Synthesis of Anti-Inflammatory Spirostene-Pyrazole Conjugates by a Consecutive Multicomponent Reaction of Diosgenin with Oxalyl Chloride,Arylalkynes and Hydrazines or Hydrazones

Steroid sapogenin diosgenin is of significant interest due to its biological activity and synthetic application. A consecutive one-pot reaction of diosgenin, oxalyl chloride, arylacetylenes, and phenylhydrazine give rise to steroidal 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles (isolated yield 46–60%) when the Stephens–Castro reaction and heterocyclization steps were carried out by heating in benzene. When the cyclization step of alkyndione with phenylhydrazine was performed in 2-methoxyethanol at room temperature, steroidal α,β-alkynyl (E)- and (Z)-hydrazones were isolated along with 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazole and the isomeric 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazole. The consecutive reaction of diosgenin, oxalyl chloride, phenylacetylene and benzoic acid hydrazides efficiently forms steroidal 1-benzoyl-5-hydroxy-3-phenylpyrazolines. The structure of new compounds was unambiguously corroborated by comprehensive NMR spectroscopy, mass-spectrometry, and X-ray structure analyses. Performing the heterocyclization step of ynedione with hydrazine monohydrate in 2-methoxyethanol allowed the synthesis of 5-phenyl substituted steroidal pyrazole, which was found to exhibit high anti-inflammatory activity, comparable to that of diclofenac sodium, a commercial pain reliever. It was shown by molecular docking that the new derivatives are incorporated into the binding site of the protein Keap1 Kelch-domain by their alkynylhydrazone or pyrazole substituent with the formation of more non-covalent bonds and have higher affinity than the initial spirostene core.     

Shear of a planar polyelectrolyte brush

The behavior of a planar polyelectrolyte brush subjected to normal and tangential external forces is considered. A new “polyelectrolyte effect” is predicted: shear of a free polyelectrolyte brush leads to a decrease in brush thickness contrary to the case of a free neutral brush. Such behavior is equivalent to that of a neutral brush subjected to an external normal stretching force. In the case of a polyelectrolyte brush this force is created by the osmotic pressure of mobile counterions neutralizing grafted chain charges. Addition of salt diminishes the polyelectrolyte effect and changes the sign of correlation between brush thickness and tangential deformation.     

Synthesis and X‐ray study of cis and trans isomers of 6‐cyano‐2‐oxa‐10‐thia‐1‐phosphabicyclo[4.4.0]decane‐1‐oxide

Intramolecular cyclization of bis(3‐chloropropyl)‐diethoxythiophosphorylacetonitrile 7, taking place under distillation in vacuo, yields 6‐cyano‐2‐oxa‐10‐thia‐1‐phosphabicyclo[4.4.0]decane‐1‐oxide 10 as a mixture of cis and trans isomers in a 2.3:1 ratio. The isomers were separated chromatographically. For both isomers, single crystals with nonequivalent enantiomeric ratios were obtained under crystallization. The structures of both isomers of bicyclophostone 10 are confirmed by X‐ray study of single crystals. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 11:163–170, 2000     

Excited State Proton Transfers in Hybrid Compound Based on Indoline Spiropyran of the Coumarin Type and Azomethinocoumarin in the Presence of Metal Ions

Spectral-luminescence properties of a hybrid compound containing a coumarin-type spiropyran and an azomethinocoumarin fragment in toluene-acetonitrile solution in the presence of Li⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions are reported. Two excited state proton transfers can occur in the hybrid compound—the transfer of a proton from the OH group of the 7-hydroxy coumarin tautomer to the N atom of the C=N bond of the azomethine fragment leading to green ESIPT fluorescence with a maximum at 540 nm and from the OH group of the 7-hydroxy coumarin tautomer to the carbonyl group of the pyrone chromophore, which leads to the formation of the 2-hydroxyl-tautomer T of coumarin with blue fluorescence with a maximum at 475 nm. Dependence of these excited state proton transfers on the metal nature and irradiation with an external UV source is discussed.     

C‐phosphorylated pyrrolylcarbaldehydes

Application of N,N‐dimethylhydrazone protective group for synthesis of C‐phosphorylated aldehydes of the pyrrole series was studied. Removal of the hydrazone protection in monophosphorylated pyrrolylcarbaldehyde hydrazones occurs smoothly, while in biphosphorylated derivatives it results in nitrile formation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:258–261, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10137     

A convenient one‐pot synthesis of 1,2‐azaphospholanium salts

A novel facile one‐pot synthesis of the 1,2‐azaphospholanes by intramolecular alkylation of 3‐halopropyl amides of tricoordinate phosphorus has been suggested. Using this method, a series of the differently N‐substituted 1,2‐azaphospholanium salts were synthesized. 3‐Aminopropylphosphine oxides were obtained by hydrolysis of the salts. A probable mechanism of the 1,2‐azaphospholanium salts formation is discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:596–602, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10209     

Evidence of a Uranium-Paddlewheel Node in a Catecholate-Based Metal–Organic Framework

The interactions between uranium and non-innocent organic species are an essential component of fundamental uranium redox chemistry. However, they have seldom been explored in the context of multidimensional, porous materials. Uranium-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) offer a new angle to study these interactions, as these self-assembled species stabilize uranium species through immobilization by organic linkers within a crystalline framework, while potentially providing a method for adjusting metal oxidation state through coordination of non-innocent linkers. We report the synthesis of the MOF NU-1700 , assembled from U⁴⁺-paddlewheel nodes and catecholate-based linkers. We propose this highly unusual structure, which contains two U⁴⁺ ions in a paddlewheel built from four linkers—a first among uranium materials—as a result of extensive characterization via powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), sorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), in addition to density functional theory (DFT) calculations.     

Mucin-Inspired Single-Chain Polymer (MIP) Fibers as Potent SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors

Mucins are the key component of the defensive mucus barrier. They are extended fibers of very high molecular weight with diverse biological functions depending strongly on their specific structural parameters. Here, we present a mucin-inspired nanostructure, produced via a synthetic methodology to prepare methacrylate-based dendronized polysulfates ( MIP-1 ) on a multi gram-scale with high molecular weight (MW=450 kDa) and thiol end-functionalized mucin-inspired polymer ( MIP ) via RAFT polymerization. Cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) analysis of MIP-1 confirmed a mucin-mimetic wormlike single-chain fiber structure (length=144±59 nm) in aqueous solution. This biocompatible fiber showed promising activity against SARS-CoV-2 and its mutant strain, with a remarkable low half maximal (IC₅₀) inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀=10.0 nM). Additionally, we investigate the impact of fiber length on SARS-CoV-2 inhibition by testing other functional polymers ( MIPs ) of varying fiber lengths.