Synthesis by radical cyclization and cytotoxicity of highly potent bioreductive alicyclic ring fused [1,2-a]benzimidazolequinones

The key step in the synthesis of new five, six and seven-membered alicyclic ring [1,2-a]-fused bioreductive benzimidazolequinones was radical cyclisation. Six and seven-membered tributyltin hydride-mediated homolytic aromatic substitutions of nucleophilic N-alkyl radicals onto the benzimidazole-2-position occurred in high yields (63-70 %) when quaternising the pyridine-like 3-N of imidazole with camphorsulfonic acid and using large excesses of the azo-initiator, 1,1'-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile), to supplement the non-chain reaction. Elaboration of benzimidazoles to the benzimidazolequinones occurred in excellent yields. The IC50 values for the cytotoxicity of benzimidazolequinones towards the human skin fibroblast cell line GM00637 were in the nanomolar range, as determined by using the MTT assay. The benzimidazolequinones were much more cytotoxic than indolequinone analogues. 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-6,9-dione was the most potent compound prepared being more than 300 times more cytotoxic than the clinically used bioreductive drug, mitomycin C. The latter benzimidazolequinone was more potent under hypoxic conditions (associated with solid tumors), being 4.4 times more cytotoxic than under aerobic conditions, while mitomycin C was 1.8 times more selective towards hypoxia. The cyclopropane fused pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazolequinone, 1a,2,3,9b-tetrahydro-1H-cyclopropa[3,4]pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-5,8-dione was less cytotoxic and selective than the five-membered ring analogue, 1,1a,8,8a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[3,4]pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazole-3,6-dione. Modifying the structure of the most potent pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazolequinone by attaching methyl substituents onto the quinone moiety increased reductive potentials and decreased cytotoxicity and selectivity towards hypoxia.     

Wurster's crowns: a comparative study of ortho- and para-phenylenediamine-containing macrocyclic receptors

Two series of isomeric, redox-responsive azacrown ethers based on ortho- and para-phenylenediamine (Wurster's crowns) have been synthesized and their properties explored through 13C NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography. These crowns display strong affinity for alkali metal cations while maintaining comparable selectivity profiles to the parent crown ethers from which they are derived. Like Wurster's reagent (N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or para-TMPD), the para-Wurster's crowns undergo two reversible one-electron oxidations. The integrity of the alkali metal ion complexes is maintained in the neutral and singly oxidized ligand states but not after removal of two electrons. In contrast, the oxidation of ortho-Wurster's crowns is scan rate dependent, occurring at potentials substantially higher than their para counterparts, with their complexes oxidizing irreversibly. X-ray crystal structures of representative complexes show, in all cases, participation of the redox-active phenylenediamine subunits in complex formation via direct bonding to the guest cation.     

Observation of the A1A" state of isocyanogen

The A1A" state of isocyanogen, CNCN, is observed using photofragment fluorescence excitation spectroscopy in a room temperature cell and in a molecular beam. The spectra are highly congested, but progressions that correspond to the Franck-Condon active C-N-C bending vibration in the excited state are evident. Linewidth measurements indicate that the excited state lifetime is <10 ps. These measurements are consistent with previous ab initio calculations, which predicted a bent excited state with a short lifetime due to predissociation. Although we do not believe that we have observed the origin band of the electronic transition, we place an upper limit of 42,523 cm(-1) on the energy of the excited state zero point level.     

