A new and efficient entry to D-xylo-hexos-4-ulose and some derivatives thereof through epoxidation of the 3,4-hexeno derivative of diacetone-D-glucose

A new preparation of D-xylo-hexos-4-ulose (1) and of its 3-m-chlorobenzoate (2) has been devised using the epoxidation of 3-deoxy-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-erythro-hex-3-enofuranose (6) as the key step. The epoxidation of 6 in CH2Cl2 furnished with high yield 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-O-m-chlorobenzoyl-4-C-hydroxy-D-xylo-hexos-4-ulo-1,4-furanose as a mixture of C-4 hemiacetal anomers (7a,b), which, on acid hydrolysis, gave a tautomeric mixture of 3-O-m-chlorobenzoyl-D-xylo-hexos-4-ulose (2) with an overall 60% yield from 6. The formation of 4-C-methoxy-diacetone-D-glucose derivatives (11a,b) through epoxidation-methanolysis of 6, took place with reduced yield because of the competition between m-chlorobenzoic acid (MCBA) and methanol to the opening by attack at C-4 of the intermediate epoxide and the formation of acyclic products arising from the alternative nucleophilic attack at C-1. Acid hydrolysis of derivatives 11 gave D-xylo-hexos-4-ulose (1) with a 35% overall yield from 6. NMR analysis showed that 2 is composed, in CD3CN, mainly by a 7:3 mixture of 4-keto-alpha- and beta-pyranose forms, while 1, in D2O, is present as a more complex mixture constituted mainly by 4-keto-alpha- and beta-pyranoses and their respective hydrates in a 17:15:34:34 ratio.     

Synthesis of DL- and D-gluco-hept-3-ulose.

DL-gluco-Hept-3-ulose was synthesised by oxidation of tri-O-isopropylidene-meso-glycero-gulo-heptitol with methyl sulphoxide-phosphorus pentaoxide, and subsequent hydrolysis. D-gluco-Hept-3-ulose (3) was synthesised by oxidation of one of the two isopropylidene derivatives from perseitol (D-glycero-D-galacto-heptitol), which is presumed to have the 2,2:4,5:6,7 structure, followed by hydrolysis. The crude product from the reduction of DL-gluco-hept-3-ulose with sodium borohydride showed two peaks corresponding to meso-glycero-gulo-heptitol and perseitol on g.l.c. of the trimethylsilyl derivatives. Isolation and acetylation of the latter heptitol revealed it to be racemic perseitol. Oxodation of DL-gluco-hept-3-ulose with oxygen in alkali followed by treatment with ferric acetate-hydrogen peroxide gave products with chromatographic behaviour characteristic of arabinonolactone and erythrose. Treatment of DL-gluco-hept-3-ulose with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine gave a 1-deoxy-2,4-dinitrophenylosazone.     

Oligonucleotides incorporating 7-(aminoalkynyl)-7-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosines: duplex stability and phosphodiester hydrolysis by exonucleases

Oligonucleotides containing 7-(omega-aminoalkyn-1-yl)-7-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosines (1a-c) were investigated regarding their thermal stability (T(m) values) as well as their phosphodiester hydrolysis catalyzed by exonucleases. Those derivatives are suitable for the labeling of nucleic acid constituents as well as for the postlabeling of DNA. For this, the phosphoramidites 7a,c (obtained from the nucleoside 1a,b), protected by an isobutyryl group at the 2-amino group and a phthaloyl residue at the side-chain amino function, were synthesized. Using compounds 7a,c together with the phosphoramidite of 1c in solid-phase synthesis, a series of self-complementary and non-self-complementary oligonucleotides were prepared and characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A comparison of the T(m) values of the modified oligomers shows that the thermal stability of the duplexes decreases with the length of the nucleobase 7-(omega-aminoalkyn-1-yl) side chain. Exonucleolytic cleavage of oligonucleotide single strands incorporating either the 7-(3-aminopropyn-1-yl)- or the 7-(4-aminobutyn-1-yl)-substituted nucleosides 1a or 1b, respectively, reveals that 3' --> 5' specific snake venom phosphodiesterase liberates 1a 5'-monophosphate but not the methylene-extended 1b 5'-monophosphate. On the contrary, the 5' --> 3' specific bovine spleen exonuclease is able to cleave off single 1a and 1b 3'-monophosphate residues; its action is, however, terminated in the case of oligonucleotides containing two consecutive 1a or 1b nucleotide units.     

