Discovery of potent antiviral (HSV-1) quinazolinones and initial structure-activity relationship studies

A New Quinazolinone Alkaloid along with Known Compounds with Seed-Germination-Promoting Activity from Rhodiola tibetica Endophytic Fungus Penicillium sp. HJT-A-6

A new quinazolinone alkaloid named peniquinazolinone A (1), as well as eleven known compounds, 2-(2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionamido)-N-methylbenzamide (2), viridicatin (3), viridicatol (4), (±)-cyclopeptin (5a/5b), dehydrocyclopeptin (6), cyclopenin (7), cyclopenol (8), methyl-indole-3-carboxylate (9), 2,5-dihydroxyphenyl acetate (10), methyl m-hydroxyphenylacetate (11), and conidiogenone B (12), were isolated from the endophytic Penicillium sp. HJT-A-6. The chemical structures of all the compounds were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration at C-13 of peniquinazolinone A (1) was established by applying the modified Mosher's method. Compounds 2, 3, and 7 exhibited an optimal promoting effect on the seed germination of Rhodiola tibetica at a concentration of 0.01 mg/mL, while the optimal concentration for compounds 4 and 9 to promote Rhodiola tibetica seed germination was 0.001 mg/mL. Compound 12 showed optimal seed-germination-promoting activity at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. Compared with the positive drug 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), compounds 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and 12 could extend the seed germination period of Rhodiola tibetica up to the 11th day.

Dihydropyrazinoquinazolinones via SN2 Sulfamidate Ring-Opening and a Sequential Quinazolinone-Amidine Rearrangement Strategy (SQuAReS)

A synthesis of dihydropyrazino-[2,1-b]-quinazolinones is described using a 2-alkylaminoquinazolinone-mediated ring opening of a-/chiral sulfamidates, followed by a tandem quinazolinone-amidine rearrangement termed SQuAReS. This approach takes advantage of sulfamidates whose regioselective ring opening, after hydrolysis, appends an optimally distanced nucleophilic amine to a quinazolinone such that subsequent domino rearrangements are favored, integrating unique substitution patterns on a privileged core. This three-step protocol integrated five telescoped transformations and generated 20 pyrazinoquinazolinones in up to 74% yield with high enantiomeric fidelity and diastereoselectivity.

Copper-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of Quinazolinones from 2-Nitrobenzaldehydes with Aldehydes: Application toward the Synthesis of Natural Products

A novel, efficient, and atom-economical approach for the construction of quinazolinones from 2-nitrobenzaldehydes has been unveiled via copper-catalyzed nitrile formation, hydrolysis, and reduction in one pot for the first time. In this reaction, urea is used as a source of nitrogen for nitrile formation, hydrazine hydrate is used for both the reduction of the nitro group and the hydrolysis of nitrile, and atmospheric oxygen is used as the sole oxidant. The method portrays a wide substrate scope with good functional group tolerances. Moreover, this method was applied for the synthesis of schizocommunin, tryptanthrin, phaitanthrin-A, phaitanthrin-B, and 8H-quinazolino[4,3-b]quinazolin-8-one.

Multicomponent reactions in the synthesis of antiviral compounds

BACKGROUND

Multicomponent reactions are one-pot processes for the synthesis of highly functionalized hetero-cyclic and hetero-acyclic compounds, often endowed with biological activity.

OBJECTIVE

Multicomponent reactions are considered green processes with high atom economy. In addition, they present advantages compared to the classic synthetic methods such as high efficiency and low wastes production.

METHOD

In these reactions two or more reagents are combined together in the same flask to yield a product containing almost all the atoms of the starting materials.

RESULTS

The scope of this review is to present an overview of the application of multicomponent reactions in the synthesis of compounds endowed with antiviral activity. The syntheses are classified depending on the viral target.

CONCLUSION

Multicomponent reactions can be applied to all the stages of the drug discovery and development process making them very useful in the search for new agents active against emerging (viral) pathogens.

Selective Synthesis of 2-(1,2,3-Triazoyl) Quinazolinones through Copper-Catalyzed Multicomponent Reaction

We describe here our results from the copper-catalyzed three component reaction of 2-azidobenzaldehyde, anthranilamide and terminal alkynes, using Et3N as base, and DMSO as solvent. Depending on the temperature and amount of Et3N used in the reactions, 1,2,3-triazolyl-quinazolinones or 1,2,3-triazolyl-dihydroquinazolinone could be obtained. When the reactions were performed at 100 °C using 2 equivalents of Et3N, 1,2,3-triazolyl-dihydroquinazolinone was formed in 82% yield, whereas reactions carried out at 120 °C using 1 equivalent of Et3N provided 1,2,3-triazolyl-quinazolinones in moderate-to-good yields.

Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship of Quinazolinone Derivatives as Potential Fungicides

Plant diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi reduce the yield and quality of crops. To develop novel antifungal agents, we designed and synthesized eight series of quinazolinone derivatives and evaluated their anti-phytopathogenic fungal activity. The bioassay results revealed that compounds KZL-15, KZL-22, 5b, 6b, 6c, 8e, and 8f exhibited remarkable antifungal activity in vitro. Especially, compound 6c displayed the highest bioactivity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Pellicularia sasakii, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium oxysporum, displaying appreciable IC₅₀ values (50% inhibitory concentration) of 2.46, 2.94, 6.03, and 11.9 μg/mL, respectively. A further mechanism interrogation revealed abnormal mycelia, damaged organelles, and changed permeability of cell membranes in S. sclerotiorum treated with compound 6c. In addition, the in vivo bioassay indicated that compound 6c possessed comparable curative and protective effects (87.3 and 90.7%, respectively) to the positive control azoxystrobin (89.5 and 91.2%, respectively) at 100 μg/mL concentration against S. sclerotiorum. This work validated the potential of compound 6c as a new and promising fungicide candidate, contributing to the exploration of potent antifungal agents.

Synthesis of non-nucleoside anti-viral cyclopropylcarboxacyl hydrazones and initial anti-HSV-1 structure-activity relationship studies

The synthesis of a lead anti-viral cyclopropyl carboxy acyl hydrazone 4F17 (5) and three sequential arrays of structural analogues along with the initial assessment and optimization of the antiviral pharmacophore against the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) are reported.

Quinazolinone derivative BNUA-3 ameliorated [NDEA+2-AAF]-induced liver carcinogenesis in SD rats by modulating AhR-CYP1B1-Nrf2-Keap1 pathway

Cytochrome P450 1B1, considered as one of the novel chemotherapeutic targets involved in cancer prevention and therapy is also associated with the conversion of procarcinogens into their active metabolites. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is responsible for mediating different biological responses to a wide variety of environmental pollutants and also causes transcriptional activation of cytochrome P450 enzymes including CYP1B1 and thus plays a pivotal role for initiating cancer and its progression. On the other hand, active carcinogenic metabolites and reactive oxygen species-mediated stress alter different molecular signalling pathways and gene expressions. Quinazoline derivatives are recognized for their diversified biological activities including anticancer properties. The current study was designed for evaluation of chemotherapeutic efficacy of a synthetic quinazolinone derivative BNUA-3 against hepatocellular cancer in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. A detailed in vivo analysis was performed by administrating BNUA-3 (15, 30 mg/kg b.w. for 28 days, i.p.) in N-Nitrosodiethylamine + 2-Acetylaminofluorene induced partially hepatectomized liver cancer in SD rats. This was followed by morphological evaluations, biochemical estimations and analysis of different mRNA and protein expressions. The results demonstrated the potency of BNUA-3 in efficient restoration of the altered morphology of liver, its protective effect against lipid peroxidation, enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants levels in liver tissue which was disrupted after cancer induction. The study also demonstrated downregulation of AhR, CYP1B1 and Keap1 expressions with subsequent augmentation of protective Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1 and GSTA1 expressions thus, revealing the chemotherapeutic potency of BNUA-3 in inhibiting liver carcinogenesis through AhR/CYP1B1/Nrf2/Keap1 pathway.

Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative Multicomponent Annulation Reaction for Direct Synthesis of Quinazolinones via an Imine-Protection Strategy

Via an imine-protection strategy, we herein present an unprecedented copper-catalyzed oxidative multicomponent annulation reaction for direct synthesis of quinazolinones. The construction of various products is achieved via formation of three C-N and one C-C bonds in conjunction with the benzylic functionalization. The merits of easily available feedstocks, naturally abundant catalyst, good functional group and substrate compatibility, and release of H₂O as the byproduct make the developed chemistry a practical way to access quinazolinones.

The synthesis of densely functionalised α-acyloxy enaminals and enaminones via a novel homogeneous silver(i) catalysed rearrangement

A synthesis of densely functionalised α-acyloxy enaminals and enaminones via a novel homogeneous silver(i) catalyzed rearrangement of 1-acyloxy-3-azido ketones is reported.

Asymmetric Entry into 10b-aza-Analogues of Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids Reveals a Pronounced Electronic Effect on Antiviral Activity

Development of a chiral pool-based synthesis of 10b-aza-analogues of biologically active Amaryllidaceae alkaloids is described, involving a concise reductive amination and condensation sequence, leading to ring-B/C-modified, fully functionalized ring-C derivatives. Differentiated anticancer and antiviral activities of these analogues are presented. Despite complete conformational and functional group overlap, the 10b-aza-analogues have diminished anticancer activity and no antiviral activity. These unprecedented electronic effects suggest a possible role for π-type secondary orbital interactions with the biological target.