The Knoevenagel reactions of pregnenolone with cyanomethylene reagents: Synthesis of thiophene,thieno[2,3-b]pyridine,thieno[3,2-d]isoxazole derivatives of pregnenolone and their in vitro cytotoxicity towards tumor and normal cell lines

The reaction of pregnenolone with either 2-aminoprop-1-ene-1,1,3-tricarbonitrile or 3-oxo-3-phenylpropanenitrile gave the Knoevenagel condensation products 3 and 6, respectively. Separation of the E and Z isomeric compounds of 3 and 6 together with their structure elucidation were carried out. Some chemical transformations of the latter products were carried out and the cytotoxicity of the newly obtained products was evaluated against some cancer cell lines and a human normal cell line. The results indicated that compounds 15, 17a, 18 and 20e among the tested compounds showed the highest cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines.     

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of 6,11-dihydro-pyrido- and 6,11-dihydro-benzo[2,3-b]phenazine-6,11-dione derivatives

6,11-Dihydro-pyrido[2,3-b]phenazine-6,11-diones and 6,11-dihydro-benzo[2,3-b]phenazine-6,11-diones were synthesized from 6,7-dichloro-5,8-quinolinedione and 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone. The study on the cytotoxicity on these products revealed that the pyridophenazinediones, tetracyclic heteroquinone analogues with three nitrogen atoms exhibited a high cytotoxicity on several human tumor cell lines. Compound 9c and 9e showed in vitro antitumor activity comparable or superior to doxorubicin against the human ovarian tumor cells (SK-OV-3) and the human CNS cells (XF 498). The IC(50) value for compound 9e was 0.06 microM against the human CNS cells (XF 498), which was 2.6 times higher than that (0.16 microM) of doxorubicin. In addition, the X-ray crystallographic analysis of two phenazinedione derivatives (9b,c) showed clearly the exact position of the nucleophilic substitution of 6,7-dichloro-5,8-quinolinedione.     

Synthesis of octahydropyrano[3,2-b]pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid derivatives from D-mannose

Bicyclic amino acids are useful building blocks in synthesizing biologically active molecules and peptidomimetics. 2-Carboxy-6-hydroxyloctahydroindole (Choi) is a novel bicyclic amino acid found in the marine natural products aeruginosins. Many compounds in the aeruginosin family exhibit inhibition activities toward serine proteases including thrombin and trypsin. The unique Choi structure is the common feature of this family of oligopeptides and this motif is important for their observed biological activities. To better understand the influence of the stereochemistry of the Choi core structure on the inhibition activities, we have previously synthesized ring-oxygenated variants from glucose. The preparation of octahydro-pyrano[3,2-b]pyrrole 2-carboxylic acids from d-mannose is reported here. These novel bicyclic amino acids can be used in the preparation of aeruginosin analogs, as well as conformationally constrained peptidomimetics or other biologically active molecules.     

DNA interaction and cytotoxicity of a new series of indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline and pyridopyrazino[2,3-b]indole derivatives.

Absorption, melting temperature and linear dichroism measurements were performed to investigate the interaction with DNA of a series of 16 tricyclic and tetracyclic compounds related to the antiviral agent B-220. The relative DNA affinity of the test compounds containing an indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline, pyridopyrazino[2,3-b]indoles or pyrazino[2,3-b]indole planar chromophore varies significantly depending on the nature of the side chain grafted onto the indole nitrogen. Compounds with a dimethylaminoethyl chain strongly bind to DNA and exhibit a preference for GC-rich DNA sequences, as revealed by DNase I footprinting. Weaker DNA interactions were detected with those bearing a morpholinoethyl side chain. The incorporation of a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl side chain does not reinforce the DNA interaction compared with the unsubstituted analogues. Both the DNA relaxation assay and cytotoxicity study using two human leukemia cell lines sensitive (HL-60) or resistant (HL-60/MX2) to the antitumor drug mitoxantrone, indicate that topoisomerase II is not a privileged target for the test compounds which only weakly interfere with the catalytic activity of the DNA cleaving enzyme. Cytometry studies showed that the most cytotoxic compounds induce a massive accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Collectively, the data show a relationship between DNA binding and cytotoxicity in the indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline series.     

Inhibition of eEF2-K by thieno[2,3-b]pyridine analogues

Several series of thieno[2-3-b]pyridine analogues were synthesized and screened for inhibitory activity against eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2-K). Modifications around several regions of the lead molecules were made, with a ring fusion adjacent to the nitrogen on the thienopyridine core being critical for activity. The most active compound 34 shows an IC₅₀ of 170 nM against eEF2-K in vitro.     

Synthesis and anti-tumor activity of [1,4] dioxino [2,3-f] quinazoline derivatives as dual inhibitors of c-Met and VEGFR-2

Both c-Met and VEGFR-2 were important targets for cancer therapies. In order to develop reversible and non-covalent c-Met and VEGFR-2 dual inhibitors, a series of [1,4]dioxino[2,3-f]quinazoline derivatives were designed and synthesized. The enzyme assay demonstrated that most target compounds had inhibition potency on both c-Met and VEGFR-2 with IC₅₀ values in nanomolar range especially compounds 7m and 7k. Based on further cell proliferation assay in vitro, compound 7k showed significantly anti-tumor activity in vivo on a hepatocellular carcinoma (MHCC97H cells) xenograft mouse model. We docked the compound 7m with c-Met and VEGFR-2 kinases, and interpreted the SAR of these analogues. All results indicated that the target compounds were dual inhibitors of c-Met and VEGFR-2 kinases that held promising potential in cancer therapy.     

