Unsymmetrical Trifluoromethyl Methoxyphenyl β-Diketones: Effect of the Position of Methoxy Group and Coordination at Cu(II) on Biological Activity

Copper(II) complexes with 1,1,1-trifluoro-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)butan-2,4-dione (HL1) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The biological properties of HL1 and cis-[Cu(L1)₂(DMSO)] (3) were examined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and opportunistic unicellular fungi. The cytotoxicity was estimated towards the HeLa and Vero cell lines. Complex 3 demonstrated antibacterial activity towards S. aureus comparable to that of streptomycin, lower antifungal activity than the ligand HL1 and moderate cytotoxicity. The bioactivity was compared with the activity of compounds of similar structures. The effect of changing the position of the methoxy group at the aromatic ring in the ligand moiety of the complexes on their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity was explored. We propose that complex 3 has lower bioavailability and reduced bioactivity than expected due to strong intermolecular contacts. In addition, molecular docking studies provided theoretical information on the interactions of tested compounds with ribonucleotide reductase subunit R2, as well as the chaperones Hsp70 and Hsp90, which are important biomolecular targets for antitumor and antimicrobial drug search and design. The obtained results revealed that the complexes displayed enhanced affinity over organic ligands. Taken together, the copper(II) complexes with the trifluoromethyl methoxyphenyl-substituted β-diketones could be considered as promising anticancer agents with antibacterial properties.     

Substituted 1,3,2,4‐benzodithiadiazines: Novel derivatives,by‐products,and intermediates*

The synthesis of the title compounds 1 by 1 : 1 condensation of Ar NSNSiMe₃ 2 with SCl₂ followed by intramolecular ortho‐cyclization of each [Ar NSN S Cl] intermediate is complicated by further reaction of 1 with SCl₂ to give Herz salts 3 . With the 2 :SCl₂ ratio of 2:1, the formation of by‐products 3 is reduced and novel compounds 1 are accessible. With ortho‐I containing starting material 2j , the parent compound 1s is obtained as the result of an unexpected I, not H, substitution. The rate of the 1 + SCl₂ reaction depends upon a substituent's position, and the minor 8‐R isomers 1l,p (R = Br, I) are isolated for the first time from mixtures with the major 6‐R isomers due to reduced reactivity toward SCl₂. The synthesized compounds 1–3 are characterized by multinuclear (including nitrogen) NMR and X‐ray crystallography. According to the X‐ray diffraction data, 1j (6‐Br) and 1k (7‐Br) derivatives are planar, whereas 1i (5‐Br) and 1l (8‐Br) are bent along the S1···N4 line by ∼5° and ∼4°, respectively, and the 1r (7‐OCH₃) derivative is planar in contrast to the known 5‐OCH₃ isomer, which possesses a significantly folded heterocycle. The distortion of the planar geometry of some compounds 1 is interpreted in terms of a pseudo‐Jahn‐Teller effect as the result of π‐highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)  σ*‐(LUMO) lowest unoccupied molecular orbital + 1 mixing in a planar conformation. The 2p compound is the first structurally defined Ar–N = S = N–SiMe₃ azathiene. The compound Ar–N = S = N–S–NH‐Ar 6 modeling the aforementioned intermediate has been isolated and structurally characterized. We describe the attempts to synthesize compounds 1 from 2‐aminobenzenethiols and (SN)₄ and from salts 3 and Me₃SiN₃, and we discuss the reaction pathways. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 12:563–576, 2001     

Coffee-Derived Phenolic Compounds Activate Nrf2 Antioxidant Pathway in I/R Injury In Vitro Model: A Nutritional Approach Preventing Age Related-Damages

Age-related injuries are often connected to alterations in redox homeostasis. The imbalance between free radical oxygen species and endogenous antioxidants defenses could be associated with a growing risk of transient ischemic attack and stroke. In this context, a daily supply of dietary antioxidants could counteract oxidative stress occurring during ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R), preventing brain damage. Here we investigated the potential antioxidant properties of coffee-derived circulating metabolites and a coffee pulp phytoextract, testing their efficacy as ROS scavengers in an in vitro model of ischemia. Indeed, the coffee fruit is an important source of phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acids, present both in the brewed seed and in the discarded pulp. Therefore, rat brain endothelial cells, subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and recovery (ogR) to mimic reperfusion, were pretreated or not with coffee by-products. The results indicate that, under OGD/ogR, the ROS accumulation was reduced by coffee by-product. Additionally, the coffee extract activated the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway via Erk and Akt kinases phosphorylation, as shown by increased Nrf2 and HO-1 protein levels. The data indicate that the daily intake of coffee by-products as a dietary food supplement represents a potential nutritional strategy to counteract aging.     

1,3-Phosphorotropic rearrangement of pyridyl phosphates to hydroxypyridyl phosphonates

The lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) induced regioselective 1,3-rearrangement of 3- and 2- pyridyl phosphates into the corresponding 3-hydroxy-4-pyridyl-and 2-hydroxy-3-pyridylphosphonates has been observed and investigated. The rearrangement is proposed as a useful method for a directed introduction of a phosphoryl group into a hydroxypyridine nucleus.     

Optimal control of a two-body limbless crawler along a rough horizontal straight line

Nonlinear Dynamics - An optimal control problem is solved for a two-body limbless locomotor crawling along a straight line on a horizontal rough plane. Coulomb’s dry friction acts between the...     

Atheroprotective Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

Cardiovascular diseases associated with atherosclerosis are the major cause of death in developed countries. Early prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis are considered to be an important aspect of the therapy of cardiovascular disease. Preparations based on natural products affect the main pathogenetic steps of atherogenesis, and so represent a perspective for the long-term prevention of atherosclerosis development. Numerous experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the multiple beneficial effects of licorice and its bioactive compounds—anti-inflammatory, anti-cytokine, antioxidant, anti-atherogenic, and anti-platelet action—which allow us to consider licorice as a promising atheroprotective agent. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on the licorice anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms of action based on the results of experimental studies, including the results of the in vitro study demonstrating licorice effect on the ability of blood serum to reduce intracellular cholesterol accumulation in cultured macrophages, and presented the results of clinical studies confirming the ameliorating activity of licorice in regard to traditional cardiovascular risk factors as well as the direct anti-atherosclerotic effect of licorice.     

Normal and Lateral Deformation of Lyotropically Ordered Polymer Brush

Summary: Planar polymer brush formed by semirigid chains of freely jointed rigid segments and immersed into a solvent is considered. Brush collapse induced by deterioration of the solvent quality and its deformation by external normal or lateral force is studied. It is demonstrated that these three different situations can be described in the framework of the common approach. It is shown that the collapse is accompanied by liquid‐crystalline (LC) ordering within the brush. The LC transition can be jump‐like (the first order) or continuous, depending on the segment's aspect ratio and grafting density. Transition point is investigated in detail, the corresponding phase diagrams are calculated. It is shown that the phase diagrams of a normally deformed brush have different structures, with a narrow ‘leg’ in the good solvent region for sparsely grafted brush, with two coexistence regions and a triple point, in addition, for shorter segment length or without these features if the chains are densely grafted. For the laterally deformed brush, phase diagrams have similar structures with a critical point in the good solvent regime.

Polymer brush subjected to deformation by normal (top) and lateral (bottom) external force.     

Unique Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (CDK) Inhibitors at the ATP-site

Control of the cell cycle could be applicable in new approaches for cancer chemotherapy. The cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK's) and their corresponding complexes with cyclins are regulatory enzymes for which we have discovered a novel small molecule series of inhibitors, with potencies in the nanomolar range and good selectivity for the CDK's versus other kinases. We will discuss structure-based drug design efforts with crystal structures of complexes with certain CDK's. Cellular effects and some preliminary examination of in vivo cancer efficacy by these inhibitors will also be discussed.