Acetohydroxamic acid salts: mild, simple and effective degradation reagents to counter Novichok nerve agents.

Novichoks is the latest known class of organophosphorus nerve agents to be developed. These highly lethal persistent agents, which exert their toxicity mainly through dermal exposure, pose new major challenges in mitigating their effect, mainly in respect to decontamination and medical countermeasures. Herein we report on the effective degradation of Novichok agents (A-230, A-232 and A-234) by hydroxamic acid salts.

Highly sensitive chemiluminescence sensors for the detection and differentiation of chemical warfare agents.

Highly sensitive chemiluminescence-based probes that effectively detect and differentiate between the extremely toxic real G- and V-type organophosphorus chemical warfare agents (OPCWAs) are presented. This straightforward approach does not require any instrumentation or light source; hence, it appears ideal for the future development of field colorimetric detectors.

Placing CF in the Center: Major Physicochemical Changes Upon a Minor Structural Alteration in Gem-Difunctional Compounds.

Fluorine atoms play an important role in all branches of chemistry and accordingly, it is very important to study their unique and varied effects systematically, in particular, the structure-physicochemical properties relationship. The present study describes exceptional physicochemical effects resulting from a H/F exchange at the methylene bridge of gem-difunctional compounds. The Δlog P values, that is, the change in lipophilicity, observed for the CH /CF replacement in various α,α-phenoxy- and thiophenoxy-esters/amides, diketones, benzodioxoles and more, fall in the range of 0.

Studying Lipophilicity Trends of Phosphorus Compounds by P-NMR Spectroscopy: A Powerful Tool for the Design of P-Containing Drugs.

Systematically studying the lipophilicity of phosphorus compounds is of great importance for many chemical and biological fields and particularly for medicinal chemistry. Here, we report on the study of trends in the lipophilicity of a wide set of phosphorus compounds relevant to drug design including phosphates, thiophosphates, phosphonates, thiophosphonates, bis-phosphonates, and phosphine chalcogenides. This was enabled by the development of a straightforward log determination method for phosphorus compounds based on P-NMR spectroscopy.

Structural Studies Reveal the Role of Helix 68 in the Elongation Step of Protein Biosynthesis.

The ribosome, a multicomponent assembly consisting of RNA and proteins, is a pivotal macromolecular machine that translates the genetic code into proteins. The large ribosomal subunit rRNA helix 68 (H68) is a key element in the protein synthesis process, as it coordinates the coupled movements of the actors involved in translocation, including the tRNAs and L1 stalk. Examination of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of ribosomes incubated for various time durations at physiological temperatures led to the identification of functionally relevant H68 movements.

Origin of life: protoribosome forms peptide bonds and links RNA and protein dominated worlds.

Although the mode of action of the ribosomes, the multi-component universal effective protein-synthesis organelles, has been thoroughly explored, their mere appearance remained elusive. Our earlier comparative structural studies suggested that a universal internal small RNA pocket-like segment called by us the protoribosome, which is still embedded in the contemporary ribosome, is a vestige of the primordial ribosome. Herein, after constructing such pockets, we show using the "fragment reaction" and its analyses by MALDI-TOF and LC-MS mass spectrometry techniques, that several protoribosome constructs are indeed capable of mediating peptide-bond formation.

Modulation of the H-Bond Basicity of Functional Groups by α-Fluorine-Containing Functions and its Implications for Lipophilicity and Bioisosterism.

Modulation of the H-bond basicity (p) of various functional groups (FGs) by attaching fluorine functions and its impact on lipophilicity and bioisosterism considerations are described. In general, H/F replacement at the α-position to H-bond acceptors leads to a decrease of the p value, resulting, in many cases, in a dramatic increase in the compounds' lipophilicity (log ). In the case of α-CFH, we found that these properties may also be affected by intramolecular H-bonds between CFH and the FG.

Active and Strippable PVA/Borax/NaBO Hydrogel for Effective Containment and Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents.

Active gels present unique potential for the decontamination of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) as they strongly adhere to surfaces, thus allowing prolonged decontamination time. Herein, we present a decontamination hydrogel based on polyvinyl alcohol/borax, which contains sodium perborate (NaBO), as an in situ source of the active ingredient hydrogen peroxide. Developed as a binary formulation, this gel instantly forms and effectively sticks when sprayed on various matrices, including porous and vertically positioned matrices.

Effective neutralization of chemical warfare agents (HD, VX) by Me-DABCOF: a small molecule with dual action.

The ability of mono N-methyl-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane fluoride (Me-DABCOF, 1) to act as a bifunctional reagent that effectively and universally neutralizes both the persistent and extremely toxic blister agent HD and the nerve agent VX in nearly neutral aqueous solution, alumina powder or a hydrogel formulation, is described.

Degradation of Sulfur Mustard on KF/AlO: The Role of Organic Solvents and Active Species.

Solvent effects on the ability of KF/AlO supports to degrade the warfare agent sulfur mustard (HD) were explored. RP-KF/AlO possessing hydroxide ions and ECUF/KF/AlO holding fluoride ions were examined. Reactions on RP-KF/AlO containing 10 wt % of organic solvents were faster than those on ECUF/KF/AlO.

Solvent Effects on the Reactions of the Nerve Agent VX with KF/Al2O3: Heterogeneous or Homogeneous Decontamination?

Solvent effects on the reactions of the extremely toxic nerve agent VX with KF/Al2O3 powder were explored. Small quantities of water or methanol (5-10 wt %), which effectively mobilized all components while maintaining the heterogeneous nature of the reaction, promoted much faster rates than those obtained with larger quantities. Any amount of acetonitrile resulted in extremely slow transformations.

Component mobility by a minute quantity of the appropriate solvent as a principal motif in the acceleration of solid-supported reactions.