Synthesis and antiproliferative evaluation of 13-aryl-13H-benzo[g]benzothiazolo [2,3-b]quinazoline-5,14-diones

A simple synthesis of novel 13-aryl-13H-benzo[g]benzothiazolo [2,3-b]quinazoline-5,14-dione derivatives was accomplished in excellent yields via the reaction of 2-aminobenzothiazole, aromatic aldehydes and 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone in the presence of amberlyst-15. The antiproliferative activities of all the synthesized compounds were assessed on two different human cancer cell lines (HepG2 and Hela), and the results showed that most of the new compounds showed good to potent cytotoxic activities.     

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives

A series of 2,5,6-substituted imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives have been prepared and were tested for antiproliferative activity on cancer cells at the National Cancer Institute. Results showed that molecules with a benzyl group at position 2, exhibited an increase in activity for the introduction of a formyl group at the 5 position. The compound 2-benzyl-5-formyl-6-(4-bromophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole 22 has been chosen for understanding the mechanism of action by various molecular and cellular biology studies. Results obtained from cell cycle evaluation analysis, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential and Annexin V-FITC by flow cytometric analysis, ROS production and expression of apoptotic and DNA-repair proteins suggested that compound 22 induced cytotoxicity by activating extrinsic pathway of apoptosis, however, without affecting cell cycle progression.     

Synthesis and PKCtheta inhibitory activity of a series of 4-(indol-5-ylamino)thieno[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carbonitriles

The thieno[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carbonitrile with a 5-indolylamine at C-4 and a phenyl group at C-2 had a moderate activity against PKCθ. Optimization of the groups at C-4 and C-2 led to analog 29, which has an IC₅₀ value of 7.5 nM for the inhibition of PKCθ.     

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine derivatives against melanoma

Synthesis of a new series of diarylureas and amides having pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine scaffold is described. Their in vitro antiproliferative activity against human melanoma cell line A375 and HS 27 human fibroblast cell line was tested and the effect of substituents on the pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine was investigated. The newly synthesized compounds, except meta-substituted derivatives (Ij–k and Iv–w), generally showed superior or similar activity against A375 to Sorafenib. Among all of these derivatives, compounds Ir and It having 5-benzylamide substituted 4′-amide moieties showed the most potent antiproliferative activity against A375.     

Synthesis and anti-inflammatory evaluation of 4-anilinofuro[2,3-b]quinoline and 4-phenoxyfuro[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives. Part 3

Mast cells, neutrophils and macrophages are important inflammatory cells that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. To explore a novel anti-inflammatory agent, we have synthesized certain 4-anilinofuro[2,3-b]quinoline and 4-phenoxyfuro[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives and evaluated their anti-inflammatory activities by reaction of 3,4-dichlorofuro[2,3-b]quinoline with appropriate Ar-NH(2) or Ar-OH. Compounds 6a and 15 were proved to be more potent than the reference inhibitor, mepacrine for the inhibition of rat peritoneal mast cell degranulation with IC(50) values of 6.5 and 16.4 microM, respectively. Compounds 2b, 6a, 10, and 15 also showed potent inhibitory activity (IC(50)=7.2-29.4 microM) for the secretion of lysosomal enzyme and beta-glucuronidase from neutrophils. These results also indicated that oxime derivatives are more potent than the respective ketone precursors (6a> or =2a; 7a> or =3), and the substituent such as Me at the oxime decreased inhibitory activity (6a> or =6b; 7a> or =7b). Among these derivatives, compound 6a showed the most potent activity with IC(50) values of 6.5-11.6 microM for the inhibition of mast cell degranulation and neutrophil degranulation.     

Synthesis and antiplasmodial evaluation of novel chromeno[2,3-b]chromene derivatives

5-Methoxyflavenes and 6-methoxyflavenes were found to undergo stereoselective acid-catalyzed rearrangement to generate a range of novel chromeno[2,3-b]chromene derivatives. When subjected to an in vitro antiplasmodial growth inhibition assay using Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 line) the chromene analogues were shown to display IC(50) values ranging from 6.8 to 39.8 μM.     

Synthesis and anticancer evaluation of certain indolo[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives

The present report describes the synthesis and anticancer evaluation of certain 11-substituted 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinolines and their methylated derivatives. These 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives 11–13 were prepared from the commercially available 1,4-dihydroxyquinoline through alkylation, chlorination, nucleophilic reaction, and ring cyclization. Depending on the ratio of 11, (MeO)₂SO₂, and K₂CO₃, alkylation occurred primarily on N-5 (1:0.8:0.8) or N-6 (1:1.5:1.5) leading to the isolation of 14a or 14b as a major product. Accordingly, major product 15a (2/(MeO)₂SO₂/K₂CO₃ = 1:2:2) or 15b (1:1:1), respectively, was obtained by alkylation of 12 while 16a (13/(MeO)₂SO₂/K₂CO₃ = 1:2:2) or 16b (1:1:1), respectively, was obtained by alkylation of 13. The in vitro anticancer assay indicated 5-methylated derivatives 14a, 15a, 16a are more cytotoxic than their respective 6-methylated counterparts 14b, 15b, 16b and 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline precursors 11, 12, 13. Among them, 11-(4-methoxyanilino)-6-methyl-6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline (16a) was the most cytotoxic with a mean GI₅₀ value of 0.78 μM and also exhibited selective cytotoxicities for HL-60 (TB), K-562, MOLT-4, RPMI-8226, and SR with GI₅₀ values of 0.11, 0.42, 0.09, 0.14, and 0.19 μM, respectively.