Synthesis and antifolate activity of 8,10-dideazaminopterin

A synthesis of 8,10-dideazaminopterin, using 2,4-diamino-6-bromomethyl-8-deazapteridine ( 2 ) as a key intermediate, is described. Condensation of the triphenylphosphinylide derived from 2 with p-formylbenzoyl-L-glutamate afforded a 9,10-dehydro-8,10-dideazaminopterin ester intermediate 5 . Hydrogenation of the olefinic linkage and subsequent hydrolysis of the glutamate ester gave the title compound. 8,10-Dideazaminopterin was a potent growth inhibitor of folate dependent bacteria. It was 16 times more potent then methotrexate as an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase derived from L1210 leukemia cells, and showed strong activity against L1210 in mice.     

Regioselective uncatalysed hydrophosphination of alkenes: a facile route to P-alkylated phosphine derivatives

The synthesis of alkylarylphosphines is easily carried out by hydrophosphination of unactivated alkenes under mild thermal activation; gram scale amounts of products can be prepared by this simple methodology.     

Taming the Reactivity of Phosphiranium Salts: Site-Selective C-Centered Ring Opening for Direct Synthesis of Phosphinoethylamines

Advances in the field of phosphorus chemistry are documented, by revealing the synthetic utility of previously underutilized quaternary phosphiranium salts (QPrS) as three-chain-atom electrophilic building blocks. Notably, control of their challenging C-centered electrophilicity is disclosed with an expedient synthesis of tertiary β-anilino phosphines as a proof-of-concept.     

Michael addition to a chiral non-racemic 2-phosphono-2,3-didehydrothiolane S-oxide

The Michael addition of selected sulfur and nitrogen nucleophiles to a chiral non-racemic 2-phosphono-2,3-didehydrothiolane S-oxide is fully diastereoselective. The enantiomeric excesses of the adducts obtained could be determined by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy using (R)-(+)-tert-butyl(phenyl)phosphinothioic acid as a chiral solvating agent. The addition of thiophenol was monitored by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy which made it possible to observe the formation and evolution of the kinetic and thermodynamic adducts in the reaction mixture. The structures of both enantiomeric thiophenol adducts have been determined by X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis of 5,10-dideazaminopterin

The synthesis of 5,10-dideazaaminopterin by two independent routes is described. Condensation of the piperidine enamine of 4-p-carbomethoxyphenylbutyraldehyde ( 4 ) with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile followed by treatment of the resultant arylethylenaminomalononitrile ( 5 ) with methanolic ammonia produced 2-amino-3-cyano-5-p-carbomethoxyphenethylpyridine ( 6 ). Cyclization of the aminocyanopyridine with guanidine afforded 4-amino-4-deoxy-5,10-dideazapteroic acid ( 8 ). Coupling of the pteroate intermediate with glutamate yielded the target 5,10-dideazaaminopterin ( 10 ). Alternatively, reduction of 2,4-diamino-6-formyl-5-deazapteridine ( 11 ) with sodium borohydride gave the 6-hydroxymethyl compound 12 . Conversion to the bromide was followed by alkylation of dimethyl homoterephthalate to afford methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-10-carbomethoxy-5,10-dideazapteroate ( 14 ). Decarboxylation with ester cleavage (sodium cyanide in dimethyl sulfoxide at 180°) also gave the diaminopteroic acid ( 8 ). 5,10-dideazaaminopterin ( 10 ) was an effective growth inhibitorof folate dependent bacteria, S. faecium and L. casei.