Synthesis and Bioactivity of New Chalcone Derivatives as Potential Tyrosinase Activator Based on the Click Chemistry

A new series of (E)‐1‐(4‐((1‐benzyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methoxy)phenyl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐en‐1‐one 1a (4‐((1‐benzyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl) methoxy)phenyl)‐1‐phenylprop‐2‐en‐1‐one 1b – 15b were designed, synthesized based on click chemistry, and biologically evaluated for their activity on tyrosinase. The result showed that most of prepared compounds 1a – 15a have potent activating effect on tyrosinase, especially for 3a , 8a – 10a and 14a – 15a . Among them, compounds 10a and 14a demonstrated the best activity with EC₅₀=1.71 and 5.60 µmol·L^?1 respectively, even better than the positive control 8‐MOP (EC₅₀=14.8 µmol·L^?1). Conversely, compounds 3b , 5b – 6b , 9b – 10b , and 15b induced enzymatic inhibition on tyrosinase.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Metal‐Chelator‐Bearing Flavone,Carbazole, Dibenzofuran,Xanthone, and Anthraquinone

2‐(Aryloxymethyl)‐5‐benzyloxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 8a – 8g , 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐4H‐pyran‐4‐ones 9a – 9g , and 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 10a – 10g were prepared from the known 5‐benzyloxy‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyran‐4‐one ( 3 ) in a good overall yield. These compounds were evaluated in vitro against a three‐cell lines panel consisting of MCF7 (breast), NCI‐H460 (lung), and SF‐268 (CNS), and the active compounds passed on for evaluation in the full panel of 60 human tumor cell lines derived from nine cancer cell types. The results indicated that 5‐hydroxy derivatives are more favorable than their corresponding 5‐benzyloxy precursors ( 10a – 10g vs. 8a – 8g ), and 1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones are more favorable than their corresponding pyran‐4(1H)‐ones ( 10a – 10g vs. 9a – 9g ). Among these three types of compounds, 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 10a – 10g were the most cytotoxic; they inhibited the growth of almost all the cancer cells tested. On the contrary, compound 8a (a mean GI₅₀=27.8 μM ), 8b (38.5), 8d (11.0), and 8e (30.5) are especially active against the growth of SK‐MEL‐5 (a melanoma cancer cell) with a GI₅₀ of <0.01, 5.65, 0.55, and 0.03 μM , respectively (cf. Table 2).     

Pericyclic Transformations at the Periphery of Chromen‐4‐one (=4H‐1‐Benzopyran‐4‐one): An Unusual Preference for a 1,5‐Shift of Allylic Moieties over the Ene Reaction

Quite unlike the reported facile ene reactions on the periphery of many related heterocyclic systems, similarly disposed moieties on the periphery of the chromen‐4‐one (=4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one) system fail to undergo an ene reaction and display a rather unusual preference for an overall [1,5] shift of the allylic C‐atom. Thus, heating xylene solutions of 2‐(N‐allylanilino)‐, 2‐(N‐crotylanilino)‐, and 2‐(N‐cinnamylamino)‐substituted (E)‐(oxochromenyl)propenoates 9a – c and 2‐[allyl(benzyl)amino]‐, 2‐[benzyl(crotyl)amino]‐, and 2‐[benzyl(cinnamyl)amino]‐substituted (E)‐(oxochromenyl)propenoates 16a – c in a sealed tube at 220–230° leads to a [1,5] shift of the allylic moieties (allyl, crotyl, cinnamyl), which is followed by intramolecular cyclization involving the N‐atom and the ester function, to give the 3‐allyl‐3‐crotyl‐, and 3‐cinnamyl‐substituted‐1‐phenyl‐ or 1‐benzyl‐2H‐[1]benzopyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2,5(1H)‐diones 10a – c and 17a – c . The anticipated carbonyl–ene reaction in the 2‐(N‐allylanilino)‐, 2‐(N‐crotylanilino)‐, 2‐(N‐cinnamylanilino)‐, 2‐[allyl(benzyl)amino]‐, 2‐[benzyl(crotyl)amino]‐, and 2‐[benzyl(cinnamyl)amino]‐substituted 4‐oxochromene‐3‐carboxaldehydes 8a – c and 15a – c is also not observed, and these molecules remain untransformed under identical conditions. No [1,5] shifts of benzyl, phenyl, or methyl groups are observed, even in the absence of allylic moieties, though facile [1,5]‐H shift occurs in 2‐(benzylamino)‐ and 2‐(phenylamino)‐substituted (E)‐(oxochromenyl)propenoates 23a , b , which is followed by a similar intramolecular cyclization leading to the 2H‐[1]benzopyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2,5(1H)‐diones 24a , b .     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Novel Iminophosphocin Derivatives

