Novel 2,5-Diketopiperazines with In Vitro Activities against Protozoan Parasites of Tropical Diseases.

Malaria, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis are tropical diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genera , and , respectively. These diseases constitute a major burden on public health in several regions worldwide, mainly affecting low-income populations in economically poor countries. Severe side effects of currently available drug treatments and the emergence of resistant parasites need to be addressed by the development of novel drug candidates.

2,5-Diketopiperazines via Intramolecular -Alkylation of Ugi Adducts: A Contribution to the Synthesis, Density Functional Theory Study, X-ray Characterization, and Potential Herbicide Application.

To investigate the herbicidal potential of 2,5-diketopiperazines (2,5-DKPs), we applied a known protocol to produce a series of 2,5-DKPs through intramolecular -alkylation of Ugi adducts. However, the method was not successful for the cyclization of adducts presenting aromatic rings with some substituents at the ortho position. Results from DFT calculations showed that the presence of voluminous groups at the ortho position of a benzene ring results in destabilization of the transition structure.

Tetrahydroquinolines by the multicomponent Povarov reaction in water: calix[n]arene-catalysed cascade process and mechanistic insights.

The catalyst p-sulfonic acid calix[4]arene was effectively used in the three-component Povarov reaction between aromatic anilines and two equivalents of 2,3-dihydrofuran to obtain furano[3,2-c]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines. These reactions proceeded efficiently using water as a green solvent and nontoxic catalysts that could be efficiently reused; the reactions were metal-free and used only inexpensive and easily available compounds. Together with a simple workup procedure, these advantages make this protocol a very efficient and green alternative to the traditional methods for constructing tetrahydroquinoline structures, through the formation of two new C-C bonds and one C-N bond.

New rubrolide analogues as inhibitors of photosynthesis light reactions.

Natural products called rubrolides have been investigated as a model for the development of new herbicides that act on the photosynthesis apparatus. This study comprises a comprehensive analysis of the photosynthesis inhibitory ability of 27 new structurally diverse rubrolide analogues. In general, the results revealed that the compounds exhibited efficient inhibition of the photosynthetic process, but in some cases low water solubility may be a limiting factor.

Cyclopent-4-ene-1,3-diones: a new class of herbicides acting as potent photosynthesis inhibitors.

In a recent paper, we reported the synthesis and photosynthesis-inhibitory activity of a series of analogues of rubrolides. From quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies, we found that the most efficient compounds are those having higher ability to accept electrons. On the basis of those findings, we directed our effort to synthesize new analogues bearing a strong electron-withdrawing group (nitro) in the benzylidene ring and evaluate their effects on photosynthesis.