Nonclassical 5-substituted tetrahydroquinazolines as potential inhibitors of thymidylate synthase

Classical inhibitors of thymidylate synthase such as N^l0-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid (1), N-(5-[N-(3,4-dihydro-2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolin-6-ylmethyl)-N-methylamino]-2-thenoyl)-L-glutamic acid (ZD1694, 2) and N-[2-amino-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro(pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrintidin-5-yl)ethylbenzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (LY231514, 3) while potent, suffer from a number of potential disadvantages, such as impaired uptake due to an alteration of the active transport system required for their cellular uptake, as well as formation of long acting, non-effluxing polyglutamates via the action of folylpolyglutamate synthetase, which are responsible for toxicity. To overcome some of the disadvantages of classical inhibitors, there has been considerable interest in the synthesis and evaluation of nonclassical thymidylate synthase inhibitors, which could enter cells via passive diffusion. In an attempt to elucidate the role of saturation of the B-ring of non-classical, quinazoline antifolate inhibitors of thymidylate synthase, analogues 7-17 were designed. Analogues 13-17 which contain a methyl group at the 7-position, were synthesized in an attempt to align the methyl group in an orientation which allows interaction with tryptophan-80 in the active site of thymidylate synthase. The synthesis of these analogues was achieved via the reaction of guanidine with the appropriately substituted cyclohexanone-ketoester. These ketoesters were in turn synthesized via a Michael addition of the appropriate thiophenol with 2-carbethoxycyclohexen-1-one or 5-methyl-2-carbethoxycyclo-hexen-1-one to afford a mixture of diastereomers. The most inhibitory compound was the 3,4-dichloro, 7-methyl derivative 17 which inhibited the Escherichia coli and Pneumocystis carinii thymidylate syntheses 50% at 5 × 10⁵ M. Our results confirm the importance of the 7-CH₃ group and electron withdrawing groups on the aromatic side chain for thymidylate synthase inhibition.     

On the formation of homo-azasteroidal esters of N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminobenzoic acid isomers and their antitumor activity

The N, N-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminobenzoate isomers and the 4-methyl-3-N, N-bis(2-chloro-ethyl)aminobenzoate of 3β-hydroxy-13α-amino-13,17-seco-5α-androstan-17-oic-13,17-lactam, 3α-hydroxy-13α-amino-13,17-seco-5α-androstan-17-oic-13,17-lactam, 3α-hydroxy-13α-amino-13,17-seco-5-androsten-17-oic-13,17-lactam and 17β-hydroxy-3-aza-A-homo-4α-androsten-4-one, have been prepared and their biological activity evaluated against P388 leukemia in vivo and Ehrlich Ascites tumor (EAT), P388 and L1210 leukemias and Baby Hamster cells (BHK) in vitro. The esters in which the alkylating congener is linked to the lactam alcohol in the axial position are inactive in vivo in P388 leukemia, while compounds 1, 4, 6, 13, 14 and the alkylating congeners 17, 18 and 20 are active. The effect of the homo-azasteroidal of N, N-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminobenzoic acid isomers and of 4-methyl-3-N, N-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminobenzoic acid on the incorporation of the radioactive precursor into the DNA of L1210, P388 leukemias, Ehrlich ascites tumor and, baby Hamster kidney cells was investigated. Higher inhibitory effects on the incorporation of the radioactive precursor was obtained with the ortho derivatives, yielding <70% inhibition of thymidine incorporation in all tumor lines tested.     

6-aza-5,8,10-trideaza analogues of tetrahydrofolic acid and tetrahydroaminopterin: Synthesis and biological studies

6-Aza-5,8,10-trideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid ( 3 ) and 6-aza-5,8,10-trideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroamino-pterin ( 4 ) were synthesized from 6-aza-5,8,10-trideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteroic acid ( 5 ) and 4-amino-6-aza-5,8,10-trideaza-4-deoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteroic acid ( 6 ), respectively, by mixed carboxylic-carbonic anhydride condensation with dimethyl L-glutamate followed by ester hydrolysis. The pteroic acid analogues 5 and 6 were prepared in several steps from 1-benzyl-3-carbethoxypiperidin-4-one via 2-amino-6-benzyl-5,6,7,8-te-trahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one ( 7 ). Compound 3 did not inhibit the growth of L1210 mouse leukemia cells in culture, and was not an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) or thymidylate synthase (TS). It was a very poor substrate for mouse liver folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS). The 2,4-diamino analogue 4 was only a marginal substrate for FPGS, yet showed activity comparable to methotrexate as a DHFR inhibitor and as an inhibitor of tumor cell growth. The cytotoxicity of 4 is noteworthy because this compound is, to our knowledge, the first example of a classical antifolate which forms polyglutamates poorly even though it contains an intact p-aminobenzoyl-L-glutamic acid side-chain. The inability of 3 and 4 to form polyglutamates indicates that a basic nitrogen at position 6 is highly unfavorable for binding to FPGS.     

Reactions of 5,8-dichloro-2,3-dicyanoquinoxaline with amines and hydrazines. A new and efficient synthetic approach to 3-amino-5,8-dichloroflavazoles

Reactions of 5,8-dichloro-2,3-dicyanoquinoxaline with primary amines and hydrazines under different experimental conditions were investigated. Alkylamines provided novel 3-alkylamino-5,8-dichloro-2-cyanoquinoxalines and N-alkyl-(5,8-dichloro-3-alkylamino-2-quinoxalinyl)carboxamidines in high yields. Alkylhydrazines and lithium arylhydrazinides gave previously unattainable 1-alkyl-3-amino-5,8-dichloroflavazoles and 3-amino-1-aryl-5,8-dichloroflavazoles in good to near quantitative yields whose molecular structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography of 3-[N,N-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)amino]-5,8-dichloro-1-phenylflavazole. Reaction with hydrazine gave 5,8-dichloro-3-hydrazino-2-quinoxalinylcarboxamidrazone quantitatively, which was converted to the parent compound of this class of flavazoles, 3-amino-5,8-dichloroflavazole, in high yield by a pyrolytic process involving loss of hydrazine.     

Synthesis of classical and nonclassical 2‐amino‐4‐oxo‐6‐benzylthieno‐[2,3‐d]pyrimidines as potential thymidylate synthase inhibitors

A series of seven nonclassical 2‐amino‐4‐oxo‐6‐substituted thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 2‐8 and one classical N‐[4‐(2‐amino‐4‐oxo‐3,4‐dihydrothieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐6‐ylmethyl)benzoyl]‐L‐glutamic acid 9 (Table I) were designed as the first in a series of 6‐substituted 6‐5 fused ring analogs as potential thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitors and as antitumor agents. The target compounds were synthesized via a Heck coupling of appropriately substituted iodobenzenes and allyl alcohol followed by cyclization using cyanoacetate and sulfur powder to afford substituted thiophenes. The resulting thiophenes were then cyclocondensed with chloroformamidine hydrochloride to afford 2‐amino‐4‐oxo‐6‐substituted thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 2‐8 and 26 . Hydrolysis of 26 followed by coupling with diethyl L‐glutamate afforded 28 . The classical analog 9 was obtained by hydrolysis of 28 . None of the target compounds inhibited human recombinant thymidylate synthase at 23 μm except 9 for which the IC₅₀ value was 100 μm.     

Synthesis of 2-aminochromones. Studies on the nucleophilic displacement of sulphinyl and sulphonyl groups in the 2-position of 5,8-dimethoxychromone

The synthesis is described of a number of N-substituted 2-amino-5,8-dimethoxychromones ( 1 ) by replacement of the sulphoxide group in 2-ethylsulphinyl-5,8-dimethoxychromone ( 5a ) with the appropriate amine. Analogous substitution of 2-ethylsulphonyl-5,8-dimethoxychromone ( 5b ) is also possible but limited by the instability of the sulphone. Replacement reactions of 5a involving oxygen, sulphur, and phosphorus nucleophiles are also described.     

Synthesis of 5-trifluoromethyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid and 5-trifluoromethyl-5,8-dideazaisofolic acid

The target folate analogue 5-trifluoromethyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid has been elaborated in a seven-step reaction sequence beginning with 2-fluoro-6-trifluoromethylbenzonitrile. The bridge-reversed isomer 5-trifluoromethyl-5,8-dideazaisofolic acid was prepared in six steps using the common intermediate 2,6-diamino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-5-trifluoromethylquinazoline. The key intermediate 2-amino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-5-trifluoromethyl-quinazoline was prepared using two distinct synthetic routes and the resulting products were found to be identical.     

Die photochemische Tautomerisation eines cyclischen Amidins

The cyclic amidine group of the 8-amino-2,3,5,5a-tetrahydro-5,8a-propeno-6H,11H-pyrrolo[3,4-g]-1-pyrindine ( 2 ) undergoes photochemical tautomerism. In this reaction the dihydropyridine group of a second molecule of 2 acts as a sensitizer.     

A new base-induced ring transformation of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines

8-Substituted 5,8-dihydro-5-oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxylates ( 3 ) rearranged to 8-substituted 7,8-dihydro-5-hydroxy-7-oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxaldehydes ( 5 ) when treated with sodium ethoxide in an aprotic polar solvent at room temperature. The 6-cyano analogue ( 18 ) also underwent ring transformation under the same mild conditions giving 7-amino-8-ethyl-5,8-dihydro-5-oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxaldehyde ( 21 ). However, the ring transformations of the pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine bearing no N₈-substituent ( 12 ), ethyl 1-ethyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,8-naphthyridine- ( 14 ) and -quinoline-3-carboxylates ( 16 ) failed to occur. A mechanism is discussed.     

Streptonigrin and lavendamycin partial structures. Preparation of 7-amino-2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoline-5,8-quinone-6′-carboxylic acid: A probe for the minimum,potent pharmacophore of the naturally occurring antitumor-antibiotics

The preparation of 7-amino-2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoline-5,8-quinone-6′-carboxylic acid (4) constituting a potential minimum, potent pharmacophore of streptonigrin (1) and lavendamycin (2) , two structurally-related naturally-occurring antitumor-antibiotic, is detailed. In contrast to observations associated with streptonigrin and lavendamycin in which the C-6′ acid potentiates the antitumor, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity of the naturally-occurring, substituted 7-aminoquinoline-5,8-quinone AB ring systems, the C-6′ carboxylic acid of 4 diminishes the observed antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of 7-amino-2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoline-5,8-quinone.     

Streptonigrin and related compounds. I. Some 2-phenyl- and 2,2-pyridylquinoline-5,8-diones

Methods for the synthesis of 6-amino-7-methoxy- and 7-amino-6-methoxy-2,2-pyridylquinoline- 5,8-diones and the corresponding 2-phenylquinoline-5,8-diones are described. The 6-aminoquinone system was generated by direct amination with sodium azide and the 7-aminoquinone system via the novel 6-hydroxy-7-nitroquinone intermediates. The basic skeleton was derived by the application of the Friedlander quinoline synthesis.     

Synthesis of aminovinyl derivatives of quinoline- and isoquinoline-5,8-diones*

Aminovinyl derivatives of quinoline-5,8-dione and isoquinoline-5,8-dione were obtained. The structure of (E)-6-chloro-7-[2-(N,N-diethylamino)vinyl]quinoline-5,8-dione was confirmed by X-ray structural analysis.     

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of a series of 2,4-diamino-6-[(N-alkylanilino)methyl]quinazolines

A series of 2,4-diamino-6-[(N-alkylanilino)methyl]quinazolines were prepared by bromination of 2,4-dibenz-amido-6-methylquinazoline followed by treatment with secondary arylamines and deblocking with base. A variety of analogs demonstrated substantial activity against Plasmodium berghei infections in mice.     

Inhibition of folylpolyglutamate synthetase by substrate analogues with an ornithine side chain

N^α-[4-[[(4-Aminopteridin-6-yl)methyl]amino]benzoyl]-L-ornithine (dAPA-Orn) was synthesized, and its ability to inhibit folylpolyglutamate synthetase from mouse liver was compared with that of the corresponding 2,4-diamino analogue APA-Orn. Also compared were the inhibitory activities of the deaza analogues 5-deazaAPA-Orn, 8-deazaAPA-Orn, and 5,8-dideazaAPA-Orn, as well as those of N^α-pteroyl-L-ornithine (PteOrn) and its deaza analogues 5-deazaPteOrn and 5,8-dideazaPteOrn. The inhibition constant K_i of dAPA-Orn was 7-fold greater than that of APA-Orn, indicating that the 2-amino group plays a role in binding to the active site. The binding affinity of the 2,4-diamino compounds increased in the order 5-deazaAPA < APA-Orn <5,8-dideazaAPA-Orn < 8-deazaAPA-Orn, and that of the 2-amino-4(3H)-oxo compounds increased in the order 5-deazaPteOrn < PteOrn < 5,8-dideazaPteOrn. The most potent inhibitor of both groups was 8-deazaAPA-Orn, with a K_i of 0.018 μM, coresponding to an 8-fold and 15-fold increase in affinity relative to APA-Orn and 5-deazaAPA-Orn, respectively. The results suggest (a) that the binding of Orn-containing folylpolyglutamate synthetase inhibitors is affected to a greater degree by replacement of N⁸ by a carbon atom than it is by the corresponding change at N⁵, (b) that the effect of carbon for nitrogen replacement is greater in the 2,4-diamino derivatives than in the 2-amino-4(3H)-oxo compounds, and (c) that the 2,4-diamines are the better inhibitors. Comparison of the K_i values of the Orn-containing inhibitors with the K_m values of the corresponding glutamate-containing substrates revealed that K_m/K_i ratio can vary as much as 100-fold depending on the nature of the heterocyclic moiety, suggesting that caution should be exercised in using K_m values of known substrates to predict K_i values of putative inhibitors.     

Synthesis of isonipecotinoyl analogues of aminopterin and folic acid

The preparation of isonipecotinoyl analogues of aminopterin and methotrexate is described. Condensation of diethyl N-isonipecotinoyl-L-glutamate 4 with 2-amino-5-bromomethyl-3-cyanopyrazine 5 afforded diethyl N-(N-[(2-amino-3-cyanopyrazin-5-yl)methyl]isonipecotinoyl)-L-glutamate 6 . Cyclisation of 6 with guanidine followed by blocking group hydrolysis afforded N-([N-(2,4-diaminopteridin-6-yl)methyl]isonipecotinoyl)-L-glutamic acid 8 . Coupling of N-(2-amino-4(3H)ioxopteridin-6-yl]methyl)isonipecotinic acid 11 with diethyl L-glutamate gave diethyl N-[(N-[2-amino-4(3H)-oxopteridin-6-yl]methyl)isonipecotinoyl]-L-glutamate 12 . Blocking group hydrolysis afforded N-[(N-[2-amino-4(3H)-oxopteridin-6-yl]methyl)isonipecotinoyl]-L-glutamic acid 13 .     

Synthesis of 6-cyanopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidinones in the reaction of 6-amino-4-pyrimidinones with arylidene derivatives of malonodinitrile

This paper describes the synthesis of a new series of 7-amino-5-aryl-6-cyano-5,8-dihydropyrido-[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones 3 from the reaction of 6-amino-4-pyrimidinones 1 with arylidene derivatives of malonodinitrile 2 . The structure of the final compounds was determined on the basis of nmr measurements, especially by ¹H, ¹H-, ¹H, ¹³C COSY, DEPT, HMBC and HMQC experiments.     

[1]Benzothienopyrimidines. I. Etude de la 3H-benzothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidone-4

3H-benzothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one (3) was synthesized by bimolecular cyclising the 3-amino-2-carbethoxybenzothiophene (1) with formamide. The electrophilic substituion of 3 afforded N-methylated lactam derivavtives, the structure of which was assigned by 'H nmr and unequivocal synthesis. The sysnthesis of benzothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine (7) was achieved by desulphurization of the 3H-benzothieno[3,2-d]-[3,2-d]pyrimisine-4-thione (6) or by oxydation of the 4-hydrazinobenzothieno[3,2-d]primidine (5).     

Polycyclic pyridazines. II [3]. Synthesis of pyrazolo[4′,3′:5,6]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrid-azine derivatives from dimethyl pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrid-azine-5,6-dicarboxylates as the key intermediates

The synthesis of the novel pyrazolo[4′,3′:5,6]pyrido[2,3-d]pyridazine ring system and some of its derivatives has been accomplished such as 4-amino-1-phenyl-5,8-dioxo-, 4-amino-5,8-dioxo-, 1-phenyl-5,8-dioxo-, 5,8-dioxo-, 5,8-dichloro-1-phenyl-, 5-ethoxy-1-phenyl- and 8-ethoxy-1-phenylpyrazolo[4′,3′:5,6]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrid-azines.     

Nitration of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoisoquinoline N-oxide with other aromatic substitutions. Isolation and mutagenicity of an α-nitropyridine N-oxide

Treatment of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoisoquinoline N-oxide ( 2 ) with fuming nitric acid afforded 3-nitro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoisoquinoline N-oxide ( 3 ), an example of formation of an α-nitropyridine N-oxide derivative by nitration of N-oxides. Further reaction of 3 resulted in deoxygenation giving 3-nitro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoisoquinoline ( 4 ). No aromatic nitration was observed by similar treatment of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoisoquinoline ( 1 ) or 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisoquinoline N-oxide ( 11 ). Some other aromatic substitutions with 1 and 2 were caried out to obtain mainly the 3-substituted derivatives. Significant mutagenicity of 3 is briefly reported.     

Conformational isomers of neutral trans-di­nitro­cobalt(III) complexes

The reaction of Co(acac)₃ with N-(2-amino­ethyl)-1,3-propane­di­amine in the presence of NaNO₂ results in the preparation of an unexpected di­nitro­cobalt(III) compound, (11-amino-4-methyl-5,8-di­aza­undeca-2,4-dien-2-olato-κ⁴­N^5,8,11,O)-di­nitrocobalt(III), [Co(C₁₀H₂₀N₃O)(NO₂)₂], containing the tetra­dentate anion of 11-amino-4-methyl-5,8-diazaundeca-2,4-dien-­2-ol. Two isomers of the compound were obtained by recrystallization of the crude product. In one isomer, the two trans nitro groups are staggered, and in the other they are eclipsed.