Aminopyrimidine Class Aggregation Inhibitor Effectively Blocks Aβ-Fibrinogen Interaction and Aβ-Induced Contact System Activation.

Accumulating evidence suggests that fibrinogen, a key protein in the coagulation cascade, plays an important role in circulatory dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous work has shown that the interaction between fibrinogen and β-amyloid (Aβ), a hallmark pathological protein in AD, induces plasmin-resistant abnormal blood clots, delays fibrinolysis, increases inflammation, and aggravates cognitive function in mouse models of AD. Since Aβ oligomers have a much stronger affinity for fibrinogen than Aβ monomers, we tested whether amyloid aggregation inhibitors could block the Aβ-fibrinogen interaction and found that some Aβ aggregation inhibitors showed moderate inhibitory efficacy against this interaction.

Discovery of potent Mcl-1/Bcl-xL dual inhibitors by using a hybridization strategy based on structural analysis of target proteins.

Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL are crucial regulators of apoptosis, therefore dual inhibitors of both proteins could serve as promising new anticancer drugs. To design Mcl-1/Bcl-xL dual inhibitors, we performed structure-guided analyses of the corresponding selective Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL inhibitors. A cocrystal structure of a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine derivative with Mcl-1 protein was successfully determined and revealed the protein-ligand binding mode.

Practical enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryl diphosphonates and dicarboxylates by cationic rhodium(I)/Segphos-catalyzed double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition.

A cationic rhodium(I)/Segphos complex catalyzes a [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of internal 1,6-diynes with a phosphonate- or ester-substituted 1,3-butadiyne leading to C(2)-symmetric axially chiral biaryl diphosphonates or dicarboxylates, respectively, in high yields with outstanding ee's. The use of a phosphonate- or ester-substituted 1,3-butadiyne as a cycloaddition partner and Segphos as a ligand is crucial for the success of this transformation.

Synthesis of perfluoroalkylated benzenes and pyridines through cationic Rh(I)/modified BINAP-catalyzed chemo- and regioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition.

A convenient synthesis of perfluoroalkylated benzenes and pyridines has been achieved by a cationic Rh(I)/modified BINAP-complex-catalyzed chemo- and regioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes with a perfluoroalkylacetylene and a perfluoroalkylnitrile.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetra-ortho-Substituted Axially Chiral Biaryls through Rhodium-Catalyzed Double [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition.

[reaction: see text] We have established an enantioselective synthesis of both C2 symmetric and unsymmetric tetra-ortho-substituted axially chiral biaryls through rhodium-catalyzed double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition (up to >99% ee). This method serves as an attractive new route to enantioenriched tetra-ortho-substituted axially chiral biaryls in view of the one-step access to substrate diynes and tetraynes starting from readily available alkynes.

Enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls through rhodium-catalyzed complete intermolecular cross-cyclotrimerization of internal alkynes.

[reaction: see text] We have developed a cationic rhodium(I)/H8-BINAP complex-catalyzed complete intermolecular cross-cyclotrimerization of internal alkynes with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates. This reaction was successfully applied to enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls utilizing internal alkynes bearing ortho-substituted phenyl and acetoxymethyl in each terminal position. The axial chirality is constructed at the formation of benzene rings with high enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee).