A facile synthesis of benzo[b][1,4]thiazepine derivatives by palladium acetate catalyzed reaction

Synthesis of 1,4-Thiazepane-Based Curcuminoids with Promising Anticancer Activity

Curcumin, the main component of turmeric (Curcuma longa) is known to display an interesting bioactivity profile, including pronounced anticancer properties. However, its low bioavailability, metabolic instability and nonspecific activity are concerns that have to be addressed before curcuminoids can be considered for therapeutic applications. Within that framework, intensive research has been carried out in the last decades to develop new curcumin derivatives, generally centered on standard modifications of the sp² curcumin framework, with the aim to augment its bioavailability while maintaining or improving its anticancer properties. To find potential hit molecules by moving away from the classical flat curcumin framework, we investigated an unexplored modification to produce novel, out-of-plane 1,4-thiazepane-based curcuminoids and assessed the impact of this modification on the biological activity. In this way, 21 new, structurally diverse thiazepane scaffolds (4-aryl-1-(7-aryl-1,4-thiazepan-5-ylidene)but-3-en-2-ones) were synthesized, as well as some biologically interesting unexpected reaction products (such as 5-aryl-6-arylmethylene-3-ethoxycyclohex-2-en-1-ones and 4-acetyl-5-aryl-2-(3-arylacryloyl)-3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-ones). All these analogues were subsequently tested on their antioxidant capacity, their cytotoxicity properties and their ROS (reactive oxygen species) production. Many compounds demonstrated interesting activities, with ten curcuminoids, whereof eight 1,4-thiazepane-based, showing better antiproliferative properties compared to their mother compounds, as well as an increased ROS production. This unprecedented 3D curcumin modification has thus delivered promising new hit compounds with good activity profiles eligible for further exploration.

Synthesis of Dihydrobenzo[b]pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]Thiazepines; Derivatives of a Novel Ring System

Several derivatives of the novel dihydrobenzo[b]pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]thiazepine ring system have been synthesised through the initial heterocyclisation of 2,4-dichloro-5-(chloromethyl)-6-methylpyrimidine with o-aminothiophenol followed by treatment with various secondary amines in boiling ethanol.

Pd-catalyzed steroid reactions

We review the most important achievements of the last decade in the field of steroid synthesis in the presence of palladium catalysts. Various palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, including Heck, Suzuki, Stille, Sonogashira, Negishi and others, are exemplified with steroid transformations.

Synthesis, photophysical and anticancer study of D-ring extended estrone analogues

A concise route for highly substituted ring extended estrone analogues has been developed. The photophysical and biological study of these compounds revealed their efficacy as possible fluorescence probes in cancer chemotherapy.

Microwave-assisted palladium mediated efficient synthesis of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines, pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinolines, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines and pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinazolines

An efficient method was developed for the synthesis of pyrazole fused heterocycles via the palladium-catalyzed solvent free reaction of β-halovinyl/aryl aldehydes and 3-aminopyrazoles/5-aminopyrazoles under microwave irradiation in good yields.