Nonpeptide inhibitors of cathepsin G: optimization of a novel beta-ketophosphonic acid lead by structure-based drug design

The serine protease cathepsin G (EC 3.4.21.20; Cat G), which is stored in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) and released on degranulation, has been implicated in various pathological conditions associated with inflammation. By employing high-throughput screening, we identified beta-ketophosphonic acid 1 as a moderate inhibitor of Cat G (IC(50) = 4.1 microM). We were fortunate to obtain a cocrystal of 1 with Cat G and solve its structure by X-ray crystallography (3.5 A). Structural details from the X-ray analysis of 1.Cat G served as a platform for optimization of this lead compound by structure-based drug design. With the aid of molecular modeling, substituents were attached to the 3-position of the 2-naphthyl ring of 1, which occupies the S1 pocket of Cat G, to provide an extension into the hydrophobic S3 region. Thus, we arrived at analogue 7 with an 80-fold potency improvement over 1 (IC(50) = 53 nM). From these results, it is evident that the beta-ketophosphonic acid unit can form the basis for a novel class of serine protease inhibitors.     

A computational study of hydration, solution structure, and dynamics in dilute carbohydrate solutions

We report results from a molecular simulation study of the structure and dynamics of water near single carbohydrate molecules (glucose, trehalose, and sucrose) at 0 and 30 degrees C. The presence of a carbohydrate molecule has a number of significant effects on the microscopic water structure and dynamics. All three carbohydrates disrupt the tetrahedral arrangement of proximal water molecules and restrict their translational and rotational mobility. These destructuring effects and slow dynamics are the result of steric constraints imposed by the carbohydrate molecule and of the ability of a carbohydrate to form stable H bonds with water, respectively. The carbohydrates induce a pronounced decoupling between translational and rotational motions of proximal water molecules.     

From solution-phase to solid-phase enyne metathesis: crossover in the relative performance of two commonly used ruthenium pre-catalysts

A crossover in the ability of two distinct ruthenium-based metathesis pre-catalysts to effect the synthesis of dialkenylboronic esters in solution and on the solid-phase was observed. Specifically, while the Grubbs 2nd generation pre-catalyst 3 affords a greater degree of conversion to product than the Hoveyda-Grubbs pre-catalyst 2 in a solution-phase enyne-metathesis reaction, this trend is reversed in the solid-phase variant. Systematic investigation showed this trend to be general, regardless of variations in the homoallylic alcohol and alkynylboronic ester components of the reaction, as well as in the type of solid support employed. Experiments to determine a mechanistic hypothesis for this trend highlighted the significance of the ruthenium remaining bound to the substrate after metathetic rearrangement and found the presence of phosphine ligand to be detrimental to the success of the solid-phase reaction. Therefore, these results suggest an expanded role for phosphine-free pre-catalysts, such as 2, in challenging solid-phase metathesis reactions.     

Enantiomeric resolution of underivatized small peptides by HPLC with a chiral crown ether stationary phase

Factors influencing the stereoisomeric resolution of underivatized dipeptides and a representative tripeptide on Crownpak (CR) columns have been investigated. The elution order and relative retention suggest that a combination of chiral, steric, and hydrophobic interactions effects the extent of chiral recognition and the retention achieved during separations. Some dipeptides whose amine terminus is located three atoms from the asymmetric center (such as dipeptides of D ,L -glycine) were resolved, but the elution order was the opposite of that expected for the type of Crownpak column used (CR(+)). Peptides containing hydrophobic substituents were strongly retained, but their retention times could be significantly reduced, and detectability improved, by use of gradient elution. Analysis of a commercial sample of D ,L -leucine-D ,L -alanine revealed the stereoisomers to be present in an unexpected quantitative ratio and demonstrated the utility of these separations for quality assurance and quantitative analyses.     

Tricarbonyliron complexes of some blocked cyclohexadienes

Complexation commencing with some substituted 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexadienes with Fe(CO)₅ indicates that the steric direction is controlled by classical hindrance with groups such as alkyl, but probably involves transmission of the entering group through intermediate complexation with CO₂Me. The results help to define methods of obtaining desired stereoisomers in the series.     

Stereospecific living Ziegler-Natta polymerization via rapid and reversible chloride degenerative transfer between active and dormant sites

The successful realization of a stereospecific chloride degenerative transfer living Ziegler-Natta polymerization process that provides isotactic polyolefins of narrow polydispersity (Mw/Mn 相似文献   

Macrocycles in the construction of acyclic stereochemistry

The conformations of macrocyclic intermediates provide a useful medium through which distant chiral centers may control chemical reactions. In this paper, we show that macrocycles made by cyclization of simple acyclic starting materials with an auxiliary spacer may be used to prepare stereochemically complex acyclic products.     

Analysis of Ginkgo biloba for the presence of ginkgotoxin and ginkgotoxin 5'-glucoside

Hot water extracts of Ginkgo biloba seeds were analyzed for the presence of ginkgotoxin (4'-O-methylpyridoxine) by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) using methanol-0.05M KH2PO4 (1 + 9, v/v) adjusted to pH 3 as mobile phase. Detection was by fluorescence (excitation 280 nm, emission 370 nm). A straight line calibration curve was obtained for the 10-100 ng injected. After addition of beta-glucosidase (37 degrees C/h), an earlier eluting peak disappeared and the ginkgotoxin peak increased. The identity of the ginkgotoxin was confirmed by LC/MS and LC/MS/MS. LC/MS/MS also confirmed the 5'-glucoside by comparison with the 3-glucoside. This is the first identification of a glucoside of ginkgotoxin in Ginkgo biloba. An unknown compound of MW 267 also observed in the Ginkgo biloba seed extract was shown not to be 3,5'-diacetylginkgotoxin by its different LC retention time. Extraction of ground Ginkgo biloba seeds with boiling water in a Soxhlet for 2 x 2 h yielded a total of 179 microg/g of free ginkgotoxin. The concentration in powder from Ginkgo biloba capsules was several times lower than this (17-64 microg/g) in 3 samples but higher in another (457 microg/g). Canned ginkgo seeds (white nuts) contained no detectable free ginkgotoxin but the glucoside was present. Different extraction times were studied: 0.5 h gave only 52 microg/g free ginkgotoxin in the ginkgo seeds. However, boiling an extract for 4 h showed about 15% loss of ginkgotoxin and its glucoside.     

Proton spin-lattice relaxation studies. N-aryl-1-isoindolinones

Proton spin-lattice relaxation rates (R₁ values) have been measured, at 270 MHz, for a series of N-aryl isoindolinones. A normalization procedure has been used to enable comparison of R₁ values in different compounds by minimizing the effects on relaxation rates of changes in motional correlation times accompanying changes in substitution patterns. A substantial (4.3-fold) dynamic range of R₁ values has been observed, and individual values have been correlated with the molecular environments of the nuclei. There is evidence for an interring relaxation process.     

Computational strategies for evaluating barrier heights for gas-phase reactions of lithium enolates

Gas-phase activation energies were calculated for three lithium enolate reactions by using several different ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods to determine which levels of theory generate acceptable results. The reactions included an aldol-type addition of an enolate to an aldehyde, a proton transfer from an alcohol to a lithium enolate, and an S(N)2 reaction of an enolate with chloromethane. For each reaction, the calculations were performed for both the monomeric and dimeric forms of the lithium enolate. It was found that transition state geometry optimization with B3LYP followed by single point MP2 calculations generally provided acceptable results compared to higher level ab initio methods.