Cationic N,N-Dimethylglycine Ester Prodrug of 2R-α-Tocotrienol Promotes Intestinal Absorption via Efficient Self-Micellization with Intrinsic Bile Acid Anion

The intestinal absorption of hydrophobic compounds is severely influenced by their transportation rate through the unstirred water layer in the intestinal lumen. A member of the vitamin E family, α-Tocotrienol (α-T3) has remarkable pharmacological effects, but its intestinal absorption is hampered due to its hydrophobicity. Here, we prepared three ester derivatives of 2R-α-T3, and we selected a suitable prodrug compound using rat plasma and liver microsomes. The micellization profile of the selected compound in the presence of taurocholic acid (TCA) was evaluated. After gastrostomy administration of the prodrug candidate or α-T3 solution containing TCA, AUC values were determined for α-T3 in plasma obtained from bile duct-ligated rats. Among the three types in the efficiency of the reconversion to the parent drug, α-T3 N,N-dimethylglycinate (α-T3DMG) was the best prodrug; α-T3DMG formed mixed micelles via ion pairs with anionic TCA. The solubility of α-T3DMG in n-octanol/water depended on its ratio to TCA. The AUC after α-T3DMG administration to ligated rats was 2-fold higher than that after α-T3 administration, suggesting a smooth interaction with intrinsic bile acids. In conclusion, utilization of the prodrug synthesized using N,N-dimethylglycine ester may be a beneficial approach to promote intestinal absorption of α-T3 via self-micellization with intrinsic bile acid.     

Prodrugs of 9-benzyl-8-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)adenine: potent interferon inducing agents in monkeys

In order to improve the oral bioavailability of 9-benzyl-8-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)adenine (SM-295072), a potent interferon (IFN) inducing agent, we synthesized prodrugs of it by utilizing the hydroxy groups at the C(2)-side chain and/or the C(8)-position. The carbonate prodrug at the C(8)-position was more effective than that at the C(2)-side chain for oral absorption in rats. Among the compounds prepared, compound 6 demonstrated the most preferable prodrug properties, and the maximum plasma concentration of 6 was approximately 4-fold higher than that of SM-295072. Furthermore, compound 6 was dose-dependently absorbed in monkeys by oral administration, and exhibited a potent IFN-inducting activity that correlated well with its plasma drug concentration.     

Model reactions for crosslinking polydiacetylene materials

A series of reactions are presented which allowed us to crosslink polydiacetylenes containing carbamate groups in the side chain without attacking the triple bond. These reactions involved syntheses of carbamates and allophanates from butyl alcohol and phenyl isocyanate with metal and tertiary amine catalysts using a model compound, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol. Elemental analysis, IR and UV spectroscopy, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used as analytical tools. Metal catalysts were found to favor the formation of allophanates in higher yields and purity as compared to tertiary amine catalysts.     

Reassessment of the methyl derivatization reaction of carbamates with sodium hydride/dimethyl sulfoxide/methyl iodide for their determination by gas chromatography

A deep revision of the carbamate methyl derivatization reaction with sodium hydride/dimethyl sulfoxide/methyl iodide was carried out. Representative carbamates, R(1)-NH-COO-R(2), mainly N-methyl and N-aryl ones, have been studied in order to clarify which carbamates undergo this reaction. Two possible reaction routes are proposed; the route depends on the carbamate substituent (-OR(2) group) more than on the methyl or aryl groups joined to the NH moiety as literature indicates. The classification of carbamates in N-methyl and N-aryl is not suitable to predict the methylation pathway. A laboratory-made closed reactor allows handling the reagents involved, minimizing hazards and simplifying the procedure for rapid analysis.     

