Bis[pyrrolyl Ru(ii)] triads: a new class of photosensitizers for metal-organic photodynamic therapy.

A new family of ten dinuclear Ru(ii) complexes based on the bis[pyrrolyl Ru(ii)] triad scaffold, where two Ru(bpy) centers are separated by a variety of organic linkers, was prepared to evaluate the influence of the organic chromophore on the spectroscopic and photodynamic therapy (PDT) properties of the compounds. The bis[pyrrolyl Ru(ii)] triads absorbed strongly throughout the visible region, with several members having molar extinction coefficients () ≥ 10 at 600-620 nm and longer. Phosphorescence quantum yields ( ) were generally less than 0.

Toward the Scale-Up of a Bicyclic Homopiperazine via Schmidt Rearrangement and Photochemical Oxaziridine Rearrangement in Continuous-Flow.

The scale-up of a chiral bicyclic homopiperazine of pharmaceutical interest was investigated. The outcome and safety profile of a key batch ring-expansion step via Schmidt rearrangement was improved using continuous-flow chemistry. The selectivity of nitrogen insertion for the ring expansion was improved via an alternative photochemical oxaziridine rearrangement under mild conditions, which when converted to continuous-flow in a simple and efficient flow reactor allowed the first photochemical scale-up of a homopiperazine.

2-Aminomethylene-5-sulfonylthiazole Inhibitors of Lysyl Oxidase (LOX) and LOXL2 Show Significant Efficacy in Delaying Tumor Growth.

The lysyl oxidase (LOX) family of extracellular proteins plays a vital role in catalyzing the formation of cross-links in fibrillar elastin and collagens leading to extracellular matrix (ECM) stabilization. These enzymes have also been implicated in tumor progression and metastatic disease and have thus become an attractive therapeutic target for many types of invasive cancers. Following our recently published work on the discovery of aminomethylenethiophenes (AMTs) as potent, orally bioavailable LOX/LOXL2 inhibitors, we report herein the discovery of a series of dual LOX/LOXL2 inhibitors, as well as a subseries of LOXL2-selective inhibitors, bearing an aminomethylenethiazole (AMTz) scaffold.

Synthesis and Photobiological Activity of Ru(II) Dyads Derived from Pyrrole-2-carboxylate Thionoesters.

The synthesis and characterization of a series of heteroleptic ruthenium(II) dyads derived from pyrrole-2-carboxylate thionoesters are reported. Ligands bearing a conjugated thiocarbonyl group were found to be more reactive toward Ru(II) complexation compared to analogous all-oxygen pyrrole-2-carboxylate esters, and salient features of the resulting complexes were determined using X-ray crystallography, electronic absorption, and NMR spectroscopy. Selected complexes were evaluated for their potential in photobiological applications, whereupon all compounds demonstrated in vitro photodynamic therapy effects in HL-60 and SK-MEL-28 cells, with low nanomolar activities observed, and exhibited some of the largest photocytotoxicity indices to date (>2000).

Probing the hydrolytic reactivity of 2-difluoromethyl pyrroles.

α-Difluoromethyl pyrroles were found to be stable while N-protected with an electron-withdrawing group. Due to the propensity of pyrroles to access azafulvenium-like intermediates, the C-F bonds of an α-difluoromethyl substituent are labile under hydrolytic conditions. The presence of certain electron-withdrawing substituents about the pyrrolic ring can accelerate this process, as determined through a kinetic comparison of the deprotection and subsequent hydrolysis reactions of N-protected β-aryl α-difluoromethyl pyrroles.

Eight-membered ring-containing jadomycins: implications for non-enzymatic natural products biosynthesis.

Jadomycin Oct (1) was isolated from Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230 and characterized as a structurally unique eight-membered l-ornithine ring-containing jadomycin. The structure was elucidated through the semisynthetic derivatization of starting material via chemoselective acylation of the l-ornithine α-amino group using activated succinimidyl esters. Incorporation of 5-aminovaleric acid led to jadomycin AVA, a second eight-membered ring-containing jadomycin.

Polyphosphate-containing bisubstrate analogues as inhibitors of a bacterial cell wall thymidylyltransferase.

A series of polyphosphate containing sugar nucleotide analogues were synthesized and evaluated as bisubstrate inhibitors of α-D-glucose 1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase Cps2L, the first enzyme in Streptococcus pneumoniael-rhamnose biosynthesis, and a novel antibacterial target. WaterLOGSY NMR spectroscopy demonstrated binding of bisubstrate analogues to Cps2L and a spectrophotometric coupled assay was used to determine apparent Ki values.

Mechanistic evaluation of a nucleoside tetraphosphate with a thymidylyltransferase.

Pyrimidine polyphosphates were first detected in cells 5 decades ago; however, their biological significance remains only partially resolved. Such nucleoside polyphosphates are believed to be produced nonspecifically by promiscuous enzymes. Herein, synthetically prepared deoxythymidine 5'-tetraphosphate (p4dT) was evaluated with a thymidylyltransferase, Cps2L.

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of prodigiosenes.

Several analogues of the natural compound prodigiosin with modified A- and C-rings were synthesised as were some of their tin, cobalt, boron and zinc complexes. The antimalarial activity of these prodigiosenes was evaluated in vitro using the 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum strain. The presence of a nitrogen atom in the A-ring is needed for antimalarial activity but the presence of an alkyl group at the β'-position of the C-ring seems detrimental.

Investigations regarding the utility of prodigiosenes to treat leukemia.

Prodigiosenes, possessing a 4-methoxypyrrolyldipyrrin skeleton, are known for their anti-cancer activity. Structural modification of the C-ring resulted in a series of prodigiosenes that displayed promising activity against leukemia cell lines during in vitro analysis against the NCI 60 cancer cell line panel. Further in vivo studies of these compounds using the zebrafish model showed persistence of anti-leukemia properties in human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells.

An improved method for the synthesis of F-BODIPYs from dipyrrins and bis(dipyrrin)s.

An improved methodology for the synthesis of F-BODIPYs from dipyrrins and bis(dipyrrin)s is reported. This strategy employs lithium salts of dipyrrins as intermediates that are then treated with only 1 equiv of boron trifluoride diethyletherate to obtain the corresponding F-BODIPYs. This scalable route to F-BODIPYs renders high yields with a facile purification process involving merely filtration of the reaction mixture through Celite in many cases.

Asymmetric α-oxyacylation of cyclic ketones.

Reaction of cyclic ketones with chiral N-alkyl-O-acyl hydroxylamines leads to the corresponding α-oxyacylated carbonyl compound in up to 89% ee. The levels of asymmetric induction were influenced by solvent polarity, acid strength and, to a lesser extent, temperature. Increasing the steric bulk around the nitrogen atom of the hydroxylamine reagent led to increased levels of asymmetric induction, which was also found to be detrimental to the yield observed for the transformation.

Use of F-BODIPYs as a protection strategy for dipyrrins: optimization of BF(2) removal.

We recently reported the first general method for the deprotection of 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacenes (F-BODIPYs) involving a microwave-assisted procedure for the removal of the BF(2) moiety, and liberation of the corresponding free-base dipyrrin. Further optimization of the reaction has resulted in a more convenient and accessible protocol. The availability of this new methodology enables BF(2)-complexation to be used as a dipyrrin protection strategy.

One-pot synthesis of asymmetric annulated bis(pyrrole)s.

Condensation of activated functionalized pyrroles with acetone results in asymmetric bis(pyrrole)s, formed via ring annulation. The methodology is somewhat general and can be applied to a variety of ketones, as well as to a range of pyrrolic substrates that do not bear electron-withdrawing groups directly adjacent to the pyrrole ring.