Selected applications of Meldrum's acid - a tutorial

Vinylogous and stereoselective domino synthesis of pyrano[2,3-c]pyrroles from alkylidene meldrum's acids

A domino Vinylogous aza-Michael-Aldol-Cyclocondensation (aza-VMAC) reaction was achieved with a series of alkylidene Meldrum's acid derivatives under simple operational conditions paving the way to novel pyrano[2,3-c]pyrroles in an excellent diasteroselectivity (>96 : 4), encompassing the relative control of three contiguous stereocenters.

Palladium-catalyzed ring-opening [5+2] annulation of vinylethylene carbonates (VECs) and C5-substituted Meldrum's acids: rapid synthesis of 7-membered lactones

A novel approach for the synthesis of unsaturated 7-membered lactones by Pd-catalyzed [5+2] dipolar cycloaddition of vinylethylene carbonates (VECs) and C5-substituted Meldrum's acid derivatives has been developed. Various Meldrum's acid derivatives worked well in this reaction under mild reaction conditions. A variety of 7-membered lactones can be accessed in a facile manner in moderate to good yields by employing easily prepared Meldrum's acid derivatives.

Crystal Structure, Photophysical Study, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, and Nonlinear Optical Properties of a New Hydroxyphenylamino Meldrum's Acid Derivative

The structural, photophysical, and vibrational properties of a new hydroxyphenylamino Meldrum's acid derivative, 3-((2-hydroxyphenylamino)methylene)-1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane-2,4-dione (HMD), were studied. The comparison of experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra can help understand basic vibration patterns and provides a better interpretation of IR spectra. The UV-Vis spectrum of HMD was computed using density functional theory (DFT)/B3LYP/6-311 G(d,p) basis set in the gas state, and the maximum wavelength was in accord with the experimental data. The molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and Hirshfeld surface analysis confirmed O(1)-H(1A)···O(2) intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the HMD molecule. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis provided delocalizing interactions between π→π* orbitals and n→σ*/π* charge transfer transitions. Finally, the thermal gravimetric (TG)/differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and the non-linear optical (NLO) properties of HMD were also reported.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of Meldrum's Acid Derivatives: Dual Activity and Molecular Docking Study

In the presented study, eight novel Meldrum's acid derivatives containing various vanillic groups were synthesized. Vanillidene Meldrum's acid compounds were tested against different cancer cell lines and microbes. Out of nine, three showed very good biological activity against E. coli, and HeLa and A549 cell lines. It is shown that the O-alkyl substituted derivatives possessed better antimicrobial and anticancer activities in comparison with the O-acyl ones. The decyl substituted molecule (3i) has the highest activity against E. coli (MIC = 12.4 μM) and cancer cell lines (HeLa, A549, and LS174 = 15.7, 21.8, and 30.5 μM, respectively). The selectivity index of 3i is 4.8 (HeLa). The molecular docking study indicates that compound 3i showed good binding affinity to DNA, E. coli Gyrase B, and topoisomerase II beta. The covalent docking showed that 3i was a Michael acceptor for the nucleophiles Lys and Ser. The best Eb was noted for the topoisomerase II beta-LYS482-3i cluster.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activity of Guaiazulene Derivatives

Guaiazulene and related derivatives were famous for diverse biological activities. In an effort to discover new highly efficient candidate drugs derived from guaiazulene, four series of guaiazulene derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for antiproliferation, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) signalling pathway agonist activities. Among them, two guaiazulene condensation derivatives showed selective cytotoxic activities towards K562 cell with IC₅₀ values 5.21 μM and 5.14 μM, respectively, accompanied by slight effects on normal cell viability. For the first time, one guaiazulene derivative from series I exhibited potent antiviral activity towards influenza A virus with IC₅₀ of 17.5 μM. A guaiazulene-based chalcone showed higher anti-inflammatory activity than positive drug indomethacin with an inhibitory rate of 34.29 % in zebrafish model in vivo. One guaiazulene-based flavonoid could strongly agitate PPARγ pathway at 20 μM, indicating the potential of guaiazulene derivatives to reduce obesity development and ameliorate hepatic steatosis. Preliminary in silico ADME studies predicted the excellent drug-likeness properties of bioactive guaiazulene derivatives.

Single and dual functionalization of proteins using site-specific nucleophilic carbon ligations

We here found that while Meldrum's acid as the reactive warhead allows for the attachment of a single chemical modification on aldehyde-containing proteins, pyrazolone derivatives in combination with a phosphine nucleophile enable protein dual site-specific conjugation with the same or distinct moieties. These reactions are efficient and convergent under biocompatible conditions and allow access to protein bioconjugates with superior stability, homogeneity and flexibility. Our work expands the repertoire of bioconjugation chemistries and offers opportunities to construct bioconjugates with defined structure that have potential for medical and biomaterial applications.

Facile and Sustainable Synthesis of Commendamide and its Analogues

Commendamide, or N-(3-hydroxypalmitoyl)-glycine 1a, is a gut microbiota-derived bioactive metabolite, structurally similar to long-chain N-acyl-amino acids which belong to the complex lipid signaling system known as endocannabinoidome and play important roles in mammals through activation of, inter alia, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this work, we describe a simple, green and economic method for the preparation of commendamide 1a, a GPCR G2A/132 agonist. The developed protocol is general and could also be applied to the synthesis of deuterated commendamide 1b, as well as to other minor microbiota-derived metabolites, such as the analog 2.

Recent Developments in the Synthesis of β-Diketones

Apart from being one of the most important intermediates in chemical synthesis, broadly used in the formation of C-C bonds among other processes, the β-dicarbonyl structure is present in a huge number of biologically and pharmaceutically active compounds. In fact, mainly derived from the well-known antioxidant capability associated with the corresponding enol tautomer, β-diketones are valuable compounds in the treatment of many pathological disorders, such as cardiovascular and liver diseases, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, neurological disorders, inflammation, skin diseases, fibrosis, or arthritis; therefore, the synthesis of these structures is an area of overwhelming interest for organic chemists. This paper is devoted to the advances achieved in the last ten years for the preparation of 1,3-diketones, using different chemical (Claisen, hydration of alkynones, decarboxylative coupling) or catalytic (biocatalysis, organocatalytic, metal-based catalysis) methodologies: Additionally, the preparation of branched β-dicarbonyl compounds by means of α-functionalization of non-substituted 1,3-diketones are also discussed.