Discovery of furan-2-carbohydrazides as orally active glucagon receptor antagonists

Pd-catalyzed 5-exo-dig cyclization/etherification cascade of N-propargyl arylamines for the synthesis of polysubstituted furans

A method for the synthesis of furans bearing indoline skeletons was developed via an intramolecular palladium-catalyzed 5-exo-dig cyclization/etherification cascade of N-propargyl arylamines containing a 1,3-dicarbonyl side chain. This method realized the first capture of vinyl carbopalladiums by ketones as O-nucleophiles and showed a wide range of substrate tolerability affording trisubstituted furans in various yields. The enantioselective version for this domino process and diverse derivatizations of the reaction products were also studied.

A silver-mediated radical process of β-keto sulfones for the synthesis of 2,3-diacyl furans

A facile and efficient method for constructing 2,3-diacyl trisubstituted furans via a silver-mediated radical process of β-keto sulfones is developed. The reaction mechanism has been carefully investigated, revealing that the transformation proceeds through a radical pathway, leading to moderate to good yields of desired products.

One-pot furan synthesis through diethylzinc-mediated coupling reaction between two α-bromocarbonyl compounds

Polysubstituted furans were synthesized in one-pot through the Et2Zn-mediated coupling reaction between dibromoketones and monobromo carbonyl compounds and the subsequent β-elimination with bromoacetyl bromide. Polysubstituted pyrroles were also prepared in one-pot by addition of primary amines after the coupling reaction.

Antagonistic Effect and In Vitro Activity of Dauricine on Glucagon Receptor

Abnormal increases in glucagon (GCG) are the primary cause of type II diabetes mellitus. When GCG interacts with a glucagon receptor (GCGR), GCG can increase the blood glucose level. In this paper, a compound that could interfere with the binding of GCG and GCGR to inhibit the increase of blood glucose was investigated. First, molecular docking was used to conduct preliminary screening of compounds whose active components could combine with GCGR by AutoDock Vina. The binding of the receptor-ligand complex was analyzed by PyMOL. Results showed that dauricine could tightly bind to the receptor pocket. Second, the plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-GCGR containing the target gene was transfected into HEK293 cells for expression, which was the cell model established to screen GCGR antagonist. Dauricine, the lead compound of glucagon receptor antagonist (GRA), was screened using the GRA screening model in vitro. Finally, using [Des-His1, Glu9]-Glucagon amide as the positive control, flow cytometry was used to express the antagonistic effect of the compound. Consequently, dauricine can antagonize the GCGR.

Ready Access to Densely Substituted Furans Using Tsuji-Wacker-Type Cyclization

A competent method for the construction of highly substituted furans catalyzed by Pd(II) and Cu(II) chloride has been developed. The method provides easy access to di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted furans from corresponding diols with relatively mild conditions in a unified strategy. The developed method has been successfully tested with more than 25 substrates, which resulted in furans of multiple substitution patterns with up to 84% isolated yields.

Bottom-up modular synthesis of well-defined oligo(arylfuran)s

Oligofurans have attracted great attention in the field of materials over the last decades because of their several advantages, such as strong fluorescence, charge delocalization, and increased solubility. Although unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted oligofurans have been well-established, there is an increasing demand for the development of the aryl decorated oligofuran with structural diversity and unrevealed properties. Here, we report the bottom-up modular construction of chemically and structurally well-defined oligo(arylfuran)s by de novo synthesis of α,β′-bifuran monomers and late-stage bromination, stannylation and subsequent coupling reaction. The preliminary study of the photophysical properties demonstrated that the polarity-sensitive fluorescence emission and high quantum yields in THF solution could be achieved by modulating the aryl groups on the oligo(arylfuran)s. These twisted molecules constitute a new class of oligofuran backbone useful for structure−activities relationship studies. Meanwhile, the experimental studies and calculations showed that tetrafurans have appropriate HOMO energy levels, and could therefore potentially be high-performance p-type semiconductors.

Oligofurans have attracted great attention because of their strong fluorescence, charge delocalization, and increased solubility. Here the authors show a bottom-up modular construction of chemically and structurally well-defined oligo(arylfuran)s by de novo synthesis of α,β′-bifuran monomers and late-stage bromination, stannylation and subsequent coupling reaction.

One-pot synthesis of 3-aminofurans using a simple and efficient recyclable CuI/[bmim]PF6 system

A one-pot three-component reaction of several 2-ketoaldehydes, secondary amines and terminal alkynes to access 3-aminofurans proceeded well in [bmim][PF₆] using a simple and cheap CuI catalyst. The resultant 3-aminofuran products were easily isolated using diethyl ether and the CuI/[bmim][PF₆] system was reused six times with a slight decrease in the activity.

