The synthesis of dicationic extended bis-benzimidazoles

The synthesis of extended dicationic bis-benzimidazoles starting from trans-1,2-bis(4-cyanophenyl)ethene and trans-1,2-bis(4-cyanophenyl)cyclopropane is reported. The target diamidines show significant in vitro activity against B. subtilis.     

Different approaches toward an automatic structural alignment of drug molecules: Applications to sterol mimics,thrombin and thermolysin inhibitors

Summary A relative comparison of the binding properties of different drug molecules requires their mutual superposition with respect to various alignment criteria. In order to validate the results of different alignment methods, the crystallographically observed binding geometries of ligands in the pocket of a common protein receptor have been used. The alignment function in the program SEAL that calculates the mutual superposition of molecules has been optimized with respect to these references. Across the reference data set, alignments could be produced that show mean rms deviations of approximately 1 Å compared to the experimental situation. For structures with obvious skeletal similarities a multiple-flexible fit, linking common pharmacophoric groups by virtual springs, has been incorporated into the molecular mechanics program MOMO. In order to combine conformational searching with comparative alignments, the optimized SEAL approach has been applied to sets of conformers generated by MIMUMBA, a program for conformational analysis. Multiple-flexible fits have been calculated for inhibitors of ergosterol biosynthesis. Sets of different thrombin and thermolysin inhibitors have been conformationally analyzed and subsequently aligned by a combined MIMUMBA/SEAL approach. Since for these examples crystallographic data on their mutual alignment are available, an objective assessment of the computed results could be performed. Among the generated conformers, one geometry could be selected for the thrombin and thermolysin inhibitors that approached reasonably well the experimentally observed alignment.     

THE EFFECTS OF THROMBOXANE INHIBITORS ON THE MICROVASCULAR AND TUMOR RESPONSE TO PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

Abstract— Vascular stasis and tissue ischemia are known to cause tumor cell death in several experimental models after photodynamic therapy (PDT); however, the mechanisms leading to this damage remain unclear. Because previous studies indicated that thromboxane release is implicated in vessel damage, we further examined the role of throm-boxane in PDT. Rats bearing chondrosarcoma were injected with 25 mg/kg Photofrin® (intravenously) 24 h before treatment. Light (135 J/cm ² , 630 nm) was delivered to thc tumor area after injection of one of the following inhibitors: (1) R68070: a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor; (2) SQ-29548: a thromboxane receptor antagonist; and (3) Flunarizine: an inhibitor of platelet shape change. Systemic thromboxane levels were determined. Vessel constriction and leakage were evaluated by intravital microscopy. Tumor response was assessed after treatment. Thromboxane levels were decreased more than 50% with SQ-29548 as compared to controls. Thromboxane levels in animals given R68070 and Flunarizine remained at baseline levels. SQ-29548 and R68070 reduced vessel constriction compared to controls, while Flunarizine totally prevented vessel constriction. R68070 and SQ-29548 inhibited vessel permeability compared to PDT controls; Flunarizine did not. Animals given these inhibitors showed markedly reduced tumor cure. These results indicate that the release of thromboxane is linked to the vascular response in PDT.     

The preparation of 2,6-diaminopyrazine, 2,6-diazidopyrazine and some of their derivatives

A much improved synthesis of the heretofore difficultly obtainable 2,6-diaminopyrazine (4) was afforded by the low-pressure catalytic hydrogenation (palladium on carbon) of 2,6-diazido-pyrazine (2) ; reaction of 2,6-dichloropyrazine (1) and sodium azide gave 2 in 84% yield. The outcome of the reduction was found to be solvent dependent: 1,2-dimethoxyethane containing aqueous ammonia gave 4 in 83% yield; 1,2-dimethoxyethane alone gave 5-aminotetrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrazine (3) in 26% yield. Additional alternative syntheses of 3 and 4 are described. A number of acyl and azo derivatives of 4 were prepared. Reactions of 2 with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and ethyl acetate (base catalyzed) leading to vic-triazole derivatives are also described.     