Rapid separation and determination of carbamate insecticides using isocratic elution pressurized capillary electrochromatography

An isocratic elution pressurized CEC (pCEC) system was used to separate and determine ten carbamate insecticides. It was found that introduction of the electrical field, supplementary pressure, and SDS in the proposed method greatly improved the speed, column efficiency, selectivity, and repeatability for separation and determination of carbamates. On a capillary column of 75 microm ID packed with 3 microm octadecyl silica, baseline separation and detection of ten analytes was performed by using a mobile phase consisting of 30% v/v ACN and 70% v/v of 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate (pH 6.5) containing 1 mmol/L SDS and 0.01% triethylamine (TEA). Under the optimum conditions ten carbamate insecticides could be completely separated within 20 min. For the real vegetable samples, an SPE procedure for the cleanup of matrices was carried out prior to pCEC analysis. The detection limits of 0.05-1.6 mg/kg for ten carbamates and mean recoveries of 51.3-109.2% for eight kinds of vegetable samples at different concentrations of carbamates with RSD less than 11.4% were obtained, respectively. The proposed method has been proved to be effective in the rapid analysis of carbamate residues in vegetables.     

2-(O-Phenylalkyl)phenoxy]alkylamines III: Synthesis and selective serotonin-2 receptor binding (2)

A series of 12-(2-phenylethyl)phenoxy]ethylpyrrolidine derivatives were synthesized, and their affinity for serotonin-2 (5-HT2) and dopamine-2 (D2) receptors was examined. Among them, compound 17, (2R,4R)-4-hydroxy-2-[2-[2-[2-(3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]phenoxylethyl] -1-methylpyrrolidine hydrochloride, showed high 5-HT2 receptor affinity in vitro. This compound was a more potent inhibitor of ex vivo 5-HT-induced platelet aggregation than compound 3, which was previously shown to be more potent than ketanserin (1) and sarpogrelate (2a). However, compound 17 produced gastric irritation in rats. Therefore, we carried out a further derivatization of 17, and compound 45 (R-102444), a lauryl ester prodrug of compound 17, was found to be a promising candidate as an antithrombotic agent. Oral administration of R-102444 produced a marked inhibition of 5-HT-induced ex vivo platelet aggregation, and R-102444 did not cause any gastric irritation. The antiaggregatory effects of R-102444 were more potent than those of sarpogrelate (2a) and its active metabolite, M-1 (2b). In addition, R-102444 exhibited more potent antithrombotic effects than sarpogrelate in a rat photochemically-induced thrombosis model.     

Synthesis of Polyanionic Cellulose Carbamates by Homogeneous Aminolysis in an Ionic Liquid/DMF Medium

Polyanionic cellulose carbamates were synthesized by rapid and efficient homogeneous aminolysis of cellulose carbonate half-esters in an ionic liquid/DMF medium. Cellulose bis-2,3-O-(3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate), as a model compound, reacted with different chloroformates to cellulose carbonates. These intermediates were subjected to aminolysis, for which both the reactivity of different chloroformates towards C6-OH and the reactivity/suitability of the respective carbonate half-ester in the aminolysis were comprehensively studied. Phenyl chloroformate and 4-chlorophenyl chloroformate readily reacted with C6-OH of the model cellulose derivative, while 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate did not. The intermediate 4-chlorophenyl carbonate derivative with the highest DS (1.05) was then used to evaluate different aminolysis pathways, applying three different amines (propargyl amine, β-alanine, and taurine) as reactants. The latter two zwitterionic compounds are only sparingly soluble in pure DMF as the typical reaction medium for aminolysis; therefore, several alternative procedures were suggested, carefully evaluated, and critically compared. Solubility problems with β-alanine and taurine were overcome by the binary solvent system DMF/[EMIM]OAc (1:1, v/v), which was shown to be a promising medium for rapid and efficient homogeneous aminolysis and for the preparation of the corresponding cellulose carbamate derivatives or other compounds that are not accessible by conventional isocyanate chemistry. The zwitterionic cellulose carbamate derivatives presented in this work could be promising chiral cation exchangers for HPLC enantiomer separations.     

