Three-Component Reactions with Sterically Crowded 2,2,4,4-Tetramethyl-3-thioxocyclobutanone,Phenyl Azide,and Electron-Deficient C,C-Dipolarophiles

In order to trap ‘thiocarbonyl-aminides’ A , formed as intermediates in the reaction of thiocarbonyl compounds with phenyl azide, a mixture of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thioxocyclobutanone ( 1 ), phenyl azide, and fumarodinitrile ( 8 ) was heated to 80° until evolution of N₂ ceased. Two interception products of the ‘thiocarbonylaminide’ A (Ar?Ph) were formed: the known 1,4,2-dithiazolidine 3 (cf. Scheme 1) and the new 1,2-thiazolidine 12 (Scheme 2). The structure of the latter was established by X-ray crystallography (Fig.1). The analogous ‘three-component reaction’ with dimethyl fumarate ( 9 ) yielded, instead of 8 , in addition to the known interception products 3 and 6 (Scheme 1), two unexpected products 15 and 16 (Scheme 3), of which the structures were elucidated by X-ray crystallography (Fig.2). Their formation is rationalized by a primary [2 + 3] cycloaddition of diazo compound 18 with 1 to give 19 , followed by a cascade of further reactions (Scheme 4).     

Addition of trimethylsilyl azide and of “mixed anhydrides” to the N-C(3) σ-bond in 3-substituted-1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butanes

Trimethylsilyl azide adds smoothly to the highly strained N-C(3) σ-bond in 3-ethyl-1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]-butane ( 1 ) to afford an adduct, 2 , that reacts in situ with a variety of electrophilic reagents (i.e., ethyl chloroformate, p-toluenesulfonyl chloride, benzoyl chloride, acetyl chloride, and oxalyl chloride) to afford the corresponding N-substituted-3-azido-3-ethylazetidines 3–7 , respectively in 62–72% yield. Similarly, 1 reacts regiospecifically with “mixed anhydrides” (i.e., p-toluenesulfonyl acetate, methanesulfonyl acetate, and benzoyl trifluoromethanesulfonate) to afford the corresponding adducts, 8–10 , respectively) in 38–68% yield. Reaction of p-toluenesulfonyl azide with 1-aza-3-phenylbicyclo[1.1.0]butane ( 12 ) produces two products: N-(p-toluenesulfonyl-3-azido-3-phenylazetidine ( 13 , 15%) and a dimeric product, N-(N'-p-toluenesulfonyl-3′-phenyl-3′-azetidinyl)-3-azido-3-phenylazetidine ( 14 , 28%). Ethyl chloroformate adds to the N-C(3) σ-bond in 1-aza-3-(bromomethyl)bicyclo[1.1.0]butane ( 15 ) to afford N-carboethoxy-3-(bromomethyl)-3-chloroazetidine ( 16 ) in 73% yield.     

Total Synthesis of Cryptophycins via a Chemoenzymatic Approach

A highly convergent synthesis of cryptophycins in their enantiomerically-pure forms was achieved. Our strategy consists of the synthesis of the two units 3 and 4 and linking them together to form the macrocyclic ring. The upper unit 3 was prepared from 10 in four steps, and the lower unit 4 was prepared from 20 in three steps. Enantioselective biocatalytic methodology was used to prepare the requisite chiral building blocks, (R)-11 and (R)-19. The stereochemical versatility of this synthetic approach is demonstrated by the synthesis of cryptophycin A and the four diastereomers of cryptophycin C.     

Structure determination of resorcinol rotamers by high-resolution UV spectroscopy.

The rotationally resolved S1<--S0 electronic origins of several deuterated resorcinol rotamers cooled in a molecular beam have been recorded. An automated assignment of the observed spectra has been performed using a genetic algorithm approach with an asymmetric rotor Hamiltonian. The structures of resorcinol A and resorcinol B were derived from the rotational constants of twenty deuterated species for both electronic states. The lifetimes of different resorcinol isotopomers in the S1 state are also reported. As is the case for phenol, these lifetimes mainly depend on the position of deuteration. A nearly perfect additivity of the zero-point energies after successive deuterations in resorcinol rotamers has been discovered and subsequently used in the full assignment of the previously reported low-resolution spectra of deuterated resorcinol A. An analogous spectrum is also predicted for the resorcinol B rotamer.     

Impact of Lignocellulose Pretreatment By-Products on S. cerevisiae Strain Ethanol Red Metabolism during Aerobic and An-aerobic Growth

Understanding the specific response of yeast cells to environmental stress factors is the starting point for selecting the conditions of adaptive culture in order to obtain a yeast line with increased resistance to a given stress factor. The aim of the study was to evaluate the specific cellular response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain Ethanol Red to stress caused by toxic by-products generated during the pretreatment of lignocellulose, such as levulinic acid, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, ferulic acid, syringaldehyde and vanillin. The presence of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at the highest analyzed concentration (5704.8 ± 249.3 mg/L) under aerobic conditions induced the overproduction of ergosterol and trehalose. On the other hand, under anaerobic conditions (during the alcoholic fermentation), a decrease in the biosynthesis of these environmental stress indicators was observed. The tested yeast strain was able to completely metabolize 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, syringaldehyde and vanillin, both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Yeast cells reacted to the presence of furan aldehydes by overproducing Hsp60 involved in the control of intracellular protein folding. The results may be helpful in optimizing the process parameters of second-generation ethanol production, in order to reduce the formation and toxic effects of fermentation inhibitors.     

N-Skatyltryptamines—Dual 5-HT6R/D2R Ligands with Antipsychotic and Procognitive Potential

A series of N-skatyltryptamines was synthesized and their affinities for serotonin and dopamine receptors were determined. Compounds exhibited activity toward 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₆, and D₂ receptors. Substitution patterns resulting in affinity/activity switches were identified and studied using homology modeling. Chosen hits were screened to determine their metabolism, permeability, hepatotoxicity, and CYP inhibition. Several D₂ receptor antagonists with additional 5-HT₆R antagonist and agonist properties were identified. The former combination resembled known antipsychotic agents, while the latter was particularly interesting due to the fact that it has not been studied before. Selective 5-HT₆R antagonists have been shown previously to produce procognitive and promnesic effects in several rodent models. Administration of 5-HT₆R agonists was more ambiguous—in naive animals, it did not alter memory or produce slight amnesic effects, while in rodent models of memory impairment, they ameliorated the condition just like antagonists. Using the identified hit compounds 15 and 18, we tried to sort out the difference between ligands exhibiting the D₂R antagonist function combined with 5-HT₆R agonism, and mixed D₂/5-HT₆R antagonists in murine models of psychosis.     

Design,Sustainable Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Novel Dual α2A/5-HT7 Receptor Antagonist with Antidepressant-Like Properties

The complex pathophysiology of depression, together with the limits of currently available antidepressants, has resulted in the continuous quest for alternative therapeutic strategies. Numerous findings suggest that pharmacological blockade of α₂-adrenoceptor might be beneficial for the treatment of depressive symptoms by increasing both norepinephrine and serotonin levels in certain brain areas. Moreover, the antidepressant properties of 5-HT₇ receptor antagonists have been widely demonstrated in a large set of animal models. Considering the potential therapeutic advantages in targeting both α₂-adrenoceptors and 5-HT₇ receptors, we designed a small series of arylsulfonamide derivatives of (dihydrobenzofuranoxy)ethyl piperidines as dually active ligands. Following green chemistry principles, the designed compounds were synthesized entirely using a sustainable mechanochemical approach. The identified compound 8 behaved as a potent α_2A/5-HT₇ receptor antagonist and displayed moderate-to-high selectivity over α₁-adrenoceptor subtypes and selected serotonin and dopaminergic receptors. Finally, compound 8 improved performance of mice in the forced swim test, displaying similar potency to the reference drug mirtazapine.     

‘Three-Component Reaction’ with aromatic thioketones,phenyl azide,and dimethyl fumarate

The reaction of thiobenzophenone (= diphenylmethanethione; 8a ) or 9H-fluorene-9-thione ( 8b ) and methyl fumarate ( 9 ) in excess PhN₃ at 80° yields a mixture of diastereoisomeric thiiranes 10 and 11 (Scheme 1). A mechanism involving the initial formation of 1-phenyl-4, 5-dihydro-1H-1, 2, 3-triazole-4, 5-dicarboxylate 12 by 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition of PhN₃ and 9 is proposed in Scheme 2. The diazo compound 13 , which is in equilibrium with 12 , undergoes a further 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition with thioketones 8 to give 2, 5-dihydro-1, 3, 4-thiadiazoles 14 . Elimination of N₂ yields the thiocarbonyl ylide 15 which cyclizes to the corresponding thiirane. Desulfurization of the thiiranes 10 and 11 with hexamethylphosphorous triamide leads to the olefinic compounds 16 (Scheme 3). The crystal structures of 10a , 11a , and 16b were determined.     

Core‐shell nanoparticles with hyperbranched poly(arylene‐oxindole) interiors

Core‐shell type star polymers composed of poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) (poly(t‐BuA)) arms and 100% hyperbranched poly(arylene‐oxindole) interiors were synthesized via the “core‐first” method. Atom transfer radical polymerization of t‐BuA initiated by 2‐bromopropionyl terminal groups of the hyperbranched core was applied for the synthesis of the stars. The resultant star structures were characterized by gel permeation chromatography with triple detection. Polymers of molar masses M_n up to 1.68 × 10⁵ g/mol were obtained. The obtained star polymers compared with the linear counterparts of the same molar mass have a much more compact structure in solution. The intrinsic viscosities of the stars are also significantly lower than their linear counterparts. Light scattering experiments were performed to provide information about the size of these macromolecules in solution. Preliminary characterization of the thermal properties of these novel materials is also reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1120–1135, 2009