Design, Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of Phenylalanine-Containing Peptidomimetics as Novel HIV-1 Capsid Binders Based on Ugi Four-Component Reaction

As a key structural protein, HIV capsid (CA) protein plays multiple roles in the HIV life cycle, and is considered a promising target for anti-HIV treatment. Based on the structural information of CA modulator PF-74 bound to HIV-1 CA hexamer, 18 novel phenylalanine derivatives were synthesized via the Ugi four-component reaction. In vitro anti-HIV activity assays showed that most compounds exhibited low-micromolar-inhibitory potency against HIV. Among them, compound I-19 exhibited the best anti-HIV-1 activity (EC50 = 2.53 ± 0.84 μM, CC50 = 107.61 ± 27.43 μM). In addition, I-14 displayed excellent HIV-2 inhibitory activity (EC50 = 2.30 ± 0.11 μM, CC50 > 189.32 μM) with relatively low cytotoxicity, being more potent than that of the approved drug nevirapine (EC50 > 15.02 μM, CC50 > 15.2 μM). Additionally, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) binding assays demonstrated direct binding to the HIV CA protein. Moreover, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations provided additional information on the binding mode of I-19 to HIV-1 CA. In summary, we further explored the structure—activity relationships (SARs) and selectivity of anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 of PF-74 derivatives, which is conducive to discovering efficient anti-HIV drugs.

Exploiting the tolerant region I of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) binding pocket. Part 2: Discovery of diarylpyrimidine derivatives as potent HIV-1 NNRTIs with high Fsp3 values and favorable drug-like properties

To yield potent HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) with favorable drug-like properties, a series of novel diarylpyrimidine derivatives targeting the tolerant region I of the NNRTI binding pocket were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated. The most active inhibitor 10c exhibited outstanding antiviral activity against most of the viral panel, being about 2-fold (wild-type, EC₅₀ = 0.0021 μM), 1.7-fold (K103N, EC₅₀ = 0.0019 μM), and slightly more potent (E138K, EC₅₀ = 0.0075 μM) than the NNRTI drug etravirine (ETR). Additionally, 10c was endowed with relatively low cytotoxicity (CC₅₀ = 18.52 μM). More importantly, 10c possessed improved drug-like properties compared to those of ETR with an increased Fsp³ (Fraction of sp³ carbon atoms) value. Furthermore, the molecular dynamics simulation and molecular docking studies were implemented to reveal the binding mode of 10c in the binding pocket. Taken together, 10c is a promising lead compound that is worth further investigation.

Harnessing C-O Bonds in Stereoselective Cross-Coupling and Cross-Electrophile Coupling Reactions

Herein, we discuss our laboratory's research in the activation of alcohol derivatives in cross-coupling and cross-electrophile coupling reactions. Our developed methods enable the use of secondary alcohols to afford tertiary stereogenic centers, which we applied to the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant compounds and substructures. We first discuss the synthesis of bioactive compounds via stereospecific Kumada cross-coupling reactions, followed by a discussion on the development of our stereoselective cross-electrophile coupling reaction to synthesize cyclopropanes.

Visible-Light Photocatalytic Difluoroalkylation-Induced 1, 2-Heteroarene Migration of Allylic Alcohols in Batch and Flow

A convenient method for the preparation of sp³-rich heterocycles is reported. The method comprises a photocatalytic difluoroalkylation-induced 1,2-heteroarene migration of allylic alcohols. Here we describe for the first time the benefits of using flow to facilitate such migration reactions, including shorter reaction times, higher selectivities, and opportunities to scale the chemistry.

An aryl dioxygenase shows remarkable double dioxygenation capacity for diverse bis-aryl compounds, provided they are carbocyclic

The bacterial dioxygenation of mono- or polycyclic aromatic compounds is an intensely studied field. However, only in a few cases has the repeated dioxygenation of a substrate possessing more than a single aromatic ring been described. We previously characterized the aryl-hydroxylating dioxygenase BphA-B4h, an artificial hybrid of the dioxygenases of the biphenyl degraders Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 and Pseudomonas sp. strain B4-Magdeburg, which contains the active site of the latter enzyme, as an exceptionally powerful biocatalyst. We now show that this dioxygenase possesses a remarkable capacity for the double dioxygenation of various bicyclic aromatic compounds, provided that they are carbocyclic. Two groups of biphenyl analogues were examined: series A compounds containing one heterocyclic aromatic ring and series B compounds containing two homocyclic aromatic rings. Whereas all of the seven partially heterocyclic biphenyl analogues were solely dioxygenated in the homocyclic ring, four of the six carbocyclic bis-aryls were converted into ortho,meta-hydroxylated bis-dihydrodiols. Potential reasons for failure of heterocyclic dioxygenations are discussed. The obtained bis-dihydrodiols may, as we also show here, be enzymatically re-aromatized to yield the corresponding tetraphenols. This opens a way to a range of new polyphenolic products, a class of compounds known to exert multiple biological activities. Several of the obtained compounds are novel molecules.