Design and synthesis of carboxylate inhibitors for matrix metalloproteinases

A series of carboxylate compounds were prepared from N(alpha)-substituted 2,3-diaminopropionic acid and were tested for efficacy as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors. During modeling of the initial compound 10a, we utilized three-dimensional structure modeling software (InsightII/Discover Ver. 2.98). Some of the prepared carboxylate derivatives, such as carbamate compounds (12c,d, 22) and sulfonamide compounds (14b,c), proved to be effective MMP-1 inhibitors (with IC50 values of a 10(-6) M order), depending on the substituent at the N(alpha)-position of 2,3-diaminopropionic acid. Some of them were also evaluated for inhibition of stromelysin-1 (MMP-3), and the sulfonamide compound 14c exceeded the lead compound 5b in its MMP-3 inhibitory potency. For the carbamate compounds, we investigated the minimum molecular size at which the MMP-1 inhibitory potency was maintained, and found that this was P3-P1' compound 10b.     

Preparation of Alkyl Carbamate of 1‐Protected Indole‐3‐methylamine as a Precursor of Indole‐3‐methylamine

A series of alkyl carbamates 3 of 1‐protected indole‐3‐methylamines, alkyl carbamates 6 of thiophenylmethylamines, and pyrrolylmethylamines were prepared from the corresponding acetamides 2 and 5 in good to excellent yields via diacetoxyiodobenzene‐promoted Hofmann rearrangement. For a successful Hofmann rearrangement, an electron‐withdrawing group on position 1 of indolylacetamide and pyrrolylacetamide was required. The alkyl carbamate 3g was demonstrated to serve well as a stable precursor of 1‐protected indole‐3‐methylamine 1.     

Palladium catalyzed C-H functionalization of O-arylcarbamates: selective ortho-bromination using NBS

A series of cyclometalated palladium complexes derived from O-phenylcarbamates has been synthesized by the reaction of the respective carbamates with Pd(OAc)(2) in the presence of acids, CF(3)CO(2)H, CF(3)SO(3)H, and p-TsOH. The palladacycles were observed to coordinate amines and electron rich anilines but not sulfonamides or carboxamides. Analysis of the (t)Bu-NH(2) adduct of the palladacycle 2b (2b·(t)Bu-NH(2)) by NMR spectroscopy (NOE) revealed a cis-coordination of the amine. However, the amine adducts failed to undergo ortho-amination (C-N bond formation) under varied reaction conditions. Notably, the palladacycle 1d was found to react efficiently with N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) to yield the ortho-iodinated carbamate, 1e. More significantly, this reaction can be extended to a palladium-catalyzed ortho C-H bromination of aryl-O-carbamates even at 5 mol % loading of Pd(OAc)(2) using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS).     

Synthesis of cellulose carbamate by supercritical CO2-assisted impregnation: Structure and rheological properties

Cellulose carbamate, an environmentally friendly material presents an interesting alternative to petroleum-based polymers because of its renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible nature and its solubility in conventional solvents. In synthesis process of cellulose carbamate, urea was firstly impregnated into the cellulose pulp by supercritical CO₂(scCO₂), followed by the esterification of cellulose. The structure of cellulose carbamate was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rheological properties of these cellulose carbamates in 9% sodium hydroxide solution were investigated, using a range of the nitrogen content, concentrations and shear rates.     

4-Cyano-2-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazolo[2,3-a]quinoxaline 5-N-oxides. New synthetic method and reaction with alcohols. Potential cytotoxic activity

Several quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxides have been shown to be efficient and selective cytotoxins for hypoxic cells. We present now a series of 4-cyano-2-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazolo[2,3-a]quinoxaline 5-N-oxides 2a-2k . They were prepared starting from 3-amino-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile 1,4-di-N-oxides 1a-1k and 2-chloroethyl isocyanate in dry dioxane at 100–110°. A reaction mechanism is proposed. The treatment of 1a with phenyl isocyanate afforded 2a . Reaction of 2c with silica gel yielded 1c . Compounds 2a-2g were heated in the presence of ethanol and 2-propanol giving the corresponding carbamates 3a-3g and 4a-4g . Compound 2d was already obtained by heating a mixture of 1d and ethyl chloroformiate. Compound 2b was prepared when the carbamate 3b was heated at 150°. Quinoxalines were tested as cytotoxic agents both in oxic and hypoxic cells. The most interesting compounds were 3g and 4g .     

Analysis of Carbamates as Fluorescent 1-Dimethylamino-naphthalene-5-sulfonate Esters

The fluorigenic labelling of several N-methyl carbamates is carried out using 1-dimethyl-aminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride (dansyl chloride). Prior to chromatography the carbamates are reacted in aqueous solution with the dansyl chloride. The derivative is extracted from the solution with n-hexane and subsequently spotted on a thin-layer plate for chromatography. For each N-methyl carbamate, two highly fluorescent spots are obtained. One is common to all N-methyl carbamates studied, whereas the other is characteristic of each individual carbamate. N.m.r. and infrared spectroscopic data indicate that the common spot is the methylamine derivative, and the second spot is the derivative from the phenyl moiety of each carbamate. The sensitivity of the method is less than one nanogram and has been successfully applied to the analysis of natural water samples.     

A mechanism-based 3D-QSAR approach for classification and prediction of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potency of organophosphate and carbamate analogs

Organophosphate (OP) and carbamate esters can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by binding covalently to a serine residue in the enzyme active site, and their inhibitory potency depends largely on affinity for the enzyme and the reactivity of the ester. Despite this understanding, there has been no mechanism-based in silico approach for classification and prediction of the inhibitory potency of ether OPs or carbamates. This prompted us to develop a three dimensional prediction framework for OPs, carbamates, and their analogs. Inhibitory structures of a compound that can form the covalent bond were identified through analysis of docked conformations of the compound and its metabolites. Inhibitory potencies of the selected structures were then predicted using a previously developed three dimensional quantitative structure-active relationship. This approach was validated with a large number of structurally diverse OP and carbamate compounds encompassing widely used insecticides and structural analogs including OP flame retardants and thio- and dithiocarbamate pesticides. The modeling revealed that: (1) in addition to classical OP metabolic activation, the toxicity of carbamate compounds can be dependent on biotransformation, (2) OP and carbamate analogs such as OP flame retardants and thiocarbamate herbicides can act as AChEI, (3) hydrogen bonds at the oxyanion hole is critical for AChE inhibition through the covalent bond, and (4) π–π interaction with Trp86 is necessary for strong inhibition of AChE. Our combined computation approach provided detailed understanding of the mechanism of action of OP and carbamate compounds and may be useful for screening a diversity of chemical structures for AChE inhibitory potency.     

Structure‐Reactivity Relationships as Probes to Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Mechanisms by Aryl Carbamates. II. Hammett‐Taft Cross‐Interaction Correlations

Substituted phenyl‐N‐butyl carbamates ( 1 ) and p‐nitrophenyl‐N‐substituted carbamates ( 2 ) are characterized as “pseudo‐pseudo‐substrate” inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase. Since the inhibitors protonate in pH 7.0 buffer solution, the virtual inhibition constants (K_i's) of the protonated inhibitors can be calculated from the equation, ‐logK_i' = ‐logK_i ‐ pK_a + 14. The ‐logK_i' and logk_c values for acetylcholinesterase inhibitions by carbamates 1 correlate with the Hammett equation (log(k/k₀) = ρσ); moreover, those by carbamates 2 correlate with the Taft equation (log(k/k₀) = ρ* σ*). With modified Hammett‐Taft cross‐interaction variations, multiple linear regressions of the ‐logK_i' and logk_c values of carbamates 1 and 2 give good correlations, and the cross‐interaction constants (ρ_XR) are 0.5 and 0.0, respectively. The ρ_XR value of 0.5 indicates that the carbamate O‐C(O)‐N‐R geometries for the transition states that lead to enzyme‐carbamate tetrahedral intermediates are all pseudo‐trans conformations. Therefore, the carbamate moiety of the inhibitors stretches along the active site gorge of the enzyme but does not bind in the acyl binding site pocket of the enzyme. Overall, the carbamate O‐C(O)‐N‐R geometries for carbamates 1 and 2 , protonated carbamates 1 and 2 , and the tetrahedral intermediate are all retained in pseudo‐trans conformations. The ρ_XR value of 0.0 suggests that the transition states that lead to the carbamyl enzymes are breaking C‐O bonds and are excluding the leaving groups, substituted phenols.     

