Synthesis of Purine Nucleosides fromD-Glucuronic Acid Derivatives and Evaluation of Their Cholinesterase-Inhibitory Activities

Study of Direct N7 Regioselective tert-Alkylation of 6-Substituted Purines and Their Modification at Position C6 through O, S, N, and C Substituents

A new N7 direct regioselective method allowing the introduction of tert-alkyl groups into appropriate 6-substituted purine derivatives is developed. This method is based on a reaction of N-trimethylsilylated purines with a tert-alkyl halide using SnCl4 as a catalyst. In this work, we study the structure and optimal reaction conditions leading to the N7 isomer and in some cases also to the N9 isomer. The main goal is devoted to preparing 7-(tert-butyl)-6-chloropurine as a suitable compound for other purine transformations. The stability of the tert-butyl group at the N7 position is tested for classic model reactions, leading to the preparation of new 6,7-disubstituted purine derivatives, which is also interesting from the point of view of possible biological activity.

Nucleoside analogues: N-glycosylation methodologies, synthesis of antiviral and antitumor drugs and potential against drug-resistant bacteria and Alzheimer's disease

Nucleosides have gained significant attention since the discovery of the structure of DNA. Nucleoside analogues may be synthesized through multiple synthetic pathways, however the N-glycosylation of a nucleobase is the most common method. Amongst the different classical N-glycosylation methodologies, the Vorbrüggen glycosylation is the most popular method. This review focuses on the synthesis and therapeutic applications of several FDA approved nucleoside analogues as antiviral and anticancer agents. Moreover, this review also focuses on the potential of these compounds as new antibacterial and anti-Alzheimer's disease agents, offering an overview of the most recent research in these fields.

Synthesis and structure of d-glucuronolactone derived carboxamides

5-O-Protected and 1,2-acetonide-protected D-glucurono-6,3-lactone furanosides were converted into novel furano-glucuronamides through treatment with ammonia. Several O3 protections and O5-deprotection routes afford new primary gluconamide derivatives. However, attempted O3-benzylations of O5-protected intermediates led instead to silyl migration (from O5-TDBMS), competitive N-benzylation or reclosure to the lactone are observed as competing processes. This is not seen the using 5-O-PMB protection which the provides the method of choice for obtaining a fully protection-differentiated glucofuranamide. X-ray crystal structures of a fully-protected glucurono-6,3-lactone lactone and a glucuronamide derivatives are reported.

Silane promoted glycosylation and its applications for synthesis of sugar compounds and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)

Silane promoted glycosylation and its applications for preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

An overview on the synthesis of carbohydrate-based molecules with biological activity related to neurodegenerative diseases

In the context of the search for multitarget drugs with improved efficacy against neurodegenerative disorders, carbohydrate derivatives have emerged as promising candidates for Alzheimer's therapy. Herein we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of several classes of sugar-based compounds, where most of them contain heterocyclic aromatic moieties that bear known biological properties and high affinity for the cholinesterase active site. This general idea led to the synthesis of compounds with high inhibitory potency against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), enzymatic selectivity and combined properties such as antioxidant and neuroprotection, in addition to the absence of toxicity.

Study of the N7 Regioselective Glycosylation of 6-Chloropurine and 2,6-Dichloropurine with Tin and Titanium Tetrachloride

6-Chloropurine and 2,6-dichloropurine were regioselectively glycosylated at position 7 to give the corresponding peracetylated N⁷-nucleosides, which can be suitable for other purine transformations. In this work, we study the distribution of N⁷/N⁹-isomers produced via the Vorbrüggen method under different conditions, using an N-trimethylsilylated purine derivative and SnCl₄ or TiCl₄ as a catalyst. The main effort is devoted to reversing the disadvantageous predominant selectivity of most glycosylation reactions at the N⁹ position and thus to determining conditions that maximize the regioselectivity of glycosylation toward the desired N⁷-isomer.

Synthesis of Triazole-Containing Furanosyl Nucleoside Analogues and Their Phosphate, Phosphoramidate or Phoshonate Derivatives as Potential Sugar Diphosphate or Nucleotide Mimetics

