Synthesis and serotonin antagonist and antianexity activities of pyrrolidine derivatives from 4-hydrazinyl-1-p-substituted phenyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitriles

Abstract   N-(p-substituted phenyl)-4-cyanopyrrolidin-3-ones and their corresponding hydrazines were prepared and used as starting materials to synthesize heterocyclic candidates as serotonin antagonist and antianexity agents. Condensation of hydrazines with selected aromatic aldehydes afforded the corresponding Schiff bases. The hydrazines were treated with phenyl isothiocyanate to afford the corresponding thiosemicarbazides, which were cyclized with ethyl bromoacetate to N-phenylthiazolidinones. The hydrazine was reacted with 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorophthalic anhydride to give the tetrachloroimide derivative. It was reacted with benzoyl acetonitrile, 2-(bismethylsulfanyl-methylene)malononitrile, 2-ethoxymethylenemalononitrile, or 2-cyano-3-ethoxyacrylic acid ethyl ester to afford the corresponding pyrazoline derivatives. Schiff bases were obtained by simple condensation of the hydrazine with different carbonyl compounds. All the compounds were screened for their serotonin antagonistic and antianexity activities, and they showed high activities compared to buspirone and diazepam as controls. Graphical abstract        

An adaptive heuristic algorithm for VLSI test vectors selection

The increasing complexity of today’s system-on-a-chip designs is putting more pressure on the already stressed design verification process. The verification plan must cover several individual cores as well as the overall chip design. Conditions to be verified are identified by the system’s architects, the designers, and the verification team. Testing for these conditions is a must for the design to tape out, especially for high priority conditions. A significant bottleneck in the verification process of such designs is that not enough time is usually given to the final coverage phase, which makes computing cycles very precious. Thus, intelligent selection of test vectors that achieve the best coverage using the minimum number of computing cycles is crucial for on time tape out. This paper presents a novel heuristic algorithm for test vectors selection. The algorithm attempts to achieve the best coverage level while minimizing the required number of computing cycles.     

On-line solid phase extraction coupled to capillary LC-ESI-MS for determination of fluoxetine in human blood plasma

An instrumental setup including on-line solid phased extraction coupled to capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SPE-capLC-ESI-MS) has been constructed to improve the sensitivity for quantification of fluoxetine hydrochloride in human plasma. Prior to injection, 0.5 mL of plasma spiked with metronidazole (internal standard) was mixed with ammonium formate buffer for effective chloroform liquid-liquid extraction. The method was validated in the range 5-60 ng mL⁻¹ fluoxetine, yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.999 (r²). The within-assay and between-assay precisions were between (8.5 and 11%) and (6.6 and 7.5%), respectively. The method was used to determine the amount of fluoxetine in a healthy male 14 h after an intake of one capsule of the antidepressant and anorectic Flutin^®, which contains 20 mg fluoxetine per each capsule. Fluoxetine was detected, and the concentration was calculated to 9.0 ng mL⁻¹ plasma. In the preliminary experiments, conventional LC-UV instrumentation was employed. However, it was found that employing a capillary column with an inner diameter of (0.3 mm I.D. × 50 mm, Zorbax C₁₈) increased the sensitivity by a factor of ∼100, when injecting the same mass of analyte. Incorporating an easily automated C₁₈ reversed phase column switching system with SPE (1.0 mm I.D. × 5.0 mm, 5 μm) made it possible to inject up to 100 μL of solution, and the total analysis time was 5.5 min.     

2‐Cyano‐N‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)acetamide in Heterocyclic Synthesis: Synthesis and Antibacterial Screening of Novel Pyrido[1,2‐a]thieno[3,2‐e]pyrimidine‐2‐carboxylate Moieties

A novel series of interesting 6,8‐dicyanopyrido[1,2‐a]thieno[3,2‐e]pyrimidine‐2‐carboxylate compounds were prepared via the reaction of readily accessible 2‐cyano‐N‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)acetamide with arylidene malononitriles in pyridine in the presence of piperidine. Biological screening of the tested compounds as antibacterial agents was also studied.     