Enantioselective lithiation of O-alkyl and O-alk-2-enyl Carbamates in the presence of (-)-sparteine and (-)-alpha-isosparteine. A theoretical study

Quantum chemical DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level have been used to study the enantioselective lithiation/deprotonation of O-alkyl and O-alk-2-enyl carbamates in the presence of (-)-sparteine and (-)-alpha-isosparteine. Complete geometry optimization of the precomplexes consisting of the carbamate, the chiral ligand, and the base (iPrLi), for the transition states of the proton-transfer reaction, and for the resulting lithio carbamates have been performed in order to quantify activation barriers and reaction energies. For the lithiodeprotonation of ethyl carbamate 12 in the presence of (-)-sparteine (5) the preferred abstraction of the pro-S proton (by 2.75 kcal/mol) gives the (S)-lithio derivate (S)-14, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. (-)-alpha-Isosparteine (6) is predicted to be significantly less selective favoring the abstraction of the pro-R proton by 1.2 kcal/mol. The O-alkenyl carbamate 17 as an example of an allylic carbamate is more easily lithiated than 12. As for 12 (-)-sparteine (5) favors the abstraction of the pro-S proton, although with smaller preference (0.7 kcal/mol). Structural parameters are discussed to rationalize the theoretical results.     

Development and Validation of a Chiral Liquid Chromatographic Assay for Enantiomeric Separation and Quantification of Verapamil in Rat Plasma: Stereoselective Pharmacokinetic Application

A novel, fast and sensitive enantioselective HPLC assay with a new core–shell isopropyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 (superficially porous particle, SPP) chiral column (LarihcShell-P, LSP) was developed and validated for the enantiomeric separation and quantification of verapamil (VER) in rat plasma. The polar organic mobile phase composed of acetonitrile/methanol/trifluoroacetic acid/triethylamine (98:2:0.05: 0.025, v/v/v/v) and a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min was applied. Fluorescence detection set at excitation/emission wavelengths 280/313 nm was used and the whole analysis process was within 3.5 min, which is 10-fold lower than the previous reported HPLC methods in the literature. Propranolol was selected as the internal standard. The S-(−)- and R-(+)-VER enantiomers with the IS were extracted from rat plasma by utilizing Waters Oasis HLB C18 solid phase extraction cartridges without interference from endogenous compounds. The developed assay was validated following the US-FDA guidelines over the concentration range of 1–450 ng/mL (r² ≥ 0.997) for each enantiomer (plasma) and the lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL for both isomers. The intra- and inter-day precisions were not more than 11.6% and the recoveries of S-(−)- and R-(+)-VER at all quality control levels ranged from 92.3% to 98.2%. The developed approach was successfully applied to the stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of VER enantiomers after oral administration of 10 mg/kg racemic VER to Wistar rats. It was found that S-(−)-VER established higher C_max and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values than the R-(+)-enantiomer. The newly developed approach is the first chiral HPLC for the enantiomeric separation and quantification of verapamil utilizing a core–shell isopropyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 chiral column in rat plasma within 3.5 min after solid phase extraction (SPE).     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Biological Activities of Naproxen-eugenol Ester Prodrug

The prodrug, naproxen-eugenol ester, was synthesized by acyl chloride method with naproxen and eugenol as the raw materials. The structure was identified by proton nuclear magnetic resonance(¹H NMR), mass spectrometry(MS), infrared spectrometry(IR) and X-ray diffraction. The compound was crystallized in the orthorhombic system, space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions a=0.60563(12) nm,b=1.0234(2) nm, c=3.2654(7) nm, a=90°, b=90°, g=90°, V=2.0240(7) nm³, Z=4. Calculated density 1.235 Mg/m³; absorption coefficient: 0.083 mm^-1; F(000)=800; final R₁=0.0564. The analgesic activity and anti-inflammatory were similar to those of naproxen, and the results of ulcerogenic activity indicate that the prodrug can significantly decrease the irritation after oral administration.