Electrochemical bromination of cholest-5-enes

Four 5,6-unsaturated steroids--3beta-chlorocholest-5-ene (1a), cholesterol (1b) and its acetate (1c) and benzoate (1d)-were subjected to constant current electrolysis (50 mA, 2 F mol(-1)) in an electrolytic cell divided by a ceramic membrane, using a platinum foil as the anode and a graphite stick as the cathode. When electrolysis was carried out in a solution of tetraethylammonium bromide in aprotic solvents (dichloromethane, acetonitrile or acetic anhydride), the addition of electrochemically-generated elemental bromine onto the double bond of the cholesterol derivatives gave their corresponding 5alpha,6beta-dibromosteroids--3beta-chloro-5alpha,6beta-dibromocholestane (2a), 5alpha,6beta-dibromocholestan-3beta-ol (2b), 5alpha,6beta-dibromocholestan-3beta-yl acetate (2c) and 5alpha,6beta-dibromocholestan-3beta-yl benzoate (2d)--as the sole products, and in good yields (58-91%). However, the electrolysis of steroids 1a-c in a solution of tetraethylammonium bromide with methanol as the solvent proceeded to give, in addition to dibromides 2a-c, the corresponding diastereomeric pairs of 5-bromo-6-methoxysteroids: 5alpha-bromo-3beta-chloro-6beta-methoxycholestane (3a) and 5beta-bromo-3beta-chloro-6alpha-methoxycholestane (4a), 5alpha-bromo-6beta-methoxycholestan-3beta-ol (3b) and 5beta-bromo-6alpha-methoxycholestan-3beta-ol (4b) and 5alpha-bromo-6beta-methoxycholestan-3beta-yl acetate (3c) and 5alpha-bromo-6beta-methoxycholestan-3beta-yl acetate (4c). The benzoate 1d was not soluble enough in methanol, even with heating. The products were characterized by physical and spectral data (IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR). Single crystal X-ray structure determinations of compounds 2a and 3a are also reported.     

A density functional theory study on the kinetics and thermodynamics of N-glycosidic bond cleavage in 5-substituted 2'-deoxycytidines

B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) density functional theory calculations were employed to explore the kinetics and thermodynamics of gas-phase N-glycosidic bond cleavage induced by nucleophilic attack of C1' with a hydroxide ion in 5-substituted 2'-deoxycytidines. The results showed that, among the 5-substituted 2'-deoxycytidine derivatives examined [XdC, where X = H (dC), CH(3) (medC), CH(2)OH (hmdC), CHO (fmdC), COOH (cadC), F (FdC), or Br (BrdC)], fmdC and cadC exhibited the lowest energy barrier and largest exothermicity for N-glycosidic bond cleavage. These results paralleled previously reported nucleobase excision activities of human thymine DNA glycosylase (hTDG) toward duplex DNA substrates harboring a thymine and 5-substituted cytosine derivatives when paired with a guanine. Our study suggests that the inherent chemistry associated with the nucleophilic cleavage of N-glycosidic bond constitutes a major factor contributing to the selectivity of hTDG toward 5-substituted dC derivatives. These findings provided novel insights into the role of TDG in active cytosine demethylation.     

Synthesis of 2,2′-Anhydro-1 - (3′ -deoxy -3′ -iodo-β-D-arabino-furanosyl) thymine and Its Derivatives as Versatile Synthetic Intermediates

Abstract

2,2′ -Anhydro-1- (3′ -deoxy-3′ -iodo-5′ -O-trityl-B-D-arabinofuranosyl)-thymine (2) was synthesized from 2′,3′ -didehydro-3′-deoxythymidine (DHT) (1). Compound 2 was readily converted into 2′,3′-anhydro-lyxofuranosyl derivatives 4-6. Reaction of 4a with some nucleophiles (N₃ -, OMe-, Cl-) gave the corresponding 3′-substituted arabinonucleosides (7b,d,f) together with the minor xylosyl isomers (8a,c). Compounds 7b,d,f and 8a were deprotected to 7c,e,g and 8b, respectively.     

