Organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides through enantioselective alcoholysis with functionalized primary nitroallylic alcohols

The direct organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides was achieved by alcoholysis with nitroallylic alcohols. The reaction between primary nitroallylic alcohols and cyclic meso-anhydrides catalyzed by cinchonidine derived thiourea organocatalyst II (10 mol %) proceeded smoothly. The corresponding hemiesters were obtained in high chemical yields with high to excellent levels of stereoselectivity (up to 90% yield and 99% ee). On the other hand, the reversal of enantioselectivity was observed when an amino cinchonidine derivative (III) was used as the organocatalyst under the similar reaction conditions. This demonstrated an example of activation of the nucelophilic component in the desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides.     

Anticancer effects of brucine and gemcitabine combination in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

This study was designed to investigate the combination effects of brucine and gemcitabine, each with anticancer properties, in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture. With regard to cell viability, effects of both the drugs and their combinations were inversely proportional to dose and time. For various proportional drug combinations studied, combination effects were analysed using CompuSyn software. The analyses revealed synergistic and/or additive effects regarding cell viability, anchorage-independent growth and cell migration. Combination analyses exhibited diversified impacts of the type of combination treatment, namely pretreatment with either drug followed by exposure to the other, or treatment with both drugs at the same time. Compared with untreated cells, combination treatment of asynchronised MCF-7 cells resulted in 17.2 × decrease in G2 phase, increasing G1 (2.1 × ) and S (1.5 × ) phase cells in cell cycle analysis. Brucine, either individually or in combination, but not gemcitabine, inhibited NF-kB subunit (p65) expression in MCF-7 cells.     

Aurora Kinase B Inhibition: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer

Aurora kinase B (AURKB) is a mitotic serine/threonine protein kinase that belongs to the aurora kinase family along with aurora kinase A (AURKA) and aurora kinase C (AURKC). AURKB is a member of the chromosomal passenger protein complex and plays a role in cell cycle progression. Deregulation of AURKB is observed in several tumors and its overexpression is frequently linked to tumor cell invasion, metastasis and drug resistance. AURKB has emerged as an attractive drug target leading to the development of small molecule inhibitors. This review summarizes recent findings pertaining to the role of AURKB in tumor development, therapy related drug resistance, and its inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer. We discuss AURKB inhibitors that are in preclinical and clinical development and combination studies of AURKB inhibition with other therapeutic strategies.     

Guttiferic acid, a novel rearrangement product from minor chromenoxanthone pigments of Garcinia morella Desr

Morellic and isomorellic acids (2 and 3), present in the seed coat as well as resinous exudate of Garcinia morella Desr., are geometric isomers and structurally related to morellin (1), the major chromenoxanthone pigment. Both form crystalline complexes with pyridine and afford guttiferic acid (7), a novel skeletal rearrangement product, when heated with mild alkali. Structure of the latter has been deduced mainly by a comparative study of 1H and 13C NMR spectra of methyl morellate (5), methyl-O-methyl morellate (6), guttiferic acid (7) and dimethyl guttiferate (8).     

Design and synthesis of novel cytotoxic agents based on combined framework of quinoline and nimesulide

Functionalization of quinoline aldehydes, derived from nimesulide framework was carried out using Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) chemistry. A number of novel quinoline‐based diverse MBH adducts was prepared via the reaction of derivatives of 2‐chloroquinoline‐3‐carbaldehyde and various activated alkenes in good yields. Many of these compounds were found to be potent when tested against human prostate cancer (Pc‐3) cell line in vitro. Among all the compounds tested N‐(2‐chloro‐3‐(2‐cyano‐1‐hydroxyallyl)‐7‐phenoxyquinolin‐6‐yl)formamide (IC₅₀ = 1.2 μg mL^?1) was identified as the most potent compound in this series. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of Some Triazole,Thiadiazole, and Oxadiazole Substituted Coumarins

Ethyl‐2‐(4‐methyl‐2‐oxo‐2‐coumarin‐7‐yloxy)acetate 1 has been prepared from 7‐hydroxy‐4‐methyl‐2‐coumarin, which on further treatment with hydrazine hydrate in boiling ethanol gave the hydrazide compound 2 . The resulting hydrazide was reacted with substituted aryl isothiocyanates to form thiosemicarbazides compounds 3a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e . 1‐(2‐(4‐Methyl‐2‐oxo‐2‐coumarin‐7‐yloxy)acetyl)‐4‐aryl thiosemicarbazides 3 underwent cyclization with different reagents under different reaction conditions to furnish coumarin derivatives possessing triazoles 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , thiadiazoles 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , and oxadiazoles 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , respectively. The structures of all the compounds have been assigned by elemental analysis and spectral studies. The synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial analgesic activities. The nonconventional controlled microwave irradiation synthesis is carried out at (200 W) at 70°C. This approach offers a number of advantages in terms of methodology, high‐product yield, short reaction time, mild reaction conditions, environmentally benign, and easy workup.