Core-modified, meso-alkylidenyl porphyrins and their expanded analogues: a new family of nonplanar porphyrinoids

New core-modified, meso-alkylidenyl porphyrinoids bearing multiple exocyclic double bonds were synthesized and characterized. The synthesis was accomplished using a typical "3 + 1"-type condensation approach. Stable exocyclic tautomers bearing double bonds at the meso positions, as well the corresponding endocyclic tautomers, were isolated in the case of both thiabenziporphyrin and thiapyriporphyrin products prepared in the course of this study. On the other hand, only the exocyclic tautomer was isolated in the case of the congeneric oxapyriporphyrin and oxabenziporphyrin. Expanded analogues of the exocyclic forms of oxabenziporphyrin and thiabenziporphyrin were also isolated as minor products. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the expanded thiabenziporphyrin (20) revealed that all four pyrrole rings displayed an inverted geometry, presumably reflecting the strong hydrogen-bonding extant between the pyrrole N-H proton and the carbonyl group of the malonate moiety in the solid state. On the other hand, the expanded oxabenziporphyrin (14) was found to possess a severely distorted geometry with only one pyrrole ring being inverted. Careful analysis of the structure revealed that the solid-state geometry of the expanded macrocycles correlates well with the internal angle defined by the 2- and 5 substituents and the centers of the furan (14) or thiophene (20) subunits.     

Synthesis of certain 5-substituted thieno[2,3-b]thiophene-2-sulfonamides and thieno[2,3-b]thiophene-2-sulfonamide 6,6-dioxides

A series of the title compounds were prepared for evaluation as inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase II. Oxidation of 5-substituted thieno[2,3-b]thiophene-2-sulfonamides provided the first examples of thiophene[2,3-b]thiophene-2-sulfonarnide 6,6-dioxides. These cyclic vinyl sulfones readily underwent addi tion to give predominately that 4,5-cis addition product.     

Molecular complexes of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole: The crystal structure of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazolium 5-nitrofuran-d2-carboxylate

3-Amino-1,2,4-triazolium (3-AT) 5-nitrofuran-2-carboxylate has been prepared and its x-ray crystal structure reported (a = 12.363(3) Å, b = 12.5720(10) Å, c = 12.8550(10) Å, Pbca, orthorhombic, Z = 8, and D _c = 1.604 mg m^–3). The solid-state packing of this organic acid-base salt consists of a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network which exhibits a cage-like repeat unit involving both the N(2)–H and N(4)–H sites of 3-AT. A review of five such structures reveals that in all cases the carboxylate groups interact with either of these sites [and the N(31)H₂] and form a R ² ₂(8) graph set interaction. Analysis of all 3-AT complexes which form this interaction reveals that the hydrogen-bonding distances between the non-hydrogen atoms are not equal [av. 2.712(5) Å and 2.897(5) Å], with the shorter distance being the interaction between the heterocyclic nitrogen and the corresponding carboxylate oxygen. Furthermore, a review of the interactive modes of all 3-AT adducts has been undertaken.     

Triaxial octupole deformations and shell structure

Manifestations of pronounced shell effects are discovered when non-axial octupole deformations are added to a harmonic oscillator model. The degeneracies of the quantum spectra are in good agreement with the corresponding main periodic orbits and winding number ratios which are found by classical analysis. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 8, 525–530 (25 April 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

1‐(4‐Chloro­phenyl­sulfanyl)‐2‐nitro‐4‐(tri­fluoro­methyl)­benzene and 1‐(4‐chloro­phenyl­sulfanyl)‐4‐nitro‐2‐(tri­fluoro­methyl)­benzene

Two chemical isomers of 3‐nitro­benzotrifluoride, namely 1‐(4‐chloro­phenyl­sulfanyl)‐2‐nitro‐4‐(tri­fluoro­methyl)­benzene, C₁₃H₇ClF₃NO₂S, (I), and 1‐(4‐chloro­phenyl­sulfanyl)‐4‐nitro‐2‐(tri­fluoro­methyl)­benzene, C₁₃H₇ClF₃NO₂S, (II), have been prepared and their crystal structures determined with the specific purpose of forming a cocrystal of the two. The two compounds display a similar conformation, with dihedral angles between the benzene rings of 83.1 (1) and 76.2 (1)°, respectively, but (I) packs in P while (II) packs in P2₁/c, with C—H⋯O interactions. No cocrystal could be formed, and it is suggested that the C—H⋯O associations in (II) prevent intermolecular mixing and promote phase separation.