Reactions of bis(hexamethylbenzene)iron(0) with carbon monoxide and with unsaturated hydrocarbons

Thermal decomposition of bis(hexamethylbenzene)iron(0) in the presence of carbon monoxide yields a novel carbonyl iron complex, [C₆(CH₃)₆]Fe(CO)₂. The cyclohexadiene complex [C₆(CH₃)₆]Fe(C₆H₈) is obtained from reaction of bis(hexamethylbenzene)iron(0) with either 1,3-cyclohexadiene or benzene, and the yield is much greater in the presence of hydrogen gas. Interaction of bis-(hexamethylbenzene)iron(0) with 2-butyne induces a catalytic cyclotrimerization to give more hexamethylbenzene. Kinetic and isotope distribution studies indicate that the primary step in these reactions is not a direct loss of one ring ligand, but rather an insertion of the iron center into one of the ligand methyl CH bonds, leading to a benzyl hydride complex species. Mechanisms for the subsequent reactions of this iron hydride species are proposed.     

Role of the spacer in the singlet-singlet energy transfer mechanism (Förster vs Dexter) in cofacial bisporphyrins

The cofacial bisporphyrins H4DPS (DPS = 4,6-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]dibenzothiophene), H4DPO (DPO = 4,6-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]dibenzofuran), H4DPX (DPX = 4,5-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]-9,9-dimethylxanthene), H4DPA (DPA = 1,8-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]anthracene), and H4DPB (DPB = 1,8-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]biphenylene) have been monometalated by Zn(OAc)2.2H2O and by GaCl3 to explore the singlet-singlet energy transfer from the photoexcited metal porphyrin center to the linked free base porphyrin. The spectroscopic (UV-vis and fluorescence) and photophysical properties (fluorescence lifetimes, tauF, and quantum yields, phiF) have been investigated at 298 and 77 K in degassed 2-MeTHF for the donor-acceptor systems, (Zn)H2DPS, (Zn)H2DPO, (Zn)H2DPA, (Zn)H2DPX, and (Zn)H2DPB, as well as for the bis-zinc complexes, (Zn)2DPS, (Zn)2DPO, (Zn)2DPX, and (Zn)2DPB, respectively, and the monoporphyrin derivatives, H2P, (Zn)P, and (Ga-OMe)P (P2- = 5-phenyl-2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrin-dianion). The singlet-singlet energy transfer rate constants (KET) were obtained using KET = (1/tauF -1/tauFo), where tauFo is the fluorescence lifetime of the corresponding bis-zinc(II) systems (or (Zn)P and (Ga-OMe)P) where no energy transfer occurs. The tauF value for three bis-zinc(II) compounds varies from 1.69 to 2.01 ns and is 1.84 (at 298 K) and 3.20 ns (at 77 K) for (Ga-OMe)P. In the donor-acceptor bismacrocycles, depending on the spacer and the temperature, the fluorescence lifetimes decrease down to 50-240 ps. The KET values range from approximately 4 to approximately 21 (ns(-1)) and have been analyzed considering both the F?rster and the Dexter mechanisms. Using the C(meso)-C(meso) distance parameters in the calculations, the F?rster and Dexter mechanisms operate for DPS and DPO, and for DPA, DPX, and DPB spacer systems, respectively. The limit distance where one mechanism dominates over the other is estimated to be around 5-6 A.     

Screening, library-assisted identification and validated quantification of 23 benzodiazepines, flumazenil, zaleplone, zolpidem and zopiclone in plasma by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

A liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric assay with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC/APCI-MS) is presented for fast and reliable screening and identification and also for precise and sensitive quantification in plasma of the 23 benzodiazepines alprazolam, bromazepam, brotizolam, camazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clobazam, clonazepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, flurazepam, desalkylflurazepam, lorazepam, lormetazepam, medazepam, metaclazepam, midazolam, nitrazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam, prazepam, temazepam and tetrazepam, triazolam, their antagonist flumazenil and the benzodiazepine BZ1 (omega 1) receptor agonists zaleplone, zolpidem and zopiclone. It allows confirmation of the diagnosis of an overdose situation and monitoring of psychiatric patients' compliance. The analytes were isolated from plasma using liquid-liquid extraction and were separated on a Merck LiChroCART column with Superspher 60 RP Select B as the stationary phase. Gradient elution was performed using aqueous ammonium formate and acetonitrile. After screening and identification in the scan mode using the authors' LC/MS library, the analytes were quantified in the selected-ion monitoring mode. The quantification assay was fully validated. It was found to be selective proved to be linear from sub-therapeutic to over therapeutic concentrations for all analytes, except bromazepam. The corresponding reference levels the assay's accuracy and precision data for all studied substances are listed. The accuracy and precision data were within the required limits with the exception of those for bromazepam. The analytes were stable in frozen plasma for at least 1 month. The validated assay was successfully applied to several authentic plasma samples from patients treated or intoxicated with various benzodiazepines or with zaleplone, zolpidem or zopiclone. It has proven to be appropriate for the isolation, separation, screening, identification and quantification of the drugs mentioned above in plasma for clinical toxicology, e.g. in cases of poisoning, and forensic toxicology, e.g. in cases of driving under the influence of drugs.     

Adsorption of Molybdenum on Titania from Aqueous Solutions

The adsorption of Mo from dilute aqueous solutions (10(-3) to 3x10(-2) M) is effected on three samples of titania, two are anatase and the third is P25, which is composed of rutile and anatase. The adsorption isotherms at 298, 318, and 338 K are analyzed using a Langmuir linear equation. The isotherms on P25 showed a distinct inflection point that is reproduced by two linear portions, indicating different adsorption regimes. This adsorption behavior is explained as follows: with low amount adsorbed the adsorption is initiated by protonation of the basic hydroxyls on which the negatively charged MoO(4)(2-')s are adsorbed, and this is accompanied by an increase in the pH of the impregnating solution. At higher adsorption the coordinatively unsaturated Ti(4+) sites participate in the process, leading to a decline in the initial increase in pH. In the case of the two anatase samples the low surface area resulted in poor distribution of adsorption sites; consequently, the distinction between the two modes of adsorption was not entirely clear. The higher adsorption site density in the case of anatase is accompanied by a lower surface coverage, θ, than that for P25. The heat of adsorption, Q, on the three titania samples showed a linear increase with θ, which is represented by the regression equation: -Q=95.77θ-4.25 (R(2)=0.993). Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Stille Cross‐Coupling of a Racemic Planar‐Chiral Ferrocene and Crystallographic Trace Analysis of Catalysis Intermediates and By‐products

A pressure‐controlled procedure for the S_N1 reaction of rac‐1‐[(dimethylamino)methyl]‐2‐(tributylstannyl)ferrocene ( 1 ) to rac‐1‐(phthalimidomethyl)‐2‐(tributylstannyl)ferrocene ( 2 ) was developed. Pd⁰‐Catalyzed Stille coupling of 2 with iodobenzene afforded rac‐1‐phenyl‐2‐(N‐phthalimidomethyl)ferrocene ( 5 ) in 74% yield; after trace enrichment by crystallization of the combined mother liquors, one single crystal of each, 5 , catalysis intermediate trans‐iodo(σ‐phenyl)bis(triphenylarsino)palladium(II) ( 7 ), trans‐diiodobis(triphenylarsino)palladium(II) ( 8 ), and rac‐2,2′‐bis(phthalimidomethyl)‐1,1′‐biferrocene ( 9 ) could be isolated by crystal sorting under a microscope and characterized by X‐ray crystal structure analysis. Furthermore, 5 was deprotected to amine ( 11 ), which does even survive the Birch reduction to rac‐1‐(aminomethyl)‐2‐(cyclohexa‐2,5‐dienyl)ferrocene ( 12 ).     

Übergangsmetall—methylen-komplexe: LXI. Übergangsmetall—vinyliden-komplexe: Neuartige synthese aus diazoalken-vorstufen

The diazoolefines of composition N₂CCR₂ (R/R = CH₃/CH₃ and(-CH₂-)₅) are suitable precursors of the corresponding vinylidene ligands CCR₂. Thus, treatment of the RhRh complex [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CO)]₂ (1) with the N-nitrosourethanes 2a and 2b, resp., in the presence of lithium t-butoxide yields the otherwise inaccessible μ-vinylidene complexes (μ-CCR₂)[(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(CO)]₂ (R = CH₃ (3a), R,R = (-CH₂-)₅ (3b)). The analogous cobalt compound (μ-CCMe₂)[(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Co(CO)]₂ (5a) is obtained similarly. This procedure extends the well-documented diazoalkane method for the synthesis of μ-alkylidene complexes to the less stable diazoalkenes. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of the dimethylvinylidene derivative 3a shows the CMe₂ ligand to adopt an almost symmetrically metal-bridging position (d(RhC) 197.8(1) and 204.3(1) pm), with a rhodium-rhodium single bond completing a three-membered Rh₂C-metallacycle (d(RhRh) 268.4(0) pm) analogous with cyclopropane.