Development of an Efficient Large-Scale Synthesis for a 4H-imidazo[5,1-c][1,4]benzoxazine-3-carboxamide Derivative for Depression and Anxiety

Antitumor activity against human promyelocytic leukemia and in silico studies of some benzoxazines

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the world today, and the incidence of cancer is increasing. Leukemia is a type of blood cancer defined as the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal leukocytes in the blood and bone marrow. The HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia) cell line, derived from a single patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia, provides a unique in vitro model system for studying the cellular and molecular events involved in the proliferation and differentiation of leukemic cells. In this study, antitumor activities on the HL-60 of some of the resynthesized benzoxazine derivatives (BXN-01 and BXN-02) were investigated. The results of in vitro studies obtained were compared a standard drug, etoposide. In vitro results showed that BXN-01 and BXN-02 were found to be extremely effective compared to etoposide (IC50 value: 10 µM) with IC50 values of 5 nM and 25 nM, respectively. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were carried out for preliminary prediction of possible interaction modes between compounds and the active site of the target macromolecules, hTopo IIα, HDAC2, and RXRA. Then, in silico ADME/Tox studies were performed to predict drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties of BXN-01 and BXN-02.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Green Solvents for Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Dimethindene: A Forward-Looking Approach

Dimethindene is a selective histamine H1 antagonist and is commercially available as a racemate. Upon analyzing the synthetic pathways currently available for the industrial preparation of dimethindene, we set up a sustainable approach for the synthesis of this drug, switching from petroleum-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to eco-friendly solvents, such as 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) belonging to classes 3 and 2, respectively. Beyond decreasing the environmental impact of the synthesis (E-factor: 24.1–54.9 with VOCs; 12.2–22.1 with 2-MeTHF or CPME), this switch also improved the overall yield of the process (from 10% with VOCs to 21–22% with 2-MeTHF or CPME) and remarkably simplified the manual operations, working under milder conditions. Typical metrics applied at the first and second pass, according to the CHEM21 metrics toolkit, were also calculated for the whole synthetic procedure of dimethindene, and the results were compared with those of the classical procedure.

2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF): a biomass-derived solvent with broad application in organic chemistry

2-Methyl-tetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) can be derived from renewable resources (e.g., furfural or levulinic acid) and is a promising alternative solvent in the search for environmentally benign synthesis strategies. Its physical and chemical properties, such as its low miscibility with water, boiling point, remarkable stability compared to other cyclic-based solvents such as THF, and others make it appealing for applications in syntheses involving organometallics, organocatalysis, and biotransformations or for processing lignocellulosic materials. Interestingly, a significant number of industries have also started to assess 2-MeTHF in several synthetic procedures, often with excellent results and prospects. Likewise, preliminary toxicology assessments suggest that the use of 2-MeTHF might even be extended to more processes in pharmaceutical chemistry. This Minireview describes the properties of 2-MeTHF, the state-of-the-art of its use in synthesis, and covers several outstanding examples of its application from both industry and academia.