The effects solvents have on fluoride-promoted heterogeneous hydrolysis and alcoholysis of various organo-phosphorus (OP) compounds on the surface of KF/Al2O3 are described. Solid-state magic angle spinning NMR analyses and SEM microscopy have shown that not only is the identity of the solvent important in these reactions but also its quantity. That is, minimal solvent amounts are favored and much more effective in such solid-supported reactions (and maybe generally) than those featuring solvent-free or excess solvent (>50 wt %) conditions.

Intramolecular azo-bridge as a cystine disulfide bond surrogate: Somatostatin-14 and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) analogs.

Cystine disulfide bond is a common feature in numerous biologically active peptides and proteins and accordingly its replacement by various surrogates presents a potential route to obtain analogs with improved pharmacokinetic characteristics. The purpose of the present study was to assess whether an azo-bridge can serve as such a surrogate. In view of the marked clinical significance of somatostatin and the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) we choose these peptides as a model.

Beta,beta-disubstituted C- and N-vinylindoles from one-step condensations of aldehydes and indole derivatives.

Direct preparation of beta,beta-disubstituted C- and N-vinylindoles from condensation of aldehydes on indole derivatives is presented. Heating 1-methyl- and 1-benzylindole 3a,b with alkyl and aryl alpha-branched aldehydes and TFA in acetonitrile using microwave irradiation furnished 3-vinylindoles 1a-e in 18-76% yields. Under similar conditions, 3-substituted indoles 4a-c provided N-vinylindoles 2a-h in 16-98% yields.

2-vinylpyrroles and pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines from direct addition of aldehydes to 4-amino-pyrrole-2-carboxylate derivatives.

A new methodology for the direct preparation of 2-vinylpyrroles is presented. Treatment of 4-amino-pyrrole-2-carboxylates 5a-c and 6a-d with aliphatic aldehydes and TFA furnished 2-vinylpyrroles 2a-k in 9-87% yields. Under similar conditions ureidopyrroles 5a-c reacted with aryl aldehydes to provide pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines 1a-d in 28-63% yields.

Reversible pegylation prolongs the hypotensive effect of atrial natriuretic peptide.

Natriuretic peptides (NP), including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), induce potent natriuresis and vasodilation and thereby generate hypotension in vivo. Despite intensive efforts, clinical application of NP as an antihypertensive agent is limited because of their short biological half-life and poor bioavailability. Recently, we have developed a strategy that facilitates slow release of peptides from PEG-peptide inactive conjugates, based on reversible pegylation.

Deazapurine solid-phase synthesis: combinatorial synthesis of a library of N3,N5,C6-trisubstituted pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives on cross-linked polystyrene bearing a cysteamine linker.

Solid-phase methodology for the preparation of pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxylates with diversity at the N3 pyrmidine nitrogen has now been elaborated to allow for the generation of pyrrolopyrimidine libraries with members possessing diversity at the N3, N5, and C6 positions. The diversification of the N5 position was achieved by treating the parent resin-bound pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines 3 with an alkyl halide in the presence of Cs2CO3 in DMF. Modification of the C6 carboxylate of resin-bound pyrrolopyrimidines 3-5 was first achieved by hydrolysis of the benzyl ester using LiOH in a mixture of THF/H2O/MeOH.

Functional analysis of backbone cyclic peptides bearing the arm domain of the HIV-1 Rev protein: characterization of the karyophilic properties and inhibition of Rev-induced gene expression.

This work describes the synthesis and activity of a novel backbone cyclic (BC) peptide library based on the sequence of the HIV-1 Rev arginine-rich motif (ARM). All the peptides in the library possess the same sequence but differ in their ring-moiety properties. The BC peptides were synthesized using simultaneous multiple-peptide synthesis and were fully assembled using bis(trichloromethyl)carbonate as a coupling agent.

Novel cyclic azo-bridged analogs of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Five linear analogs of GnRH containing a p-aminophenylalanine (Pap) residue in their sequence and their six corresponding azo-bridged cyclic derivatives were synthesized. The precyclic peptides were prepared on solid-support, while azo-cyclization was performed in solution by diazotization of the p-aminophenylalanine residue followed by intramolecular coupling of the formed diazo salt with either tyrosine or histidine side chains present in the sequence. All peptides were examined for their binding ability to the GnRH receptor expressed on rat pituitary membranes and for their LH-release activity from dispersed rat pituitary cells.

Deazapurine solid-phase synthesis: construction of 3-substituted pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine-6-carboxylates on cross-linked polystyrene bearing a cysteamine linker.

The first solid-phase methodology for the preparation of pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines is presented. Merrifield resin bearing a cysteamine "traceless" linker was treated with 4-oxo-N-(PhF)proline benzyl ester (10; PhF = 9-(9-phenylfluorenyl)) to provide resin-bound aminopyrrole 20, which was treated with ethyl, phenyl, 4-phenoxyphenyl, and 2,4-dimethoxyphenyl isocyanates to furnish resin-bound ureidopyrroles 21a-d. Resin-bound pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines 22a-d were then obtained by acylation of 21 using trichloroacetyl chloride in dioxane followed by treatment with Cs2CO3 in DMF.

Backbone metal-cyclization: a novel approach for simultaneous peptide cyclization and radiolabeling. Application to the combinatorial synthesis of rhenium-cyclic somatostatin analogs.

A novel approach for the combinatorial synthesis of backbone-derived metal-cyclic peptide libraries is presented. In this approach the metalo-cyclic peptides are prepared from their linear precursors through complexation of a metal atom via two hemi-chelating arms located on the peptide backbone. Thus, cyclization and metal labeling of the peptides are achieved simultaneously.