Iminophosphocins 8a – 8e and 9a – 9e were synthesized in four‐step reactions via Staudinger reaction. 3‐(Bromomethyl)‐1,2,3,4,5‐pentahydro‐3λ⁵‐naphtho[1,8‐f,g][1,5,3]diazaphosphocin‐3‐one ( 3 ) was prepared by reacting tris(bromomethyl)phosphineoxide ( 1 ) with 1,8‐diaminonaphthalene ( 2 ) in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) in dry tetrahydrofuran (THF), and treated with L‐valine methyl ester ( 4 ) and bis(2‐chloroethyl)amine ( 5 ) in the presence of TEA in dry THF to get 3‐methyl‐2‐[(3‐oxo‐1,2,3,4,5‐pentahydro‐3λ⁵‐naphtho[1,8‐f,g][1,5,3]diazaphosphocin‐3‐yl)methylamino]butanoate ( 6 ) and 3‐[di(2‐chloroethyl)aminomethyl]‐1,2,3,4,5‐pentahydro‐3λ⁵‐ naphtho[1,8‐f,g][1,5,3]diazaphosphocin‐3‐one ( 7 ). The compounds 6 and 7 were treated with trichlorosilane (SiCl₃H) in dry tetrahydrofuran (THF) to form the trivalent P(III) intermediates 8 and 9 , which were further treated with various alkyl azides in dry THF in 55–60°C to afford the title compounds 8a – 8e and 9a – 9e . Their structures were established by multi‐nuclear NMR and mass spectra. All the newly synthesized compounds were found to possess moderate anti‐microbial activity.     

Wurster’s Blue‐type Cation Radicals Framed in a 5,10‐Dihydrobenzo[a]indolo[2,3‐c]carbazole (BIC) Skeleton: Dual Electrochromism with Drastic Changes in UV/Vis/NIR and Fluorescence

Electron‐donating dihydrobenzindolocarbazoles (BICs) 1 a – c , which adopt planar disk‐shaped geometries, were prepared by gold(I)‐catalyzed cyclization as a key step. Due to the presence of a 1,4‐phenylenediamine (PD) moiety in the framework, they undergo reversible one‐electron oxidation to the corresponding Wurster’s Blue (WB)‐type species that exhibits NIR absorptions up to λ=1200 nm. In the case of the N,N′‐dimethyl derivative, cation radical 1 c ^+. is stable enough to be isolated as a salt and X‐ray analysis indicated paraquinoid‐type bond alternation in the WB core unit, whereas the bond lengths in the peripheral benzene rings are identical to those in the neutral donor. Upon electrochemical interconversion, the redox pairs of 1 a – c and 1 a – c ^+. exhibited an electrochromic response in the UV/Vis/NIR region, which was accompanied by a drastic change in the fluorescence spectrum because only neutral donors 1 a – c are highly emissive (Φ_F: 0.7–0.8).     

Synthesis of 9‐Halogenated 9‐Deazaguanine N7‐(2′‐Deoxyribonucleosides)

The syntheses of N⁷‐glycosylated 9‐deazaguanine 1a as well as of its 9‐bromo and 9‐iodo derivatives 1b , c are described. The regioselective 9‐halogenation with N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) and N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS) was accomplished at the protected nucleobase 4a (2‐{[(dimethylamino)methylidene]amino}‐3,5‐dihydro‐3‐[(pivaloyloxy)methyl]‐4H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one). Nucleobase‐anion glycosylation of 4a – c with 2‐deoxy‐3,5‐di‐O‐(p‐toluoyl)‐α‐D ‐erythro‐pentofuranosyl chloride ( 5 ) furnished the fully protected intermediates 6a – c (Scheme 2). They were deprotected with 0.01M NaOMe yielding the sugar‐deprotected derivatives 8a – c (Scheme 3). At higher concentrations (0.1M NaOMe), also the pivaloyloxymethyl group was removed to give 7a – c , while conc. aq. NH₃ solution furnished the nucleosides 1a – c . In D₂O, the sugar conformation was always biased towards S (67–61%).     

