In vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of (4-methoxyphenyl)(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methanone

Aminophosphine Palladium Pincer-Catalyzed Carbonylative Sonogashira and Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling with High Catalytic Turnovers

This work documents the first palladium pincer complex-catalyzed carbonylative Sonogashira (CS) and carbonylative Suzuki-Miyaura (CSM) cross-coupling. Compared to previous protocols, which employ hazardous and toxic solvents, the aminophosphine pincer complex {[C₆H₃-2,6-(NHP{piperidinyl}₂)₂]Pd(Cl)} (III) catalyzes both the cross-coupling reactions in propylene carbonate, an eco-friendly and sustainable polar aprotic solvent. Advantageously, employing III allows the CS cross-coupling to be carried out at a palladium loading of 10^-4 mol % and the CSM cross-coupling to be carried out at 10^-6 mol %, thus resulting in catalytic turnovers of 10⁵ and 10⁷, respectively. Relative comparison of the pincer complex with conventional palladium precursors Pd(OAc)₂ and PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ shows the efficiency and robustness of the pincer complex in effecting higher catalytic activity at low palladium loadings.

Sea Urchin Embryo Model As a Reliable in Vivo Phenotypic Screen to Characterize Selective Antimitotic Molecules. Comparative evaluation of Combretapyrazoles, -isoxazoles, -1,2,3-triazoles, and -pyrroles as Tubulin-Binding Agents

A series of both novel and reported combretastatin analogues, including diarylpyrazoles, -isoxazoles, -1,2,3-triazoles, and -pyrroles, were synthesized via improved protocols to evaluate their antimitotic antitubulin activity using in vivo sea urchin embryo assay and a panel of human cancer cells. A systematic comparative structure-activity relationship studies of these compounds were conducted. Pyrazoles 1i and 1p, isoxazole 3a, and triazole 7b were found to be the most potent antimitotics across all tested compounds causing cleavage alteration of the sea urchin embryo at 1, 0.25, 1, and 0.5 nM, respectively. These agents exhibited comparable cytotoxicity against human cancer cells. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that compounds substituted with 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl ring A and 4-methoxyphenyl ring B displayed the highest activity. 3-Hydroxy group in the ring B was essential for the antiproliferative activity in the diarylisoxazole series, whereas it was not required for potency of diarylpyrazoles. Isoxazoles 3 with 3,4,5-trimethoxy-substituted ring A and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-substituted ring B were more active than the respective pyrazoles 1. Of the azoles substituted with the same set of other aryl pharmacophores, diarylpyrazoles 1, 4,5-diarylisoxazoles 3, and 4,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles 7 displayed similar strongest antimitotic antitubulin effect followed by 3,4-diarylisoxazoles 5, 1,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles 8, and pyrroles 10 that showed the lowest activity. Introduction of the amino group into the heterocyclic core decreased the antimitotic antitubulin effect of pyrazoles, triazoles, and to a lesser degree of 4,5-diarylisoxazoles, whereas potency of the respective 3,4-diarylisoxazoles was increased.