Synthesis of novel highly functionalized biologically active polycyclic caged amides

Triple-Dearomative Photocycloaddition: A Strategy to Construct Caged Molecular Frameworks

An unprecedented caged 2H-benzo-dioxo-pentacycloundecane framework was serendipitously obtained in a single transformation via triple-dearomative photocycloaddition of chromone esters with furans. This caged structure was generated as part of an effort to access a tricyclic, oxygen-bridged intermediate enroute to the dihydroxanthone natural product nidulalin A. Reaction scope and limitations were thoroughly investigated, revealing the ability to access a multitude of synthetically challenging caged scaffolds in a two-step sequence. Photophysical studies provided key mechanistic insights on the process for formation of the novel caged scaffold.

A new skeletal rearrangement of 1,7-dimethyl Cookson's cage dione catalyzed by a Lewis acid

A methyl-substituted polycyclic cage dione containing the PCUD framework has undergone an unprecedented ring rearrangement approach. Here, the PCUD framework with the aid of a Lewis acid such as BF3·MeOH gave unusual fragmentation products. Two new products were isolated via the skeletal rearrangement process involving carbocation mediated intermediates. The substituents in the succinyl bond present in the strained PCUD skeleton produce a driving force for the rearrangement in an unprecedented manner. Interestingly, the cyclobutane ring was transformed to cyclopentane through the cleavage of the C1-C7 bond during the ring-expansion process of PCUD via the carbocation intermediates. Unexpectedly, solvent (benzene) was captured during the ring-homologation process due to the presence of methyl substituents placed at the cyclobutane ring of the cage framework. It appears that this is the first report where an unexpected ring-rearrangement, ring-homologation, and ring-fragmentation occur with the aid of the BF3·MeOH complex.

Molecular Acrobatics in Polycyclic Frames: Synthesis of Functionalized D3-Trishomocubanes via the Rearrangement Approach

A new synthetic route to D₃-trishomocubanone and oxa- D₃-trishomocubane derivatives has been established by the rearrangement approach. A remotely located methyl substituent in the six-membered ring contributed to the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the cage dione in an unusual fashion. This rearrangement approach provided an attractive route to extended D₃-trishomocubanes, which are not accessible by the conventional multistep synthetic sequence. For the first time, two phenyl groups were incorporated from the solvent into the strained trishomocubane skeleton in an unprecedented manner via carbocation-mediated rearrangement with the aid of BF₃·OEt₂. Interestingly, an oxa-bridged trishomocubane skeleton was also formed during acid-promoted rearrangement.

Biological Activity of Ionic Liquids and Their Application in Pharmaceutics and Medicine

Ionic liquids are remarkable chemical compounds, which find applications in many areas of modern science. Because of their highly tunable nature and exceptional properties, ionic liquids have become essential players in the fields of synthesis and catalysis, extraction, electrochemistry, analytics, biotechnology, etc. Apart from physical and chemical features of ionic liquids, their high biological activity has been attracting significant attention from biochemists, ecologists, and medical scientists. This Review is dedicated to biological activities of ionic liquids, with a special emphasis on their potential employment in pharmaceutics and medicine. The accumulated data on the biological activity of ionic liquids, including their antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties, are discussed in view of possible applications in drug synthesis and drug delivery systems. Dedicated attention is given to a novel active pharmaceutical ingredient-ionic liquid (API-IL) concept, which suggests using traditional drugs in the form of ionic liquid species. The main aim of this Review is to attract a broad audience of chemical, biological, and medical scientists to study advantages of ionic liquid pharmaceutics. Overall, the discussed data highlight the importance of the research direction defined as "Ioliomics", studies of ions in liquids in modern chemistry, biology, and medicine.

Synthesis, screening and computational investigation of pentacycloundecane-peptoids as potent CSA-HIV PR inhibitors

Herein, we present the first pentacycloundecane (PCU) diol peptoid derived HIV protease inhibitors with IC(50) values ranging from 6.5 to 0.075 μM. Five derivatives were synthesized in an attempt to understand the structure activity relationship of this class of compounds for HIV protease inhibition. NMR spectroscopy (new Efficient Adiabatic Symmetrized Rotating Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy, EASY-ROESY) was employed to determine the predominant conformation of the active compound. In this study docking studies and MD simulations provided insight into the binding theme of this class of peptoid inhibitors to the CSA-HIV PR active site. Conserved and stable hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups of the inhibitors and the active site Asp25/Asp25' residues were observed from the docking and along the MD trajectories.

Synthesis, 2D-NMR and molecular modelling studies of pentacycloundecane lactam-peptides and peptoids as potential HIV-1 wild type C-SA protease inhibitors

In this study, eight non-natural peptides and peptoids incorporating the pentacycloundecane (PCU) lactam were designed and synthesized as potential inhibitors of the wild type C-SA HIV-protease. Five of these inhibitors gave IC(50) values ranging from 0.5 up to 0.75 µM against the resistance-prone wild type C-South African HIV-protease. NMR EASY-ROESY studies enabled us to describe the secondary structure of three of these compounds in solution. The 3D structures of the selected cage peptides were also modelled in solution using QM/MM/MD simulations. Satisfactory agreement between the NMR observations and the low energy calculated structures exists. Only one of these inhibitors (11 peptoid), which showed the best IC(50)(0.5 µM), exhibited a definable 3-D structure in solution. Autodock4 and AutodockVina were used to model the potential interaction between these inhibitors and the HIV-PR. It appears that the docking results are too crude to be correlated with the relative narrow range of experimental IC(50) values (0.5-10 µM). The PCU-peptides and peptoides were several orders less toxic (145 μM for 11 and 102 μM for 11 peptoid) to human MT-4 cells than lopinavir (0.025 μM). This is the first example of a polycyclic cage framework to be employed as an HIV-PR transition state analogue inhibitor and can potentially be utilized for other diseases related proteases. [Figure: see text].

Pentacycloundecane-based inhibitors of wild-type C-South African HIV-protease

In this study, we present the first account of pentacycloundecane (PCU) peptide based HIV-protease inhibitors. The inhibitor exhibiting the highest activity made use of a natural HIV-protease substrate peptide sequence, that is, attached to the cage (PCU-EAIS). This compound showed nanomolar IC(50) activity against the resistance-prone wild type C-South African HIV-protease (C-SA) catalytic site via a norstatine type functional group of the PCU hydroxy lactam. NMR was employed to determine a logical correlation between the inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) results and the 3D structure of the corresponding inhibitors in solution. NMR investigations indicated that the activity is related to the chirality of the PCU moiety and its ability to induce conformations of the coupled peptide side chain. The results from docking experiments coincided with the experimental observed activities. These findings open up useful applications for this family of cage peptide inhibitors, considering the vast number of alternative disease related proteases that exist.