Synthesis of Bis‐acridine Derivatives Exhibiting Anticancer and Anti‐inflammatory Activity

A series of bis‐acridine derivatives 3a – j and 5a – j have been synthesized by condensation of 9‐chloro‐2,4‐(un)substituted acridines (1a – e) and 9‐isothiocyanato‐2,4‐(un)substituted acridines (4a – e) with diamine 2a and 2b , respectively. These bis‐acridines were evaluated in vitro for activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines of lung (NCI H‐522), ovary (PA1), breast (T47D), colon (HCT‐15), and liver (HepG2). Several bis‐acridines were found to possess good anticancer activity against various cancer cell lines. Of these, compound 3h exhibited good anticancer activity against all cancer cell lines tested except liver (HepG2) cell line. In addition to this, these compounds were screened for anti‐inflammatory activity at a dose of 50 mg/kg p.o. Compound 3g exhibited 41% anti‐inflammatory activity, which is better than most commonly used standard drug ibuprofen, which showed 39% anti‐inflammatory (at 50 mg/kg p. o.) activity.     

Regioselective 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions of (1Z)‐1‐(Arylmethylidene)‐5,5‐dimethyl‐3‐oxopyrazolidin‐1‐ium‐2‐ide Azomethine Imines to Acetylenic Dipolarophiles

The 5,5‐dimethylpyrazolidin‐3‐one ( 4 ), prepared from ethyl 3‐methylbut‐2‐enoate ( 3 ) and hydrazine hydrate, was treated with various substituted benzaldehydes 5a – i to give the corresponding (1Z)‐1‐(arylmethylidene)‐5,5‐dimethyl‐3‐oxopyrazolidin‐1‐ium‐2‐ide azomethine imines 6a – i . The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine imines 6a – h with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (=dimethyl but‐2‐ynedioate; 7 ) afforded the corresponding dimethyl pyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazoledicarboxylates 8a – h , while by cycloaddition of 6 with methyl propiolate (=methyl prop‐2‐ynoate; 9 ), regioisomeric methyl pyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazolemonocarboxylates 10 and 11 were obtained. The regioselectivity of cycloadditions of azomethine imines 6a – i with methyl propiolate ( 9 ) was influenced by the substituents on the aryl residue. Thus, azomethine imines 6a – e derived from benzaldehydes 5a – e with a single substituent or without a substituent at the ortho‐positions in the aryl residue, led to mixtures of regioisomers 10a – e and 11a – e . Azomethine imines 6f – i derived from 2,6‐disubstituted benzaldehydes 5f – i gave single regioisomers 10f – i .     

Sesquiterpenoids and 2‐(2‐Phenylethyl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one (=2‐(2‐Phenylethyl)‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one) Derivatives from Aquilaria malaccensis Agarwood

The four new sesquiterpenoids 1 – 4 , and the new 2‐(2‐phenylethyl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one (=2‐(2‐phenylethyl)‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one) derivative 5 , together with the two known sesquiterpenoids 6 and 7 , the five known chromenones 8 – 12 , and 1‐hydroxy‐1,5‐diphenylpentan‐3‐one ( 13 ), were isolated from a 70% MeOH extract of Aquilaria malaccensis agarwood chips. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectral analyses and comparison with literature data.     

Synthesis of (2S)‐2‐(Benzoylamino)‐3‐(heteroaryl)propyl Benzoates

(3E,5S)‐1‐Benzoyl‐5‐[(benzoyloxy)methyl]‐3‐[(dimethylamino)methylidene]pyrrolidin‐2‐one ( 9 ) was prepared in two steps from commercially available (S)‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidin‐2‐one ( 7 ) (Scheme 1). Compound 9 gave, in one step, upon treatment with various C,N‐ and C,O‐1,3‐dinucleophiles 10 – 18 , the corresponding 3‐(quinolizin‐3‐yl)‐ and 3‐(2‐oxo‐2H‐pyran‐3‐yl)‐substituted (2S)‐2‐(benzoylamino)propyl benzoates 19 – 27 (Schemes 1 and 2).     

Synthesis and Characterization of New (Z)‐5‐((1H‐1,2,4‐Triazol‐1‐yl)methyl)‐3‐arylideneindolin‐2‐ones

Ten compounds of new (Z)‐5‐((1H‐1,24‐triazol‐1‐yl)methyl)‐3‐arylideneindolin‐2‐ones ( 5a – j ) have been synthesized by the Knoevenagel condensation of 5‐((1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmethyl)indolin‐2‐one ( 3 ) with 4‐substituted aromatic aldehydes ( 4a – j ).     