Easily attainable new approach to mass yield ferrocenyl Schiff base and different metal complexes of ferrocenyl Schiff base through convenient ultrasonication‐solvothermal method

A new alternative approach with crucial mass yield and high reaction rates is proposed for the synthesis of ferrocenyl Schiff bases using an ultrasonication‐solvothermal method. Equimolar condensation of ferrocenecarboxaldehyde and 2‐aminophenol interact with each other, giving 1‐(1‐[2‐hydroxyphenyl‐2‐imino]methyl)‐ferrocene (FcOH). Furthermore, this ligand forms 1:1 complexes with cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and palladium(II) ions. From the different spectral data, it is found that metal ions coordinate with ligands through the azomethine group and the deprotonated oxygen of the phenol groups. Moreover, FcOH and their complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, and UV‐visible spectrophotometry. The spectral data of FcOH and its metal complexes were discussed in connection with the structural changes due to complexation. Meanwhile, the information about geometric structures can be concluded from the electronic spectra and the magnetic moments. Plainly, electron spin resonance spectra of the Cu(II) complex revealed d_x2?y2 as a ground state, suggesting a square planar geometry around the Cu(II) center. The direct optical band gap energy E_g values of cobalt, nickel, copper, and palladium complexes of FcOH are found to be 3.7, 3.9, 4.6, and 3.65 eV, respectively. 1‐(1‐[2‐Hydroxyphenyl‐2‐imino]methyl)‐ferrocene and its metal complexes were screened for antibacterial activity. The results depict that the metal complexes were found to be more strongly antibacterial than the guardian Schiff base ligand (FcOH) against one or more bacterial species. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of antimicrobial properties of the purified compound were determined using the broth microdilution method.     

Potentiating the antibacterial effect of silver nanospheres by surface-capping with chlorhexidine gluconate

In this work, the commercial polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-capped silver nanospheres (Ag-NSP) were surface decorated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHXg) for potentiating the antibacterial properties of Ag-NSP. Different formulations of CHXg-loaded Ag-NSP (Ag-NSP/CHXg) were prepared by varying the incubation times (0.5, 1.5, and 3 h). A thorough characterization of Ag-NSP/CHXg nanospheres has been carried out by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive surface elemental composition spectral analysis (SEM/EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), percentage (%) CHXg loading efficiency (LE), in vitro CHXg and Ag⁺ ion release, antibacterial/biofilm inhibition assay, and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cytotoxicity evaluation. DLS measured nanospheres to be <160 nm and indicated that CHXg treatment drastically shifted the surface charge from negative to high positive values, with homogenous distribution. TEM revealed spherical Ag-NSP/CHXg nanospheres with a clearly visible surface coating of CHXg. FTIR confirmed association of CHXg with Ag-NSP nanospheres, whereas SEM/EDX data verified presence of spectral peaks specific to silver (Ag), CHXg, and PVP. The %LE gradually increased with increasing incubation times. In vitro CHXg release exhibited a bi-phasic fashion showing maximum release of ~74.83 ± 20.67% from Ag-NSP/CHXg-3h at 14 days. A slow release of Ag⁺ ions was detected; however, the surface decoration of Ag-NSP substantially hampered/restricted the liberation of ions. Agar well diffusion, MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H–tetrazolium), and crystal violet assay suggested good antibacterial/antibiofilm activity of Ag-NSP/CHXg that correlated with the increasing %LE of nanospheres. hMSCs cytotoxicity study showed low toxicity properties of all nanosphere formulations, except for Ag-NSP/CHXg-3h, affecting the cell viability at all proposed concentrations and exposure time points. CHXg accentuated the antibacterial properties of Ag-NSP.     

