1′, 2′-Seco-2′,3′-Dideoxynucleoside Analogues: Synthesis and Antiviral Evaluation of Racemic Trans-[1′, 5′-Dihydroxy 3′, 4′-methylenylpent-2′-oxy)methyl] Nucleosides

Abstract

Reaction of (±)but-3-en-1,2-diol (3) with ethyl diazoacetate afforded two cyclopropyl compounds (5) and (6). Their relative trans stereochemistry at C-2 and C-3 has been determined by high-field and computational NMR spectroscopy. (±)Trans-1-(1′,5′-dihydroxy-3′,4′-methylenyl-pent-2′-oxy)methyl]thymine (1d) or -cytosine (1b) and (±)trans-9-(1′,5′-dihydroxy-3′,4′-methylenylpent-2′-oxy)-methyl]adenine (la) or -guanine (1c) have been obtained through a regiospecific alkylation procedure and their antiviral evaluation is reported.     

Synthesis and Antiviral Activity Assay of Novel (E)-3′,5′-Diamino-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′,3′,5′-trideoxyuridine

Abstract

(E)-3′,5′-diamino-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′,3′,5′-trideoxyuridine (5), the diamino analogue of BVDU (1), was synthesized from BVDU. In contrast with BVDU, compound 5 did not show activity against herpes simplex virus or varicella-zoster virus.     

Studies Towards the Large Scale Chemical Synthesis of the Precursors of Ribonucleosides-3′,4′,5′,5″- 2H 4 and -2′,3′,4′,5′,5″- 2H 5

Abstract

A summary delineating the large scale synthetic studies to prepare labeled precursors of ribonucleosides-3′,4′,5′,5″- ²H ₄ and -2′,3′,4′,5′,5″- ²H ₅ from D-glucose is presented. The recycling of deuterium-labeled by-products has been devised to give a high overall yield of the intermediates and an expedient protocol has been elaborated for the conversion of 3-O-benzyl-α,β-D-allofuranose-3,4-d ₂ 6 to 1-O-methyl-3-O-benzyl-2-O-t-butyldimethylsilyl-α,β-D-ribofuranose-3,4,5,5′-d ₄ 16 (precursor of ribonucleosides-3′,4′,5′,5″- ²H ₄ ) or to 1-O-methyl-3,5-di-O-benzyl-α,β-D-ribofuranose-3,4,5,5′-d ₄ 18 (precursor of ribonucleosides-3′,4′,5′,5″- ²H ₄ ).     

Synthesis of (±)-Methyl 5-(1′,2′-Epoxy-2′,6′-dimethylcyclohexyl)-3-methyl-(2Z,4E)-2,4-pentadienoate

The effect of tripropyltin chloride (TPT) on transport systems in E. coli was investigated. The inhibition on uptakes of ¹⁴C-l-leucine, l-proline, adenine and methyl-(α-d-gluco)pyrano-side (α-methylglucoside) by TPT was examined. The active uptake of l-leucine which utilized ATP molecule as an energy source was 100% inhibited at the concentration of 10 µg/ml TPT. On the other hand, the uptake of l-proline which was generated by an “energied” membrane state of the cells was inhibited only 40% at the same concentration of TPT. α-Methylglucoside uptake was scarcely inhibited. Adenine uptake was intensely inhibited at 20 µg/ml TPT. The effect of the delayed addition of TPT on transport systems was also examined. l-Leucine incorporated into cells was completely released from cells by TPT. Leucine binding protein (LBP) was prepared from E. coli cells and the effect of TPT on LBP activity was examined. TPT scarcely inhibited LBP activity.     

Synthesis of 1-O-(2′,4′-Dichlorophenoxyacetyl)-d-glucopyranose

1-O-Glucosyl esters of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were easily prepared from 4,6-O-benzylideneglucose. The configuration of 1-O-ester linkage was affected by pH at the end of the reaction, that is, β-type was a major product at a neutral or acidic condition and α-type at an alkaline condition. Both of the anomers showed the same biological activities as sodium salt of 2,4-D.     