Synthesis of (±)‐Glaucine and (±)‐Neospirodienone via an One‐Pot Bischler?Napieralski Reaction and Oxidative Coupling by a Hypervalent Iodine Reagent

Condensation of 3,4‐dimethoxybenzeneethanamine ( 3d ) and various benzeneacetic acids, i.e., 4a – e , via a practical and efficient one‐pot Bischler–Napieralski reaction, followed by NaBH₄ reduction, produced a series of 1‐benzyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolines, i.e., 5a – e , in satisfactory yields (Scheme 3). Oxidative coupling of the N‐acyl and N‐methyl derivatives 6a – e of the latter with hypervalent iodine ([IPh(CF₃COO)₂]) yielded products with two different skeletons (Scheme 4). The major products from N‐acyl derivatives 6a – c were (±)‐N‐acylneospirodienones 2a – c , while the minor was the 3,4‐dihydroisoquinoline 7 . (±)‐Glaucine ( 1 ), however, was the major product starting from N‐methyl derivative 6e . Possible reaction mechanisms for the formation of these two types of skeleton are proposed (Scheme 5).     

Highly Efficient [3 + 2] Cycloaddition: Click Synthesis of Novel 1H‐indol‐3‐yl‐benzo[d]imidazole Bis‐triazoles

A series of novel 1‐((1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methyl)‐2‐(1‐((1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methyl)‐5‐substituted‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐6‐substituted‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazoles 5a – i have been prepared using click chemistry as an ideal strategy where [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azides with terminal alkynes has been developed as the target compounds. In route‐II, 5‐substituted‐1H‐indole‐3‐carbaldehydes 1a – c react with 5‐substituted orthophenylenediamine 8 to give desired products, that is, 6‐substituted‐2‐(5‐substituted‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole 6a – i . Here, 6a – i react with 2 equiv of propargylbromide 7 to give novel 6‐substituted 2‐(5‐substituted‐1‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐1‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole 4a – i . 4a – i were reacted with 2 equiv of NaN₃ in t‐butanol/water (1:2) and add catalytic amount of CuSO₄.5H₂O. Stir the reaction mixture at room temperature to get the target products 5a – i . Here, obtained products contain four rings, that is, one indole, two triazoles, and one benzimidazole. The main advantages of this method are short reaction times, easy workup, higher yields (88–92%), and no by‐products formation.     

Novel Approach for Rapid and Efficient Synthesis of 2‐(3‐(4‐Aryl)‐1‐isonicotinoyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐3‐phenylthiazolidin‐4‐one Derivatives and Screened Their Antimicrobial Activity

A series of compounds, viz. 2‐(3‐(4‐aryl)‐1‐isonicotinoyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐3‐phenylthiazolidin‐4‐one 4 ( a – n ), have been synthesized by reaction of 3 ( a – n ) with thioglycolic acid in the presence of zinc chloride. Compounds 3 ( a – n ) have been synthesized by amination of formylated pyrazoles 2 ( A – B ), which were synthesized by formylation of 1 ( A – B ) by Vilsmeier–Haack reagent (POCl₃/DMF). Compounds 1 ( A – B ) were synthesized by condensation of hydrazide and substituted acetophenones under conventional method and microwave irradiation method. These compounds were identified on the basis of melting point range, Rf values, infrared, ¹H NMR, and mass spectral analysis. These compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity, and their minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. Among them, compound 4b and compound 4l possess appreciable antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Antibacterial activity results showed that compounds containing electron‐withdrawing groups were more active than compounds containing electron‐releasing groups.     

Kinetics of Hydride Abstractions from 2‐Arylbenzimidazolines

The rates of the hydride abstractions from the 2‐aryl‐1,3‐dimethyl‐benzimidazolines 1a – f by the benzhydrylium tetrafluoroborates 3a – e were determined photometrically by the stopped‐flow method in acetonitrile at 20 °C. The reactions follow second‐order kinetics, and the corresponding rate constants k₂ obey the linear free energy relationship log k₂(20 °C)= s(N+E), from which the nucleophile‐specific parameters N and s of the 2‐arylbenzimidazolines 1a – c have been derived. With nucleophilicity parameters N around 10, they are among the most reactive neutral C? H hydride donors which have so far been parameterized. The poor correlation between the rates of the hydride transfer reactions and the corresponding hydricities (ΔH⁰) indicates variable intrinsic barriers.     

‘Click Synthesis’ of Some Novel O‐Substituted Oximes Containing 1,2,3‐Triazole‐1,4‐diyl Residues as New Analogs of β‐Adrenoceptor Antagonists

The ‘click synthesis’ of some novel O‐substituted oximes, 7a – 7t , which contain 1,2,3‐triazolediyl residues, as new analogs of β‐adrenoceptor antagonists is described (Schemes 1–4). The synthesis of these compounds was achieved in four to five steps. The formation of oximes of 9H‐fluoren‐9‐one and benzophenone, i.e., 9a and 9b , respectively, followed by their reaction with propargyl bromide, afforded O‐propargyl oximes 10a and 10b , respectively, which by a subsequent CuI‐catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition with prepared β‐azido alcohols 11a – 11j (Schemes 2 and 3), led to the target compounds 7a – 7t in good yields.     

