Design and synthesis of 6,6-fused heterocyclic amides as raf kinase inhibitors

Challenges and Opportunities in the Crusade of BRAF Inhibitors: From 2002 to 2022

Serine/threonine-protein kinase B-Raf (BRAF; RAF = rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma) plays an important role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade. Somatic mutations in the BRAF gene were first discovered in 2002 by Davies et al., which was a major breakthrough in cancer research. Subsequently, three different classes of BRAF mutants have been discovered. This class includes class I monomeric mutants (BRAFV600), class II BRAF homodimer mutants (non-V600), and class III BRAF heterodimers (non-V600). Cancers caused by these include melanoma, thyroid cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, nonsmall cell lung cancer, and others. In this study, we have highlighted the major binding pockets in BRAF protein, their active and inactive conformations with inhibitors, and BRAF dimerization and its importance in paradoxical activation and BRAF mutation. We have discussed the first-, second-, and third-generation drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration and drugs under clinical trials with all four different binding approaches with DFG-IN/OUT and αC-IN/OUT for BRAF protein. We have investigated particular aspects and difficulties with all three generations of inhibitors. Finally, this study has also covered recent developments in synthetic BRAF inhibitors (from their discovery in 2002 to 2022), their unique properties, and importance in inhibiting BRAF mutants.

Design and Synthesis of New Quinoxaline Derivatives as Anticancer Agents and Apoptotic Inducers

The quinoxaline scaffold is a promising platform for the discovery of active chemotherapeutic agents. Three series of quinoxaline derivatives were synthesized and biologically evaluated against three tumor cell lines (HCT116 human colon carcinoma, HepG2, liver hepatocellular carcinoma and MCF-7, human breast adenocarcinoma cell line), in addition to VEGFR-2 enzyme inhibition activity. Compounds VIId, VIIIa, VIIIc, VIIIe and XVa exhibited promising activity against the tested cell lines and weak activity against VEGFR-2. Compound VIIIc induced a significant disruption in the cell cycle profile and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase boundary. In further assays, the cytotoxic effect of the highly active compounds was determined using a normal Caucasian fibroblast-like fetal lung cell line (WI-38). Compound VIIIc could be considered as a lead compound that merits further optimization and development as an anti-cancer and an apoptotic inducing candidate against the HCT116 cell line.

A General and Practical Palladium-Catalyzed Direct α-Arylation of Amides with Aryl Halides

An efficient system for the direct catalytic intermolecular α-arylation of acetamide derivatives with aryl bromides and chlorides is presented. The palladium catalyst is supported by Kwong's indole-based phosphine ligand and provides monoarylated amides in up to 95% yield. Excellent chemoselectivities (>10:1) in the mono- and diarylation with aryl bromides were achieved by careful selection of bases, solvents, and stoichiometry. Under the coupling conditions, the weakly acidic α-protons of amides (pKa up to 35) were reversibly depotonated by LiO t Bu, NaO t Bu, or NaN(SiMe3)2.

A green approach toward quinoxalines and bis-quinoxalines and their biological evaluation against A431, human skin cancer cell lines

Background: The objective of this study was to develop a practical green procedure to synthesize quinoxalines and bis-quinoxalines and evaluate their inhibitory effects on the viability of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. Method: A series of quinoxaline and bis-quinoxaline derivatives have been designed and synthesized following a microwave-assisted and bismuth nitrate-catalyzed eco-friendly route. A detailed comparison has been made between microwave-induced protocol with the reactions occurred at room temperature. The structure of the compounds have been elucidated by various spectroscopic methods and finally confirmed by x-ray crystallographic analyses. Results: Two quinoxaline derivatives, compounds 6 and 12 have demonstrated inhibitory effects on the viability of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells when compared with HaCaT nontumorigenic human keratinocyte cells. Conclusion: Notably, compound 6 inhibits Stat3 phosphorylation/activation in A431 skin cancer cells.