Synthesis of [1′-Fluoro-2′,2′-bis-(hydroxymethyl)-cyclopropylmethyl]purines as Antiviral Agents

Abstract

[1′-fluoro-2′,2′-bis-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropylmethyl]purines were designed, synthesized and their antiviral activity against poliovirus, HSV and HIV was evaluated.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-substituted-4-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-aryl thiazoles as anticancer agents

Antitumor agents that bind to tubulin and disrupt microtubule dynamics have attracted considerable attention in the last few years. To extend our knowledge of the thiazole ring as a suitable mimic for the cis-olefin present in combretastatin A-4, we fixed the 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl at the C4-position of the thiazole core. We found that the substituents at the C2- and C5-positions had a profound effect on antiproliferative activity. Comparing compounds with the same substituents at the C5-position of the thiazole ring, the moiety at the C2-position influenced antiproliferative activities, with the order of potency being NHCH₃ > Me ? N(CH₃)₂. The N-methylamino substituent significantly improved antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 cells with respect to C2-amino counterparts. Increasing steric bulk at the C2-position from N-methylamino to N,N-dimethylamino caused a 1–2 log decrease in activity. The 2-N-methylamino thiazole derivatives 3b, 3d and 3e were the most active compounds as antiproliferative agents, with IC₅₀ values from low micromolar to single digit nanomolar, and, in addition, they are also active on multidrug-resistant cell lines over-expressing P-glycoprotein. Antiproliferative activity was probably caused by the compounds binding to the colchicines site of tubulin polymerization and disrupting microtubule dynamics. Moreover, the most active compound 3e induced apoptosis through the activation of caspase-2, -3 and -8, but 3e did not cause mitochondrial depolarization.     

Synthesis of O-β-D-Ribofuranosyl-(1″-2′)-adenosine-5″-O-phosphate

Abstract

The first synthesis of O-β-D-ribofuranosyl-(1″-2′)-adenosine-5″-O-phosphate starting from protected 2′-O-β-D-ribofuranosyladenosine has been performed.     

Novel Spironucleosides: 1″,3″-Thiazolidine-2″-Spiro-3′-3′-Deoxyuridine Derivatives

Abstract

Reaction of 2′,5′-di-O-TBDMS-3′-ketouridine 1 with L-cysteine yielded in good yield a resolvable mixture of the two expected epimeric spironucleosides 2 and 3. Amidification of their carboxylic group took place readily and the ribo carboxamide 4 was oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide 6. Despite their similarity to TSAO derivatives these compounds did not exhibit usable anti-HIV activity.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of 4′-Methyl-2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides

Abstract

The stereoselective preparation of a 4-methyl-2,3-dideoxyribose derivative is described which utilizes (-)-menthyl pyruvate as a chiral template and an organocerium addition as the key carbon-carbon bond-forming step. The 4-methyl-2,3-dideoxyribose derivative was used as a substrate for a Vorbrüggen pyrimidine glycosylation giving an α, β-mixture of 4′-methyl-2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of indole-based,anti-cancer agents inspired by the vascular disrupting agent 2-(3′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyphenyl)-3-(3″,4″,5″-trimethoxybenzoyl)-6-methoxyindole (OXi8006)

