Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship Optimization of Pyrazolopyrimidine Amide Inhibitors of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ (PI3Kγ).

Phosphoinositide-3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) is highly expressed in immune cells and promotes the production and migration of inflammatory mediators. The inhibition of PI3Kγ has been shown to repolarize the tumor immune microenvironment to a more inflammatory phenotype, thereby controlling immune suppression in cancer. Herein, we report the structure-based optimization of an early lead series of pyrazolopyrimidine isoindolinones, which culminated in the discovery of highly potent and isoform-selective PI3Kγ inhibitors with favorable drug-like properties.

Discovery of Potent and Selective 7-Azaindole Isoindolinone-Based PI3Kγ Inhibitors.

The successful application of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer relies on effective engagement of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) is highly expressed in tumor-associated macrophages, and its expression levels are associated with tumor immunosuppression and growth. Selective inhibition of PI3Kγ offers a promising strategy in immuno-oncology, which has led to the development of numerous potent PI3Kγ inhibitors with variable selectivity profiles.

Discovery of Potent and Selective PI3Kγ Inhibitors.

The selective inhibition of the lipid signaling enzyme PI3Kγ constitutes an opportunity to mediate immunosuppression and inflammation within the tumor microenvironment but is difficult to achieve due to the high sequence homology across the class I PI3K isoforms. Here, we describe the design of a novel series of potent PI3Kγ inhibitors that attain high isoform selectivity through the divergent projection of substituents into both the "selectivity" and "alkyl-induced" pockets within the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding site of PI3Kγ. These efforts have culminated in the discovery of 5-[2-amino-3-(1-methyl-1-pyrazol-4-yl)pyrazolo[1,5-]pyrimidin-5-yl]-2-[(1)-1-cyclopropylethyl]-7-(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-isoindol-1-one (, IC = 0.

Discovery of Potent and Selective Non-Nucleotide Small Molecule Inhibitors of CD73.

CD73 is an extracellular mediator of purinergic signaling. When upregulated in the tumor microenvironment, CD73 has been implicated in the inhibition of immune function through overproduction of adenosine. Traditional efforts to inhibit CD73 have involved antibody therapy or the development of small molecules, the most potent of which mimic the acidic and ionizable structure of the enzyme's natural substrate, adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP).

Total Synthesis of Covalent Cysteine Protease Inhibitor N-Desmethyl Thalassospiramide C and Crystallographic Evidence for Its Mode of Action.

A total synthesis of N-desmethyl thalassospiramide C, a unique strained macrocyclic proteobacterial depsipeptide, enabled a detailed crystallographic study of its covalent complex with cathepsin K, a member of a medicinally important family of cysteine proteases. The study provides support for the mechanism of action, and the insight gained can be used for structure-based drug design targeting these calpain proteases.

Total Synthesis of Unsymmetrically Oxidized Nuphar Thioalkaloids via Copper-Catalyzed Thiolane Assembly.

An asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-6-hydroxythiobinupharidine (1b) and (-)-6-hydroxythionuphlutine (2b), a set of hemiaminal containing dimeric sesquiterpenes isolated from yellow water lilies of the Nuphar genus, is described. The central bis-spirocyclic tetrahydrothiophene ring was forged through the Stevens rearrangement of a sulfonium ylide, generated in situ from the coupling of a copper-carbene with a spirocyclic thietane. This strategy diverges both from the proposed biosynthesis1 and previous syntheses of this family of alkaloids,2,3 all of which employ dimerization of symmetric monomers to form the aforementioned thiaspirane.

A Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation Approach to α-Quaternary γ-Butyrolactones.

The Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (Pd-AAA) of enol carbonates derived from γ-butyrolactones is reported, affording the corresponding enantioenriched α,α'-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones in both high yields and high enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). This method was eventually applied to the synthesis of chiral spirocyclic compounds.

Synthesis of Functionalized Dihydrobenzofurans by Direct Aryl C-O Bond Formation under Mild Conditions.

A method for the synthesis of dihydrobenzofurans by a direct aryl C-O bond formation is described. A mechanistic pathway for the reaction, distinct from previously described similar transformations, allows for mild reaction conditions that are expected to be compatible with functionalized substrates.