Ti(OiPr)4-Facilitated Formal Deoxygenative Annulation of Alkynyl 1,2-Diketones for the Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Furans

A unique deoxygenative cyclodimerization of alkynyl 1,2-diketones facilitated by Ti(OⁱPr)₄ is achieved, affording a series of highly functionalized furan products. An unusual C-C bond and C═O bond cleavage of the substrates is observed, and Ti(OⁱPr)₄ plays triplicate roles in the reaction. Furthermore, the products show uncommon fluorescent emission in the solid state, indicating the potential practical applications of this work.

ZnCl2 -Catalyzed [4+1] Annulation of Alkylthio-Substituted Enaminones and Enaminothiones with Sulfur Ylides

Concise construction of furan and thiophene units has played an important role in the synthesis of potentially bioactive compounds and functional materials. Herein, an efficient Lewis acid ZnCl₂ catalyzed [4+1] annulation of alkylthio-substituted enaminones is reported, that is, α-oxo ketene N,S-acetals with sulfur ylides to afford 2-acyl-3-aminofuran derivatives. In a similar fashion, [4+1] annulation of the corresponding enaminothiones, that is, α-thioxo ketene N,S-acetals, with sulfur ylides efficiently proceeded to give multisubstituted 3-aminothiophenes. This method features wide substrate scopes as well as broad functional group tolerance, offering a concise route to highly functionalized furans and thiophenes.

Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted Furans through One-Pot Formal [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Utilizing [1,2]-Phospha-Brook Rearrangement

An efficient method for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans was developed by utilizing the [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement under Brønsted base catalysis. The two-step one-pot formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition involves the nucleophilic addition of a propargyl anion, which is catalytically generated through the [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement, to an aldehyde and the subsequent intramolecular cyclization mediated by N-iodosuccinimide to provide 2,4,5-trisubstituted-3-iodofurans. The present method with readily available substrates provides new access to a wide range of well-organized tetrasubstituted furans.

Efficient Heterogeneous Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Cascade Reactions of Enallenols to Furan and Oxaborole Derivatives

A heterogeneous palladium-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of enallenols has been developed for the construction of highly substituted furan and oxaborole derivatives. The heterogeneous catalyst (Pd-AmP-MCF) exhibits high activity, high site- and stereoselectivity, and efficient palladium recyclability in the transformations.

Transition-metal-free C–C σ-bond activation of α-aryl ketones and subsequent Zn-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization: synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans

Atom-economical synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans from α-aryl ketones and alkynones through base-promoted cleavage of unstrained C–C single bonds of ketones and subsequent Zn-catalyzed cyclization.

A one-pot metal-free protocol for the synthesis of chalcogenated furans from 1,4-enediones and thiols

Transition-metal-free synthesis of chalcogenated furans through the sequential thiol-Michael/Paal–Knorr reaction of 1,4-enediones in the presence of a catalytic amount of p-toluene sulfonic acid has been developed.

Synthesis of Multisubstituted Furans via a Catalyst- and Additive-Free Tandem Reaction of Enynones with Sulfinic Acids in Water

A facile and efficient tandem reaction of enynones with arylsulfinic acids was developed. A variety of multisubstituted furans were obtained in satisfactory yields via an O₂-oxidative single-electron-transfer process without any catalyst and additive in water.

Current anti-diabetic agents and their molecular targets: A review

Diabetes mellitus is a medical condition characterized by the body's loss of control over blood sugar. The frequency of diagnosed cases and consequential increases in medical costs makes it a rapidly growing chronic disease that threatens human health worldwide. In addition, its unnerving statistical projections are perilous to both the economy of the nation and man's life expectancy. Type-I and type-II diabetes are the two clinical forms of diabetes mellitus. Type-II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is illustrated by the abnormality of glucose homeostasis in the body, resulting in hyperglycemia. Although significant research attention has been devoted to the development of diabetes regimens, which demonstrates success in lowering blood glucose levels, their efficacies are unsustainable due to undesirable side effects such as weight gain and hypoglycemia. Over the years, heterocyclic scaffolds have been the basis of anti-diabetic chemotherapies; hence, in this review we consolidate the use of bioactive scaffolds, which have been evaluated for their biological response as inhibitors against their respective anti-diabetic molecular targets over the past five years (2012-2017). Our investigation reveals a diverse target set which includes; protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 B (PTP1B), dipeptidly peptidase-4 (DPP-4), free fatty acid receptors 1 (FFAR1), G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2), α-glucosidase, aldose reductase, glycogen phosphorylase (GP), fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), glucagon receptor (GCGr) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). This review offers a medium on which future drug design and development toward diabetes management may be modelled (i.e. optimization via structural derivatization), as many of the drug candidates highlighted show promise as an effective anti-diabetic chemotherapy.

FeCl3or MeSO3H-promoted multicomponent reactions for facile synthesis of structurally diverse furan analogues

The atom-economical characteristics, mild conditions, simple operation and broad substrate scope demonstrated the synthetic value of this protocol.

Facile synthesis of cyanofurans via Michael-addition/cyclization of ene–yne–ketones with trimethylsilyl cyanide

Carbene migratory insertion? No! Ene–yne–ketones were utilized as a Michael-addition acceptor to react with TMSCN, affording a series of cyanofurans.

Triflic acid promoted solvent free synthesis of densely functionalized furans

A simple, efficient and novel methodology has been developed for the synthesis of substituted furans mediated by triflic acid. In the reaction initial step involves the Friedel–Crafts arylation, followed by the dehydrative cyclization.

Drug therapies in type 2 diabetes: an era of personalised medicine

Optimal management of diabetes involves a multidisciplinary approach. Prioritisation of lifestyle change, blood pressure and lipid control, and regular screening for complications are advocated in most international guidelines. Good glucose control, however, remains an important aim of treatment, although it is increasingly recognised that glucose targets should be individualised, with less stringent targets for older patients with significant comorbidities.In recent years, a number of newer therapies for hyperglycaemia have become available. This review aims to discuss currently available options for patients with type 2 diabetes, and also discusses potential new therapies that may be on the horizon in the future.

Domino Radical Addition/Oxidation Sequence with Photocatalysis: One-Pot Synthesis of Polysubstituted Furans from α-Chloro-Alkyl Ketones and Styrenes

A new domino reaction has been developed that allows the combination of styrenes and α-alkyl ketone radicals to afford a wide array of polysubstituted furans in good to excellent yields under mild and simple reaction conditions. The key to success of this novel protocol is the use of photocatalyst fac-Ir(ppy)₃ and oxidant K₂ S₂ O₈ . Mechanistic studies by a radical scavenger and photoluminescence quenching suggest that a radical addition/oxidation pathway is operable.

Glucagon actions on the kidney revisited: possible role in potassium homeostasis

It is now recognized that the metabolic disorders observed in diabetes are not, or not only due to the lack of insulin or insulin resistance, but also to elevated glucagon secretion. Accordingly, selective glucagon receptor antagonists are now proposed as a novel strategy for the treatment of diabetes. However, besides its metabolic actions, glucagon also influences kidney function. The glucagon receptor is expressed in the thick ascending limb, distal tubule, and collecting duct, and glucagon regulates the transepithelial transport of several solutes in these nephron segments. Moreover, it also influences solute transport in the proximal tubule, possibly by an indirect mechanism. This review summarizes the knowledge accumulated over the last 30 years about the influence of glucagon on the renal handling of electrolytes and urea. It also describes a possible novel role of glucagon in the short-term regulation of potassium homeostasis. Several original findings suggest that pancreatic α-cells may express a “potassium sensor” sensitive to changes in plasma K concentration and could respond by adapting glucagon secretion that, in turn, would regulate urinary K excretion. By their combined actions, glucagon and insulin, working in a combinatory mode, could ensure an independent regulation of both plasma glucose and plasma K concentrations. The results and hypotheses reviewed here suggest that the use of glucagon receptor antagonists for the treatment of diabetes should take into account their potential consequences on electrolyte handling by the kidney.

Recent progress in the development of small-molecule glucagon receptor antagonists

The endocrine hormone glucagon stimulates hepatic glucose output via its action at the glucagon receptor (GCGr) in the liver. In the diabetic state, dysregulation of glucagon secretion contributes to abnormally elevated hepatic glucose output. The inhibition of glucagon-induced hepatic glucose output via antagonism of the GCGr using small-molecule ligands is a promising mechanism for improving glycemic control in the diabetic state. Clinical data evaluating the therapeutic potential of small-molecule GCGr antagonists is currently emerging. Recently disclosed clinical data demonstrates the potential efficacy and possible therapeutic limitations of small-molecule GCGr antagonists. Recent pre-clinical work on the development of GCGr antagonists is also summarized.

Inhibiting or antagonizing glucagon: making progress in diabetes care

Absolute or relative hyperglucagonaemia has been recognized for years in all experimental or clinical forms of diabetes. It has been suggested that excess secretion of glucagon by the islet α cells is a direct consequence of intra-islet insulin secretory defects. Recent studies have shown that knockout of the glucagon receptor or administration of a monoclonal specific glucagon receptor antibody make insulin-deficient type 1 diabetic rodents thrive without insulin. These observations suggest that glucagon plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of diabetes and that targeting the α cell and glucagon are innovative approaches in the management of diabetes. Despite active research and identification of promising compounds, no one selective glucagon antagonist is presently used in the treatment of diabetes. Interestingly, besides insulin, several drugs used today in the management of diabetes appear to exert their effects, in part, by inhibiting glucagon secretion (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, α-glucosidase inhibitors and, possibly, sulphonylureas) or glucagon action (metformin). The potential risks associated with total glucagon suppression include α-cell hyperplasia, increased mass of the pancreas, increased susceptibility to hepatosteatosis and hepatocellular injury and increased risk of hypoglycaemia, and these should be considered in the search and development of new compounds reducing glucagon receptor signalling. More than 40 years after its initial description, hyperglucagonaemia in diabetes can no longer be ignored or minimized, and its correction represents an attractive way to improve diabetes management.