Synthesis of Some Novel Phenyl Substituted Oxothiazolidin- 1’’,3’’,4’’-thiadiazolo-[3’,4’-b]thiazoline of 3β-Substituted Cholestane

Three title compounds 4a—4c have been synthesized by the cyclodehydration of 1’-benzylidine-4’-(3β-substituted-5α-cholestane-6-yl)thiosemicarbazones 2a—2c with thioglycolic acid followed by the treatment with cold conc. H2SO4 in dioxane. The compounds 2a—2c were prepared by condensation of 3β-substituted-5α-cholestan- 6-one-thiosemicarbazones 1a—1c with benzaldehyde. These thiosemicarbazones 1a—1c were obtained by the reaction of corresponding 3β-substituted-5α-cholestan-6-ones with thiosemicarbazide in the presence of few drops of conc. HCl in methanol. The structures of the products have been established on the basis of their elemental, analytical and spectral data.     

Diastereoselective Electrophilic Amination of Chiral 1‐Benzoyl‐2,3,5,6‐tetrahydro‐3‐methyl‐2‐(1‐methylethyl)pyrimidin‐4(1H)‐one for the Asymmetric Syntheses of α‐Substituted α,β‐Diaminopropanoic Acids

The chiral compounds (R)‐ and (S)‐1‐benzoyl‐2,3,5,6‐tetrahydro‐3‐methyl‐2‐(1‐methylethyl)pyrimidin‐4(1H)‐one ((R)‐ and (S)‐ 1 ), derived from (R)‐ and (S)‐asparagine, respectively, were used as convenient starting materials for the preparation of the enantiomerically pure α‐alkylated (alkyl=Me, Et, Bn) α,β‐diamino acids (R)‐ and (S)‐ 11 – 13 . The chiral lithium enolates of (R)‐ and (S)‐ 1 were first alkylated, and the resulting diasteroisomeric products 5 – 7 were aminated with ‘di(tert‐butyl) azodicarboxylate’ (DBAD), giving rise to the diastereoisomerically pure (≥98%) compounds 8 – 10 . The target compounds (R)‐ and (S)‐ 11 – 13 could then be obtained in good yields and high purities by a hydrolysis/hydrogenolysis/hydrolysis sequence.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Studies of New (Dimethylamino)‐Functionalised and 7‐Azaindole‐Substituted ‘Titanocene’ Anticancer Agents (7‐Azaindole=1H‐Pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine)

From the carbolithiation of 1‐(cyclopenta‐2,4‐dien‐1‐ylidene)‐N,N‐dimethylmethanamine (=6‐(dimethylamino)fulvene; 3 ) and different lithiated azaindoles 2 (1‐methyl‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl, 1‐[(diethylamino)methyl]‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl, and 1‐(methoxymethyl)‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl), the corresponding lithium cyclopentadienide intermediates 4a – 4c were formed (7‐azaindole=1H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine). The latter underwent a transmetallation reaction with TiCl₄ resulting in the (dimethylamino)‐functionalised ‘titanocenes’ 5a – 5c . When the ‘titanocenes’ 5a – 5c were tested against LLC‐PK cells, the IC₅₀ values obtained were of 8.8, 12, and 87 μM , respectively. The most cytotoxic ‘titanocene’, 5a , with an IC₅₀ value of 8.8 μM is nearly as cytotoxic as cis‐platin, which showed an IC₅₀ value of 3.3 μM when tested on the epithelial pig kidney LLC‐PK cell line, and ca. 200 times better than ‘titanocene dichloride’ itself.     

Reaction of 2‐(Polyfluoroacyl)cycloalkanones with Hydroxylamine

The 2‐acylcycloalkanones 1a – g and 3a – c , possessing a polyfluoroalkyl group, react with hydroxylamine regio‐ and stereoselectively to yield 4,5‐dihydroisoxazol‐5‐ols 2a – g and 4a – c , respectively, i.e., products of N‐addition to the oxo group at the cycloalkane ring (Schemes 1 and 2). The products 2 and 4 can be dehydrated under drastic conditions only (Schemes 3 and 4). The structure of one of the 4,5‐dihydroisoxazol‐5‐ols was confirmed by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis.