(2-Phenyl-[1,3,2]dithiarsolan-4-yl)-methanol derivatives show in vitro antileukemic activity

The antileukemic activity of a series of (2-Phenyl-[1,3,2]dithiarsolan-4-yl)-methanol derivatives was tested on K562 and U937 human leukemia cell lines. Their systemic toxicity was estimated by the corresponding LD₅₀ on mice. The cytotoxic activity of each derivative was significantly better than that of arsenic trioxide and the therapeutic index (T.I. = LD₅₀/IC₅₀) was improved. No correlation between log P and the activity or the toxicity was found.     

Recent Trends in Photoaffinity Labeling

Investigation of receptor—ligand interactions remains an inexhaustible challenge for chemists and biologists. Structural exploration of biological receptors is the starting point for a better understanding of how they function. Photoaffinity labeling is a biochemical approach to identify and characterize receptors targeting further structural investigations. The primary structure of a receptor protein was typically obtained by reverse genetics after exhaustive purification and sequencing of the N-terminal peptide, which allowed the design of the corresponding oligonucleotide probes. Synthesis of these oligonucleotide probes then led to identification of cDNA clones by hybridization. Following this strategy, several membrane neurotransmitter receptors and constituent polypeptides, present in very small quantities in the central nervous system, were identified and their sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence. Since photoaffinity labeling implies the formation of a covalent bond between a radiolabeled ligand analogue and a receptor binding site, it becomes theoretically possible to isolate and sequence radiolabeled peptides and then synthesize the corresponding oligonucleotide probes. Photoaffinity labeling might avoid the critical solubilization and purification steps of the classical approach. To our knowledge, no such example of primary structure determination based on photoaffinity labeling experiments has been reported. However, the extraordinary developments in gene cloning technologies, in particular homology cloning and expression cloning, have made this approach obsolete and raised the question of new perspectives for photoaffinity labeling technology. In this article we present an update on selected original developments, as well as new challenges for this method. Photoaffinity labeling not only gives access to structural elements but is also a potential tool for the investigation of functional aspects of biological receptors, for example their role in signal transduction mechanisms.     

Silylstannylation of allenes and silylstannylation-cyclization of allenynes. Synthesis of highly functionalized allylstannanes and carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds

Catalyzed by Pd(0), trialkylsilyltrialkylstannane (R(3)Si-SnR'(3)) reagents undergo highly selective additions to 1,2-dien-7-ynes and 1,2-dien-8-ynes to give 2-vinylalkylidenecyclopentanes with silicon and tin substituents on the double bonds. Similar additions of distannanes and borostannanes show that the reactions with silylstannanes are superior in terms of ease of handling of the bifunctional reagents and the isolation of the products after the reaction. The chemo- and regioselectivities are controlled by the enhanced reactivity of the allene unit, while the (Z)-geometry of the exocyclic stannylvinylidene is a consequence of the syn-carbometalation and subsequent reductive elimination from Pd with retention of configuration at the vinyl carbon. Synthesis of highly functionalized pyrrolidines and indolizidines and the reluctance of certain kinds of allenynes and silicon-tin reagents to undergo the cyclization illustrate the scope and limitations of the reaction. Based on the isolation of intermediates, a mechanism for the formation of the cyclic compounds is proposed. Model transition states to explain the stereoselectivity in cyclization of substituted allenynes are provided. Further elaboration using the vinyltin and vinylsilane moieties should lead to highly functionalized carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds. Under similar conditions, addition of silylstannanes to highly functionalized allenes gives E-allylstannanes with high stereoselectivity. Functional groups such as THP- and silyl-ethers, lactones, beta- and gamma-lactams, alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, olefins, and substituted acetylenes are tolerated under the reaction conditions.     

Elaboration of poly(ethyleneimine) coated poly( , -lactic acid) particles. Effect of ionic strength on the surface properties and DNA binding capabilities

Poly( , -lactic acid) (PLA)-based particles, obtained by the emulsification–diffusion process, were surface-modified by electrostatic adsorption of poly(ethylenimine) (PEI). The amount of immobilized PEI and the conformation of the polycation at the interface were dependent on the ionic strength of the media. In the absence of salt, or at low ionic strength, the adsorbed amounts of PEI, the surface charge and the critical concentration for coagulation (CCC) of the modified particles were lower than when the adsorption was achieved at elevated ionic strength. Moreover, at low salt concentration, isotherms were of Langmuir type, suggesting the formation of monolayers. The differences in PEI surface conformation had consequences on the DNA binding capacity of the particles, on the plasmid DNA conformation at the interface and on the DNA release in various media. When PEI was adsorbed in a 50 mM phosphate buffer, the amount of bound plasmid and the strength of binding were higher than when PEI was adsorbed in water. From these differences in physico-chemical properties, one can expect differences in transfection or immunization performances of the vectors.     

Diels-Alder cycloadditions of functionalized (Z)-1-benzylidene-2-methylene cyclohexanes: the beneficial effect of high pressure

Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions have been studied on substituted (Z)-1-benzylidene-2-methylene cyclohexanes 3. The use of very reactive dienophiles allowed the formation of the expected polycyclic structures whereas hyperbaric conditions (16 kbar) were necessary to form the adducts with less reactive dienophiles. An exo stereoselectivity was observed during the reaction with acrylates.     

Oligopeptides with homochiral sequences generated from racemic precursors that spontaneously separate into enantiomorphous two-dimensional crystalline domains on water surface

The feasibility of generating oligopeptides with homochiral sequence via lattice-controlled polymerization of racemic mixtures of precursor molecules that undergo spontaneous segregation into two-dimensional (2-D) enantiomorphous domains at the air-aqueous solution interface was analyzed. For model systems, we studied the polymerization reaction within 2-D crystalline domains of mixtures of (R,S)-N(epsilon)-stearoyl-thio-lysine with approximately 10% (R,S)-N(epsilon)-stearoyl-lysine, and (R,S)-N(alpha)-carboxyanhydride of N(epsilon)-stearoyl-lysine. According to in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) measurements at the air-water interface, the molecules form 2-D crystallites packing by translation symmetry only. Oligopeptides 4-6 units long were obtained at the air-solution interface after injection of an appropriate catalyst into the subphase. The course of the chemical transformations was monitored by GIXD. The distribution of the diastereoisomeric oligopeptides was determined by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF MS) mass spectrometry on samples prepared from precursor molecules enantioselectively labeled with deuterium. The experimental relative abundance of oligopeptides with homochiral sequence was found to be larger than that calculated for a theoretical random process, yielding an excess by a factor of 2.5-3.5 for the tetra- to hexapeptides. The present studies may be relevant for probing the role that might have been played by ordered clusters at interfaces for the generation of homochiral oligopeptides under prebiotic conditions.     

Highly diastereoselective[3+2] cycloadditions between nonracemic p-tolysulfinimines and iminoesters: an efficient entry to enantiopure imidazolidines and vicinal diaminoalcohols

A new procedure for the asymmetric synthesis of imidazolidines and vicinal diamines is reported. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between nonracemic p-tolylsulfinimines and azomethine ylides generated in situ from alpha-iminoesters and LDA produces N-sulfinylimidazolidines with a high degree of stereocontrol. In contrast, the presence of Lewis acids promotes formation of the cycloadducts through a highly diastereoselective process with opposite stereochemistry. Subsequent transformations of the imidazolidines including oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic processes that provide easy access to vicinal diaminoalcohols have been explored. Among these, reductive cleavage of the aminal with LiAlH4 is an extremely efficient and general reaction for the synthesis of enantiopure N-sulfinyl-N'-benzyldiaminoalcohols     

The gas-phase dipeptide analogue acetyl-phenylalanyl-amide: a model for the study of side chain/backbone interactions in proteins

The issue of the influence of the side chain/backbone interaction on the local conformational preferences of a phenylalanine residue in a peptide chain is addressed. A synergetic approach is used, which combines gas-phase UV spectroscopy as well as gas-phase IR/UV double-resonance experiments with DFT and post Hartree-Fock calculations. N-Acetyl-Phe-amide was chosen as a model system for which three different conformers were observed. The most stable conformer has been identified as an extended beta(L) conformation of the peptide backbone. It is stabilized by a weak but significant NH-pi interaction bridging the aromatic ring on the residue (i) with the NH group on residue (i+1), with the aromatic side chain being in an anti conformation. This stable conformation corresponds to the common NH(i+1)-aromatic(i) interaction encountered in proteins for the three aromatic residues (phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan), which illustrates the relevance of gas-phase investigations to structural biology issues. The two other less abundant conformers have been assigned to two gamma-folded backbone conformations that differ by the orientation of the side chain. In all cases, the IR data provided spectroscopic fingerprints of these interactions. Finally, the strong conformational dependence of the fluorescence yield found for N-acetyl-Phe-amide illustrates the role of the environment on the excited-state dynamics of these species, which is often exploited by biochemists to monitor protein structural changes from tryptophan lifetime measurements.     

Micelle-vesicle transition of fatty acid based ion-pair surfactants: interfacial evidence and influence of the ammonium counterion structure.

We describe the synthesis and the physicochemical study of new ion-pair amphiphiles from a mixture of bicyclic, cyclic, linear or branched amines and fatty acids of three chain lengths. Surface-tension measurements of bicyclic, cyclic and branched structures of ammonium/alkanoate acid ion pairs show a phase transition, with two plateaux in the plot of surface tension versus log(c) (c=concentration). Such behaviour is related to the structure of the counterion, the alkyl chain length and the temperature. Pulsed gradient spin echo NMR spectroscopy experiments were performed to demonstrate the existence of micelles on the first plateau and to confirm the phase transition. The existence of vesicles on the second plateau of the surface tension was proved by CryoTEM observation and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. Mainly, according to the structure of the counterion, there is either a strong association and a positioning along the chain leading to vesicles or a less strong association leading to external positioning and the formation of micelles at low concentrations or vesicles at higher concentrations.     

Reaction of 5-substituted-2-amino-2-oxazolines with ethoxycarbonyl isocyanate. A route to 2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-4H-oxazolo[3,2-a]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diones

The reaction of 2-amino-2-oxazolines with ethoxycarbonyl isocyanate was investigated in order to access to fused 1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diones with a potential 5-HT₂ antagonist activity. The reaction leads to 2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-4H-oxazolo[3,2-a]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diones and to 1-carbethoxy-3-(2-iminooxazolidine)ureas. During the carbamoylation the regioselectivity seems to be related to the strong nucleophilic character of the endo nitrogen atom of 2-amino-2-oxazolines. The structures of two compounds were studied by X-ray crystallography. N-Substituted compounds have been prepared by alkylation of the 2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-7-phenoxymethyl-4H-oxazolo[3,2-a]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dione.