Synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoloquinones by coupling of organostannanes with bromoquinones

Tandem oxidation-oxidative C-H/C-H cross-coupling: synthesis of arylquinones from hydroquinones

A concise and efficient approach to arylquinones from widely available hydroquinones has been developed through a tandem reaction involving the oxidation of hydroquinones and subsequent oxidative C-H/C-H cross-coupling of the resulting quinones with arenes.

Cytotoxic activity of naphthoquinones with special emphasis on juglone and its 5-O-methyl derivative

The cytotoxicity of nine naphthoquinones (NQ) was assayed against HL-60 (leukaemia), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma), SF-295 (brain) and HCT-8 (colon), all human cancer cell lines, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), as representatives of normal cells, after 72h of incubation. 5-Methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone was the most active compound, showing IC(50) values in the range of 0.31 (1.7microM) in HL-60 to 0.88microg/mL (4.7microM) in SF-295 and IC(50) of 0.69microg/mL (3.7microM) against PBMC. With the introduction of a bromo-substituent in position 2 or 3 of juglone, the IC(50) significantly decreased, regardless of the position on the NQ moiety. However, compared with juglone methyl ether, the halogen substitution decreased the activity. To further understand the mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of 5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, studies involving DNA fragmentation, cell cycle analysis, phosphatidyl serine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization and activation of caspases 8 and 3/7 were performed in HL-60 cell line, using doxorubicin as a positive control. The results indicate that the cytotoxic 5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone activates caspases 8 and 3/7 and thus induces apoptosis independent of mitochondria.

Activities of naphthoquinones against Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae), vector of dengue and Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818), intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni

Larvicidal (against Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, 1762) and molluscicidal (against Biomphalaria glabrata Say, 1818) activities of several natural and synthetic naphthoquinones were measured, with significant results. The best larvicidal compound is 3-bromojuglone, while the better molluscicides are 2-bromo- and 3-bromo-5-acetoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones together with the 3-bromo-5-methoxy derivative. The present results reinforce the potential use of substituted hydroxyquinones, their salts and halogenated quinones as very promising compounds against 4th instar larves of Aedes aegypti, the vector of dengue and against adult snail of Biomphalaria glabrata.

Synthesis of 3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl pyranonaphthoquinone analogues of medermycin

The synthesis of an isomeric mixture of 4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl analogues 6 of the C-glycosylpyranonaphthoquinone antibiotic medermycin is described. The key 3-acetyl-6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 8 was prepared via Stille coupling of 6-(3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-3-bromo-1,4- naphthoquinone 17 with (alpha-ethoxyvinyl)tributyl-stannane followed by hydrolysis and oxidation of the resultant hydroquinone 18. Bromonaphthoquinone 17 in turn was afforded by oxidative demethylation of 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-3- bromo-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 16 formed by regioselective bromination of 6-(4-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy- beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 10. This latter naphthalene 10 was prepared via direct C-glycosylation of naphthol 12 with glycosyl donor 11 using BF3.Et2O in acetonitrile. The regioselectivity of the bromination of naphthalene 10 was independently determined by reductive monomethylation of the 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 22 to naphthol 23 followed by selective ortho bromination to bromide 24 and methylation to 16. Attempts to effect acetylation of 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-3-bromo-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 16 and 3-bromo-6-(3-dimethylamino-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 26 via Stille coupling with (alpha-ethoxyvinyl)tributylstannane were low yielding thereby establishing the necessity to use an azido group as a latent dimethylamino group and a more electrophilic bromonaphthoquinone as the coupling partner for the Stille reaction. Addition of 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran 9 to 3-acetyl-6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)- 5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 8 afforded the furofuran adducts 7 and 19 as an inseparable mixture of diastereomers. Oxidative rearrangement of this diastereomeric mixture using ceric ammonium nitrate afforded the inseparable diastereomeric furonaphthopyrans 6 and 20.

Synthesis of allyl cyanamides and N-cyanoindoles via the palladium-catalyzed three-component coupling reaction

The palladium-catalyzed three-component coupling reaction (TCCR) of aryl isocyanides, allyl methyl carbonate, and trimethylsilyl azide was conducted in the presence of Pd(2)(dba)(3).CHCl(3) (2.5 mol %) and dppe (1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) (10 mol %). Allyl aryl cyanamides with a wide variety of functional groups were obtained in excellent yields. This palladium-catalyzed TCCR was further utilized for the synthesis of N-cyanoindoles. The reaction of 2-alkynylisocyanobenzenes, allyl methyl carbonate, and trimethylsilyl azide in the presence of Pd(2)(dba)(3).CHCl(3) (2.5 mol %) and tri(2-furyl)phosphine (10 mol %) at higher temperatures afforded N-cyanoindoles in good to allowable yields. (eta(3)-Allyl)(eta(3)-cyanamido)palladium complex, an analogue of the bis-pi-allylpalladium complex, is a key intermediate in the TCCR, and a pi-allylpalladium mimic of the Curtius rearrangement is involved to generate the (eta(3)-allyl)(eta(3)-cyanamido)palladium intermediate.