Synthesis of double headed imidazoline acyclo C-nucleosides: 1,4-bis[1-amino-5-oxo-4-substituted(imidazolin-2-yl)]galacto-tetritols

Condensation of 2,3,4,5-tetra-O-acetyl-galactaroyl dichloride (1) with two equivalents of the alpha-amino esters 2a-c gave the corresponding 2,3,4,5-tetra-O-acetyl-galactaric acid diamides 3a-c. Heterocyclization of 3a-c by heating with hydrazine hydrate took place with concomitant de-O-acetylation of the polyacetoxyalkyl chain to give 1,4-bis[1-amino-5-oxo-4-substituted(imidazolin-2-yl)] galacto-tetritols (5a-c) and not the theoretically possible 1,2,4-triazinones 4 as indicated by spectral data. Compounds 5a-c readily reacted with p-nitrobenzaldehyde to give the corresponding p-nitrobenzylideneamino derivatives 6a-c. Acetylation of 5a-c afforded the 2,3,4,5-tetra-O-acetyl-1,4-bis[1-acetamido-5-oxo-4-substituted(imidazolin-2-yl)]galacto-tetritols (7a,b,d). De-O-acetylation of 7a,b,d gave 1,4-bis[1-acetamido-5-oxo-4-substituted (imidazolin-2-yl)]galacto-tetritols (8a-c).     

Formation of 5- and 6-Aminocytosine Nucleosides and Nucleotides from the Corresponding 5-Bromocytosine Derivatives: Synthesis and Reaction Mechanism

Abstract

An improved method for the synthesis of 5-aminocytidine (3a), 5-amino-2′-deoxycytidine (3b), and their 5′-monophosphates (3c,d) from the corresponding 5-bromo pyrimidines, using liquid ammonia, is described. The respective 6-aminocytosine derivatives (4a,b,c,d), minor products of the amination reaction, were isolated and characterized. A plausible mechanism is proposed to account for the formation of both 5-and 6-substituted products.     

Oxidation of diiron and triiron sulfurdithiolato complexes: mimics for the active site of [FeFe]-hydrogenase

The oxidation of the hexacarbonyl(1,3-dithiolato-S,S')diiron complexes 4a-4c with varying amounts of dimethyldioxirane (DMD) was systematically studied. The chemoselectivity of the oxidation products depended upon the substituent R (R=H, Me, 1/2 (CH2)(5)). For R=H, four oxidation products, 6a-6d, have been obtained. In the case of R=Me, three products, 7a-7c, were formed, and for R=1/2 (CH2)(5), only complex 8 was observed. These observations are due to steric and electronic effects caused by the substituent R. Additionally, oxidation of the triiron complex 5 with DMD was performed to yield the products 9a and 9b. X-Ray diffraction analyses were performed for 6a-6d, 7a, and 7c, as well as for 9a and 9b. The electronic properties were determined by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations.     

Biotransformation of bufadienolides by cell suspension cultures of Saussurea involucrata

The biotransformation of three bioactive bufadienolides, namely, bufotalin (1), telocinobufagin (2), and gamabufotalin (3) by cell suspension cultures of Saussurea involucrata yielded 11 products. Bufotalin yielded 3-epi-bufotalin (1a), 3-epi-desacetylbufotalin (1b), 3-epi-bufotalin 3-O-β-D-glucoside (1c), 1β-hydroxybufotalin (1d), and 5β-hydroxybufotalin (1e); telocinobufagin yielded 3-dehydroscillarenin (2a), 3-dehydrobufalin (2b), and 3-epi-telocinobufagin (2c); and gamabufotalin yielded 3-epi-gamabufotalin (3a), 3-dehydrogamabufotalin (3b), and 3-dehydro-Δ1-gamabufotalin (3c), respectively. Among these 11 products, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 3a and 3c are previously unreported. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopic analyses and mass spectrometry. Most metabolites showed significant cytotoxic activities against human hepatoma (HepG2) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. In addition, the time course for the biotransformation of 3 was investigated.     

X-ray and conformational investigations of a 4:1 mixture of 6-(N-benzyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2,3,6,7-tetradeoxy-alpha- DL-ery thro- and -beta-DL-threo-hept-2-enopyranos-4-uloses

The crystals of a 4:1 mixture of 6-(N-benzyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2,3,6,7-tetradeoxy-a-DL-er ythro- and -beta-DL-threo-hept-2-enopyranos-4-ulose were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, with cell dimensions: a = 9.490(2), b = 21.516(5), c = 10.279(2) A, beta = 115.31(1) degrees, Z = 4. The ulose ring had a half-chair conformation deformed towards the sofa (envelope) form.     