The synthesis of stable and potentially bioactive xylofuranosyl nucleoside analogues and potential sugar diphosphate or nucleotide mimetics comprising a 1,2,3-triazole moiety is reported. 3'-O-Methyl-branched N-benzyltriazole isonucleosides were accessed in 5-7 steps and 42-54 % overall yields using a Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of 3-O-propargyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-D-xylofuranose with benzyl azide as key step. Related isonucleotides were obtained by 5-O-phosphorylation of acetonide-protected 3-O-propargyl xylofuranose and further "click" cycloaddition or by Staudinger-phosphite reaction of a 5-azido N-benzyltriazole isonucleoside. Hydroxy-, amino- or bromomethyl triazole 5'-isonucleosides were synthesized by thermal cycloaddition of 5-azido 3-O-benzyl/dodecyl xylofuranoses with propargyl alcohol, propargylamine or propargyl bromide. Better yields (82-85 %) were obtained when using propargyl alcohol and a high 1,4-regioselectivity was attained with propargyl bromide. Further O/N-phosphorylation or Arbuzov reaction led to (triazolyl)methyl phosphates, phosphoramidates or phosphonates. The latter were converted into uracil nucleoside 5'-(triazolyl)methyl phosphonates as prospective nucleoside diphosphate mimetics.

Identification of the Amipurimycin Gene Cluster Yields Insight into the Biosynthesis of C9 Sugar Nucleoside Antibiotics

Feeding studies indicate a possible synthetic pattern for the N-terminal cis-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (ACPC) and suggest an unusual source of the high-carbon sugar skeleton of amipurimycin (APM). The biosynthetic gene cluster of APM was identified and confirmed by in vivo experiments. A C9 core intermediate was discovered from null mutants of ACPC pathway, and an ATP-grasp enzyme (ApmA8) was reconstituted in vitro for ACPC loading. Our observations allow a first proposal of the APM biosynthetic pathway.

Ecofriendly microwave assisted synthesis of some new pyridine glycosides

An efficient, mild and rapid procedure was employed to prepare a novel series of pyridine glycosides. The protocol allows the reaction of 2-pyridone with 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranose under solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis using different solid supports. Silica gel has been found to be an efficient and environmentally friendly promoter. Structures of the new products were confirmed based on their elemental analyses and spectral data (LC-MS/MS, IR, UV, 1D- and 2D-NMR).

Exploitation of new structurally diverse d-glucuronamide-containing N-glycosyl compounds: synthesis and anticancer potential

The synthesis and anticancer evaluation of novel N-glycosyl derivatives containing N-substituted glucuronamide moieties, as nucleoside analogs or as prospective mimetics of glycosyl phosphates or of nucleotides, is reported. These compounds comprise N-anomerically-linked nucleobases or motifs that are surrogates of a phosphate group, such as sulfonamide or phosphoramidate moieties. 1-Sulfonamido glucuronamides containing N-benzyl, N-propargyl or N-dodecyl carboxamide units were synthesized through glycosylation of methanesulfonamide with tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides. 1-Azido glucuronamides were accessed by microwave-assisted reactions of tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides with TMSN₃ and were further converted into N-glycosylphosphoramidates by treatment with trimethyl phosphite. Potential glucuronamide-based nucleotide mimetics comprising both an anomeric sulfonamide/phosphoramidate group and a benzyltriazolylmethyl amide system at C-5, as nucleobase mimetics, were synthesized via 'click' cycloaddition of N-propargyl glucuronamide derivatives with benzyl azide. N-Dodecyl tetra-O-acetyl glucuronamides were converted into uracil and purine nucleosides via N-glycosylation of the corresponding silylated nucleobases. Biological screening revealed significant antiproliferative activities of the N-dodecyl glucuronamide-containing sulfonamide, phosphoramidate and nucleosides in K562 and MCF-7 cells. The highest effect was exhibited by the N⁹-linked purine nucleoside in the breast cancer cell MCF-7 with a GI₅₀ value similar to that of clinically used 5-fluorouracil. Immunoblotting and cell cycle analysis of K562 cells treated with the most active compound as well as evaluation of the effect of this nucleoside on the activities of caspases 3 and 7 showed induction of apoptosis as the mechanism of cell death.

Nucleosides 9: Design and synthesis of new 8-nitro and 8-amino xanthine nucleosides of expected biological activity

The coupling reaction of 1,3-dimethylxanthine (theophylline), 3-benzylxanthine and 3-benzyl-1-methylxanthine with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose afforded the corresponding protected nucleosides, respectively. Nitration of each of the theophylline and 3-benzy-1-methyllxanthine protected nucleosides yielded the corresponding 8-nitronucleosides derivatives, which were reduced to give the corresponding 8-aminonucleoside derivatives. Debenzoylation of protected nucleosides formed by using methanolic sodium methoxide afforded the corresponding free N-nucleosides, respectively. The structures of products have been elucidated and reported and also some of the products were screened for their antimicrobial activity. Some of tested products showed moderate activity.