The discovery of a 2-aryl-3-aroyl indole-based small-molecule inhibitor of tubulin assembly (referred to as OXi8006) inspired the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of diversely functionalized analogues. In the majority of examples, the pendant 2-aryl ring contained a 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy substitution pattern, and the fused aryl ring featured a 6-methoxy group. Most of the variability was in the 3-aroyl moiety, which was modified to incorporate methoxy (33–36), nitro (25–27), halogen (28–29), trifluoromethyl (30), or trifluoromethoxy (31–32) functionalities. In two analogues (34 and 36), the methoxy substitution pattern in the fused aryl ring varied, while in another derivative (35) the phenolic moiety was translocated from the pendant 2-aryl ring to position-7 of the fused aryl ring. Each of the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity (in vitro) against the SK-OV-3 (ovarian), NCI-H460 (lung), and DU-145 (prostate) human cancer cell lines and for their ability to inhibit tubulin assembly. Four of the compounds (30, 31, 35, 36) proved to be potent inhibitors of tubulin assembly (IC₅₀ <5 μM), and three of these compounds (31, 35, 36) were strongly cytotoxic against the three cancer cell lines. The most active compound (36) in this series, which incorporated a methoxy group at position-7, was comparable in terms of inhibition of tubulin assembly and cytotoxicity to the lead compound OXi8006.     

Synthesis of 2′,3′-Dideoxyribavirin

Abstract

A synthesis of 1-(2,3-dideoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide (2′,3′-dideoxyribavirin, ddR) is described. Glycosylation of the sodium salt of 1,2,4-triazole-3-carbonitrile (5) with 1-chloro-2-deoxy-3,5-di-0-p-toluoyl-α-D-erythro-pentofuranose (1) gave exclusively the corresponding N-1 glycosyl derivative with β-anomeric configuration (6), which on ammonolysis provided a convenient synthesis of 2′-deoxyribavirin (7). Similar glycosylation of the sodium salt of methyl 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylate (2) with 1 gave a mixture of corresponding N-1 and N-2 glycosyl derivatives (3) and (4), respectively. Ammonolysis of 3 furnished yet another route to 7. A four-step deoxygenation procedure using imidazolylthiocarbonylation of the 3′-hydroxy group of 5′-0-toluoyl derivative (9a) gave ddR (11). The structure of 11 was proven by single crystal X-ray studies. In a preliminary in vitro study ddR was found to be inactive against HIV retrovirus.     

A Solid-Phase Synthesis of 2′,5′-Linked Oligoadenylates (2-5A)

Abstract

2′,5′-Oligoadenylate 5′-triphosphates (2-5A) as products of 2-5A synthetase and activators of ribonuclease L (RNase L), are mediators in one of the mechanisms of interferon′s antiviral action. Upon activation, RNase L inhibits protein synthesis due to the degradation of RNAs. This activity of 2-5A could possibly find an application in virus or cancer chemotherapy, but two major barriers prevent the use of 2′,5′-linked oligoadenylates as therapeutic agents. The 2-5A is readily degraded by a 2′,5′ phosphodiesterase and as a highly negatively charged molecule, is not readily taken up by cells. One possible solution to this latter limitation might be found in chemical modifications of the 2-5A structure. Many analogues of 2-5A have been already obtained with modified base, ribose or phosphate moieties. While these have provided some important information about the enzyme- activator interactions, the cell permeability problem still remains unsolved. One of the major obstacles in this study is lack of a convenient method of synthesis of 2′,5′ ribonucleotides of widely varying structure.     

Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of 3′-Deoxy-3′-(4-Substituted-Triazol-1-YL)-5-Methyluridine

An efficient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of a small library of 3′-deoxy-3′-(4-substituted-triazol-1-yl)-5-methyluridine using Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen–Sharpless–Meldal 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 3′-azido-3′-deoxy-5-methyluridine with different alkynes under optimized condition in an overall yields of 76%–92%. Here, the azido precursor compound, i.e., 3′-azido-3′-deoxy-5-methyluridine was chemoenzymatically synthesized from D-xylose in good yield. Some of the alkynes used in cycloaddition reaction were synthesized by the reaction of hydroxycoumarins or naphthols with propargyl bromide in acetone using K₂CO₃in excellent yields. All synthesized compounds were unambiguously identified on the basis of their spectral (IR, ¹H-, ¹³C NMR spectra, and high-resolution mass spectra) data analysis.     

A Direct and Efficient Synthesis of 5′-Deoxy-2′, 3′-

Abstract

A direct and efficient synthesis of 5′-deoxy-2′,3′-O-isopropylideneinosine, 7, from readily available inosine is described. An example of a potentially general synthesis of N -substituted-5′-deoxyadenosines from 7 is also described.     

Synthesis of novel 2-amino-4-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-6-aryl-4H-pyran-3-carbonitrile derivatives as antimicrobial and antioxidant agents

As a part of systematic investigation of synthesis and biological activities of indole analogues linked to various heterocyclic systems, we have synthesized new compounds viz., 2-amino-4-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-6-aryl-4H-pyran-3-carbonitriles (2a–i), 4,5-diamino-6-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-8-aryl-2-oxo-2,6-dihydrodipyrano [2,3-b:3,2-e]pyridine-3-carbonitriles (3a–i), 4-amino-5-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-7-aryl-1H-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2(5H)-ones (4a–i), 4-amino-5-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-7-aryl-1H-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2(5H)-thiones (5a–i), 4-(5′-subtituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-6-aryl-1,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazol-3-amines (6a–i) and 5-(5′-substituted 2′-phenyl-1H-indol-3′-yl)-7-aryl-3H-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-ones (7a–i). Antibacterial activity results revealed that, compound 6a showed promising activity versus Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Compound 6d exhibited good activity against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antifungal activity results indicated that, compound 4d exhibited maximum zone of inhibition against Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus flavus. In case of antioxidant activity, compound 4a showed promising radical scavenging activity, ferric ions (Fe³⁺) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal chelating activity.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 2′H-spiro[cyclohexane-1,3′-imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine]-1′,5′-dione derivatives as Mnk inhibitors

Post-translational modulation of eIF4E through phosphorylation by Mnks is highly integral to the pathogenesis of different cancers. Therefore, inhibition of Mnks offers a strategy for cancer treatment. Herein, a series of 2′H-spiro[cyclohexane-1,3′-imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine]-1′,5′-dione derivatives is presented as Mnk inhibitors. Some of them showed sub-micromolar to low nanomolar inhibitory activities against Mnk1/2 with a high level of selectivity for both kinases over CDKs. Biochemical assays revealed that compounds 4c and 4t are non-ATP-competitive inhibitors of Mnks. Lead compound 4t demonstrated a high selectivity for Mnk1/2 over a selection of 51 kinases, and displayed anti-proliferative activities against a panel of cancer cell lines. However, this compound in combination with our in-house CDK4/6 inhibitor 83 did not show a synergistic effect in A2780 ovarian cancer cells, suggesting that caution be exercised in the selection of an agent to be combined with an Mnk inhibitor.     

Substituted 2-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxybenzoyl)-benzo[b]thiophene derivatives as potent tubulin polymerization inhibitors

The central role of microtubules in cell division and mitosis makes them a particularly important target for anticancer agents. On our early publication, we found that a series of 2-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxybenzoyl)-3-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes exhibited strong antiproliferative activity in the submicromolar range and significantly arrested cells in the G2–M phase of the cell cycle and induced apoptosis.In order to investigate the importance of the amino group at the 3-position of the benzo[b]thiophene skeleton, the corresponding 3-unsubstituted and methyl derivatives were prepared. A novel series of inhibitors of tubulin polymerization, based on the 2-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)-benzo[b]thiophene molecular skeleton with a methoxy substituent at the C-4, C-5, C-6 or C-7 position on the benzene ring, was evaluated for antiproliferative activity against a panel of five cancer cell lines, for inhibition of tubulin polymerization and for cell cycle effects. Replacing the methyl group at the C-3 position resulted in increased activity compared with the corresponding 3-unsubstituted counterpart. The structure–activity relationship established that the best activities were obtained with the methoxy group placed at the C-4, C-6 or C-7 position. Most of these compounds exhibited good growth inhibition activity and arrest K562 cells in the G2–M phase via microtubule depolymerization.