EGFR and COX-2 Dual Inhibitor: The Design,Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Chalcones

For most researchers, discovering new anticancer drugs to avoid the adverse effects of current ones, to improve therapeutic benefits and to reduce resistance is essential. Because the COX-2 enzyme plays an important role in various types of cancer leading to malignancy enhancement, inhibition of apoptosis, and tumor-cell metastasis, an indispensable objective is to design new scaffolds or drugs that possess combined action or dual effect, such as kinase and COX-2 inhibition. The start compounds A1 to A6 were prepared through the diazo coupling of 3-aminoacetophenone with a corresponding phenol and then condensed with two new chalcone series, C7–18. The newly synthesized compounds were assessed against both COX-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for their inhibitory effect. All novel compounds were screened for cytotoxicity against five cancer cell lines. Compounds C9 and G10 exhibited potent EGFR inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 0.8 and 1.1 µM, respectively. Additionally, they also displayed great COX-2 inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 1.27 and 1.88 µM, respectively. Furthermore, the target compounds were assessed for their cytotoxicity against pancreatic ductal cancer (Panc-1), lung cancer (H-460), human colon cancer (HT-29), human malignant melanoma (A375) and pancreatic cancer (PaCa-2) cell lines. Interestingly, compounds C10 and G12 exhibited the strongest cytotoxic effect against PaCa-2 with average IC₅₀ values of 0.9 and 0.8 µM, respectively. To understand the possible binding modes of the compounds under investigation with the receptor cites of EGFR and COX-2, a virtual docking study was conducted.     

Synthesis, Reactions, and Pharmacological Screening of Heterocyclic Derivatives Using Nicotinic Acid as a Natural Synthon

Summary. A series of substituted pyridine derivatives were prepared from 3-acetylpyridine, which was prepared from the corresponding nicotinic acid as a natural starting material. Reaction of 3-acetylpyridine with indole-3-carboxaldehyde afforded the corresponding 3-β-(3-indolyl)acryloylpyridine, which was reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in pyridine or acetic acid in the presence of sodium acetate to afford 3-β-(3-indolyl)acryloylpyridine oxime and oxazole derivatives. The oxime was treated with ethyl isothiocyanate or toluene-3,5-diisocyanate in refluxing dioxane to give the corresponding ethyl thiosemicarbazide and 3,5-bissemicarbazide derivative. 3-β-(3-Indolyl)acryloylpyridine was condensed with malononitrile in refluxing ethanol in the presence of piperidine as a catalyst to give cyanoaminopyrane, while it was condensed with ethyl cyanoacetate or malononitrile in the presence of ammonium acetate to yield cyanopyridone and cyanoaminopyridine derivatives. Cyclization of acryloylpyridine with o-phenylenediamine in refluxing butanol led to the formation of the corresponding benzodiazipine via the intermediate A. Finally, cycloaddition reaction of acryloylpyridine with thiourea yielded thioxopyrimidine, which was treated with chloroacetic acid to yield thiazolopyrimidine. An arylmethylene derivative was prepared by reacting thiazolopyrimidine with indole-3-carboxaldehyde or by reacting thioxopyrimidine with indole-3-carboxaldehyde and chloroacetic acid in one step. The pharmacological screening showed that many of these obtained compounds have good analgesic and anticonvulsant activities comparable to Valdecoxib^? and Carbamazepine^? as reference drugs.     

Synthesis, Reactions, and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Heterocyclic Systems Fused to a Thiophene Moiety Using Citrazinic Acid As Synthon

Summary. A series of pyridines, pyrimidinones, and oxazinones were synthesized as anti-inflammatory agents using citrazinic acid (2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid) as a starting material. Acryloyl pyridine was treated with cyanothioacetamide to give cyano pyridine-thione, which was reacted with ethyl chloroacetate to yield the corresponding amino ester. The ester was hydrolysed to the sodium salt, which was treated with acetic anhydride to afford 2-methyloxazinone, which was treated with ammonium acetate to afford 2-methylpyrimidinone followed by methylation with methyl iodide to yield 2,3-dimethylpyrimidinone. In addition, the oxazinone derivative was reacted with aniline or hydrazine hydrate to give 3-phenyl- or 3-aminopyrimidinones. The latter reacted with thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde or phenylisothiocyanate to afford Schiff’s bases or thiosemicarbazides. 3-Aminopyrimidinone was treated with phthalic anhydride or 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride or toluene-3,5-diisocyanate to afford the corresponding imide, bis-imide, and bis-semicarbazide derivatives. The pharmacological screening showed that many of these compounds have good anti-inflammatory activity comparable to Prednisolone^? as reference drug.