Synthesis and antiproliferative evaluation of novel azido nucleosides and their phosphoramidate derivatives

New xylofuranosyl and glucopyranosyl nucleoside phosphoramidates were synthesized as potential mimetics of nucleoside 5′-monophosphates. Their access involved N-glycosylation of uracil and 2-acetamido-6-chloropurine with 5′/6′-azido-1,2-di-O-acetyl glycosyl donors and subsequent Staudinger-phosphite reaction of the resulting azido nucleosides. The coupling of the purine derivative with the pyranosyl donor furnished N9- and N7-linked nucleosides in 1:1 ratio, whereas with the furanosyl donor, the N9-nucleoside was the major regioisomer formed. When using uracil, only 5′/6′-azido N1-linked nucleosides were obtained. The purine 5′/6′-azido nucleosides were converted into corresponding phosphoramidates in good yields. The antiproliferative effects of the nucleoside phosphoramidates and those of the azido counterparts on cancer cells were evaluated. While the nucleoside phosphoramidates did not show significant activities, the purine 5′/6′-azido nucleosides displayed potent effects against K562, MCF-7 and BT474 cell lines. The 5′-azidofuranosyl N9 and N7-linked purine nucleosides exhibited highest activity towards the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line (K562) with GI50 values of 13.6 and 9.7 μM, respectively. Among pyranosyl nucleosides, the N7-linked nucleoside was the most active compound with efficacy towards all cell lines assayed and a highest effect on K562 cells (GI50=6.8 μM). Cell cycle analysis of K562 and MCF-7 cells showed that the most active compounds cause G2/M arrest.

Effective Synthesis of Nucleosides Utilizing O-Acetyl-Glycosyl Chlorides as Glycosyl Donors in the Absence of Catalyst: Mechanism Revision and Application to Silyl-Hilbert-Johnson Reaction

An effective synthesis of nucleosides using glycosyl chlorides as glycosyl donors in the absence of Lewis acid has been developed. Glycosyl chlorides have been shown to be pivotal intermediates in the classical silyl-Hilbert-Johnson reaction. A possible mechanism that differs from the currently accepted mechanism advanced by Vorbrueggen has been proposed and verified by experiments. In practice, this catalyst-free method provides easy access to Capecitabine in high yield.

Synthesis of glucopyranos-6′-yl purine and pyrimidine isonucleosides as potential cholinesterase inhibitors. Access to pyrimidine-linked pseudodisaccharides through Mitsunobu reaction

The synthesis of new isonucleosides comprising purine and pyrimidine-derived systems linked to methyl glucopyranosidyl units at C-6 and evaluation of their cholinesterase inhibitory profiles is reported. Their access was based on the Mitsunobu coupling of partially acetylated and benzylated methyl glucopyranosides with purine and pyrimidine derivatives. While the reactions with purines and theobromine proceeded with complete regioselectivity, affording exclusively N9- or N1-linked 6′-isonucleosides, respectively, the use of pyrimidine nucleobases led to N1 and/or N3-glucopyranosid-6′-yl pyrimidines and/or to N1,N3/2-O,4-O-pyrimidine-linked pseudodisaccharides through bis-coupling, depending on the substitution pattern of the sugar precursor and on the nature of the nucleobase. From this series of compounds, four were shown to be effective and selective inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase with inhibition constants in the micromolar concentration range. A tri-O-acetylated N1-glucopyranosid-6′-yl theobromine and a benzylated N1,N3-bis-glucopyranosid-6-yl thymine were the most active molecules with Ki values of 4 μM. A tri-O-benzylated glucopyranosid-6′-yl uracil displayed good and selective inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (Ki=8.4±1.0 μM), similar to that exhibited by the standard galantamine. Molecular docking simulations, performed with the two most effective acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, showed interactions with key amino acid residues located at the enzyme’s active site gorge, which explain the competitive component of their inhibitory activities.

Carbohydrates and Glycomimetics in Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics and Diagnosis

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of late-life dementia, affecting millions worldwide. The devastating nature of the disease, unsuccessful treatment options and high socio-economic impact has inspired scientists to develop new structures with neuroprotective properties. Although currently available drugs target cholinergic neurotransmission, investigation towards disease-modifying therapies has been growing and carbohydrates have been playing an active role in the latest discoveries. Sugars, as polyfunctional compounds particularly important in biology and widely involved in human health and disease, have great potential to generate bioactive and bioavailable interesting molecules. Herein we discuss the importance of carbohydrates and glycomimetic structures, addressing different aspects of neuroprotection under investigation, targeting amyloid, tau and cholinergic hypotheses. The potential of carbohydrates in diagnosis is also discussed.