Structure–activity relationship studies on unifiram (DM232) and sunifiram (DM235), two novel and potent cognition enhancing drugs

Building Up a Piperazine Ring from a Primary Amino Group via Catalytic Reductive Cyclization of Dioximes

Piperazine is one of the most frequently found scaffolds in small-molecule FDA-approved drugs. In this study, a general approach to the synthesis of piperazines bearing substituents at carbon and nitrogen atoms utilizing primary amines and nitrosoalkenes as synthons was developed. The method relies on sequential double Michael addition of nitrosoalkenes to amines to give bis(oximinoalkyl)amines, followed by stereoselective catalytic reductive cyclization of the oxime groups. The method that we developed allows a straightforward structural modification of bioactive molecules (e.g., α-amino acids) by the conversion of a primary amino group into a piperazine ring.

Unifi nootropics from the lab to the web: a story of academic (and industrial) shortcomings

This paper is a review of the work of my former academic group of research in the past 15 years, in the field of cognition enhancers (also called nootropics) that identified two very potent molecules: Unifiram and Sunifiram that for a variety of reasons were not protected by a patent. Some 12 years after their disclosure (2000) I casually found that on the web, there were dozens of sites offering Unifiram and Sunifiram as drugs that improve cognition in healthy individuals even if only few preclinical studies were done and their long-term toxicity was unknown.

A joint theoretical and experimental study of 1-acetylpiperazine: conformational stability, infrared and Raman spectra

Infrared and Raman spectra of 1-acetylpiperazine (1-ap) have been recorded in the region of 4000-40cm(-1). The conformational isomers, optimized geometric parameters, normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments of 1-ap (C6H12N2O) have been examined by density functional theory (DFT), with the Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) functional and the 6-31++G(d,p) basis set. Reliable conformational investigation and vibrational assignments have been performed by the potential energy surface (PES) and potential energy distribution (PED) analyses, respectively. Computations are carried out in both gas phase and solution using benzene and methanol. There is a good agreement between the theoretically predicted structural parameters and vibrational frequencies and those obtained experimentally. The normal chair conformation with equatorial substituents is not preferred due to the steric interaction.

Pharmacological characterization of DM232 (unifiram) and DM235 (sunifiram), new potent cognition enhancers

DM232 (unifiram) and DM235 (sunifiram) are potent cognition-enhancers, which are four order of magnitude more potent than piracetam. These compounds, although not showing affinity in binding studies for the most important central receptors or channels, are able to prevent amnesia induced by modulation of several neurotransmission systems. These compounds are able to increase the release of acetylcholine from rat cerebral cortex, and, as far as unifiram is concerned, to increase the amplitude of fEPSP in rat hippocampal slices. In vitro experiments, performed on hippocampal slices, also supported the hypothesis of a role of the AMPA receptors for the cognition-enhancing properties of unifiram and sunifiram.