Synthesis and antimycobacterial evaluation of certain fluoroquinolone derivatives

A number of fluoroquinolone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antimycobacterial activity. Preliminary results are (1) for 1-aryl fluoroquinolones, 1-(4-nitrophenyl) derivatives were inactive while their 1-(2-fluoro-4-nitrophenyl) counterparts were active anti-TB agents (3a vs 4a; 3b vs 4b) indicated the fluoro substituent at C-2 position is important. For the 1-(2-fluoro-4-nitrophenyl)quinolones, 7-piperidinyl derivative 4a and 7-(3,5-dimethylpiperazinyl) derivative 4e, which exhibited 97% and 98% inhibition, respectively, were more active than their 7-morpholinyl, 7-(4-methylpiperazinyl) and 7-piperazinyl congeners, 4b,4c and 4d, respectively. In addition, 7-[4-(8-hydroxyquinolin-2-ylmethyl)piperazin-1-yl] derivative 9d exhibited 44% inhibition on the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis while its 7-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl) counterpart 3c was inactive implied the metal-chelating 8-hydroxyquinoline moiety was capable of enhancing the anti-TB activity, (2) for the bifunctional fluoroquinolone-hydroxyquinoline complexes, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacine derivatives, which exhibited the same anti-TB activity (98% inhibition), are more potent than norfloxacin counterpart, which in turn is more potent than 1-aryl congeners (9b, 9c>9a>9d, 9e).     

Synthesis of base substituted 2-hydroxy-3-(purin-9-yl)-propanoic acids and 4-(purin-9-yl)-3-butenoic acids

Alkylation of 6-chloropurine and 2-amino-6-chloropurine with bromoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal afforded 6-chloro-9-(2,2-diethoxyethyl)purine (3a) and its 2-amino congener (3b). Treatment of compounds 3 with primary and secondary amines gave the N6-substituted adenines (5a-5c) and 2,6-diaminopurines (5d-5f). Hydrolysis of 3 resulted in hypoxanthine (6a) and guanine (6b) derivatives, while their reaction with thiourea led to 6-sulfanylpurine (7a) and 2-amino-6-sulfanylpurine (7b) compounds. Treatment with diluted acid followed by potassium cyanide treatment and acid hydrolysis afforded 6-substituted 3-(purin-9-yl)- and 3-(2-aminopurin-9-yl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acids (8-10). Reaction of compounds 3 with malonic acid in aqueous solution gave exclusively the product of isomerisation, 6-substituted 4-(purin-9-yl)-3-butenoic acids (15).     

Novel Ring Cleavage Products in the Biotransformation of Biphenyl by the Yeast Trichosporon mucoides

The yeast Trichosporon mucoides, grown on either glucose or phenol, was able to transform biphenyl into a variety of mono-, di-, and trihydroxylated derivatives hydroxylated on one or both aromatic rings. While some of these products accumulated in the supernatant as dead end products, the ortho-substituted dihydroxylated biphenyls were substrates for further oxidation and ring fission. These ring fission products were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses as phenyl derivatives of hydroxymuconic acids and the corresponding pyrones. Seven novel products out of eight resulted from the oxidation and ring fission of 3,4-dihydroxybiphenyl. Using this compound as a substrate, 2-hydroxy-4-phenylmuconic acid, (5-oxo-3-phenyl-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)acetic acid, and 3-phenyl-2-pyrone-6-carboxylic acid were identified. Ring cleavage of 3,4,4′-trihydroxybiphenyl resulted in the formation of [5-oxo-3-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl]acetic acid, 4-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-pyrone-6-carboxylic acid, and 3-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-pyrone-6-carboxylic acid. 2,3,4-Trihydroxybiphenyl was oxidized to 2-hydroxy-5-phenylmuconic acid, and 4-phenyl-2-pyrone-6-carboxylic acid was the transformation product of 3,4,5-trihydroxybiphenyl. All these ring fission products were considerably less toxic than the hydroxylated derivatives.     

An efficient synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives from 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactose and their cytotoxic activities

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives has been developed. Isopropylidenation of 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactose with 2,2-dimethoxypropane, followed by selective hydrolysis, afforded 2,3-O-isopropylidene-4-chloro-4-deoxy-D-galactose di-methyl acetal (3) as a sole product. Oxidation of compound 3 with (Bu3Sn)2O-Br2 gave corresponding hex-5-ulose derivative in high yields. The hex-5-ulose derivative reacted with o-phenylenediamines under neutral conditions to afford quinoxaline derivatives in reasonable yields. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of these quinoxaline derivatives were investigated.     

Neuroprotective or neurotoxic activity of 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline and related compounds

1-Methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (1MeTIQ) 1 and various 5- or 6,7-substituted analogues were synthesized and assayed for neurotoxicity towards SH-SY5Y cells. Among mono-substituted derivatives of 1, hydroxyl substitution decreased the toxicity, while methoxyl substitution increased it. Disubstituted derivatives of 1, 5a and 5b, showed the opposite tendency. Hydroxy-1MeTIQ derivatives were tested for neuroprotective activity, and 3b and 4b exhibited greater efficacy than 1. We suggest that hydroxy-1MeTIQ derivatives, especially 4b, may have potential for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-amino-2-deoxy- and 6-amino-6-deoxy-cyclomaltoheptaose polysulfates as synergists for angiogenesis inhibition

2-Amino-2-deoxy-cyclomaltoheptaose was prepared from β-cyclodextrin perbenzoate [heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl)cyclomaltoheptaose] by a series of reactions including selective de-O-benzoylation at C-2 of one of the perbenzoylated -glucopyranosyl moieties, oxidation to the 2-ulose derivative, oxime formation, and reduction to the 2-amino-2-deoxy- -glucose moiety. This compound and 6-amino-6-deoxycyclomaltoheptaose accessible from β-cyclodextrin through the known procedure were sulfated to give polysulfated aminocyclomaltoheptaose derivatives (3, 5). Employing β-cyclodextrin polysulfate as a reference compound, the synergistic effects of 3 and 5 for cortexolone on angiogenesis inhibitory activity were examined by rabbit-corneal micropocket assay system. In contrast to the significant anti-angiogenesis activity of the β-cyclodextrin polysulfate-cortexolone pair, neither 3 nor 5 showed any cooperative activity with cortexolone in the inhibition of basic FGF-induced angiogenesis.     

Denitration of carbohydrate α-nitroepoxides by nucleophiles

Several nucleophiles were separately treated with methyl and phenyl 2,3-anhydro-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-deoxy-3-nitro-β-d-allopyranoside, to give 2-substituted aldos-3-ulose derivatives. In the latter case, the subsequent β-elimination of the aglyconic phenyl group always occurred to afford the corresponding glycal. Reaction mechanisms thereof are also discussed.     

Some fused heterocyclic compounds as eukaryotic topoisomerase II inhibitors

Our previously synthesized 37 compounds, which are 2,5,6-substituted benzoxazole, benzimidazole, benzothiazole, and oxazolo(4,5-b)pyridine derivatives, were tested for their eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase II inhibitory activity in cell free system and 28 were found to inhibit the topoisomerase II at an initial concentration of 100 microg/ml. After further testing at a lower range of concentrations, 12 derivatives, which were considered as positive topoisomerase inhibitors, exhibited IC50 values between 11.4 and 46.8 microM. Etoposide was used as the standard reference drug to compare the inhibitor activity. Among these compounds, 2-phenoxymethylbenzothiazole (3f), 6-nitro-2-(2-methoxyphenyl)benzoxazole (1a), 5-methylcarboxylate-2-phenylthiomethylbenzimidazole (3c), and 6-methyl-2-(2-nitrophenyl)benzoxazole (1c) were found to be more active than the reference drug etoposide. Present results point out that, besides the very well-known bi- and ter-benzimidazoles, compounds with single bicycle fused ring systems in their structure such as benzimidazole, benzoxazole, benzothiazole, and/or oxazolopyridine derivatives also exhibit significant topoisomerase II inhibitory activity.     

Synthesis of novel 4- and 5-substituted benzyl ether derivatives of vesamicol and in vitro evaluation of their binding properties to the vesicular acetylcholine transporter site

Detection of the central cholinergic deficits, a consistent feature of Alzheimer's disease, is essential to allow preventive measures and/or symptomatic treatment already at a very early stage of the disease. The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) represents an appropriate target to establish PET radiotracer that are adequate for brain imaging the loss of cholinergic terminals. Here we describe the synthesis and binding characteristics of novel derivatives of vesamicol, known to represent a specific antagonist of VAChT sites. Novel benzyl ether derivatives of vesamicol either 4- or 5-substituted at the cyclohexylring have been synthesized by different regioselective ring opening reactions of a same epoxide precursor. The affinity and selectivity of the novel compounds to VAChT sites were analyzed by competitive radioligand binding studies in rat brain and liver membrane preparations using tritium labeled radioligands. The 4-substituted fluorobenzylether of vesamicol 10b was shown to exhibit a high affinity to VAChT sites (K(i)-value(10b)=10.7+/-1.7 nM), but demonstrated also binding capacities to sigma receptors (K(i-)value(10b)=18.5+/-6.9 nM, [(3)H]DTG; K(i)-value(10b)=30.6+/-9.6 nM, [(3)H]haloperidol). The data suggest the potential of vesamicol derivatives to design appropriate radiotracer for PET imaging of central cholinergic deficits.