Facile Synthesis of 3-Substituted Thiazolo[2,3-α]tetrahydroisoquinolines

It was found that 4-hydroxy-2-butenoic ester (11) could not react with 3,4-dihydro-isoquinoline (4a). Individual addition reactions of γ-mercapto-α,β-unsaturated esters (18) and -unsaturated amide (19) with 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines (4) were carried out under appropriate conditions to provide the corresponding thiazolo[2,3-α]isoquinoline derivatives with good yields (up to 87%) and significant diastereomeric selectivity. The mechanism of the crucial reaction was discussed.

Tandem additions of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines to γ-hydroxy-α,β-unsaturated ketones: a green and new access to oxazolo[2,3-a]tetrahydroisoquinolines

Addition reactions of various 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline derivatives with γ-hydroxy-α,β-unsaturated ketones were carried out in 15 min at room temperature without an additive, providing oxazolo[2,3-a]tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives in high yields.

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of acrylamides

This critical review, which is relevant to researchers in synthetic organic chemistry, focuses on asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with acrylamides. The use of chiral acrylamides as dipolarophiles leads to high levels of stereocontrol, due to conformational constraint in the acrylamides. Employment of chiral tertiary acrylamides containing nitrogen heterocycles is particularly effective in controlling the stereoselectivity. Following a general overview of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, the main body of the review focuses on asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of acrylamides with nitrile oxides, nitrones, diazoalkanes and azomethine ylides, with particular emphasis on the rationale for the observed stereocontrol (215 references).

Synthesis of a netropsin conjugate of a water-soluble epi-quinocarcin analogue: the importance of stereochemistry at nitrogen

The efficient synthesis of a water-soluble C11a-epi-analogue (6b) of quinocarcin is described. This substance, and a netropsin amide conjugate (8) lack the capacity to inflict oxidative damage on DNA due to the stereoelectronic geometry of their oxazolidine nitrogen atoms. The capacity of these substances to alkylate DNA through the generation of an iminium species has been examined. Both compounds were found to be unreactive as DNA alkylating agents. The results of this study are discussed in the context of previous proposals on the mode of action of this family of antitumor alkaloids.

Assay for the quinocarmycin analog DX-52-1 in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography with automated column switching and low wavelength ultraviolet detection

The hydrocyanated derivative of the antitumor antibiotic quinocarmycin, DX-52-1 (I), exhibits impressive activity against human melanoma xenograft models in vivo. Phase I clinical trials to evaluate this compound as an antineoplastic agent have been initiated by the US National Cancer Institute. We have developed an HPLC assay for the determination of I in human plasma involving automated column switching and UV detection at 210 nm. The preparation of samples for chromatographic analysis entails the preliminary removal of plasma proteins by precipitation with acetonitrile, acidifying the clear supernatant to pH 4.5, then extracting twice with tert.-butyl methyl ether to recover the drug. A heart-cutting procedure employing two HPLC columns with contrasting retention characteristics under isocratic reversed-phase conditions was used to achieve the selectivity required for low wavelength UV detection of the analyte. The sample extract was initially loaded onto a column packed with a cyanopropyl stationary phase. During the predetermined time interval that I eluted from this column, a fully automated six-position switching valve was used to direct the effluent onto an octadecylsilane analytical column. The assay has been thoroughly validated with regard to linearity, inter- and intra-day accuracy and precision, recovery, selectivity and specificity. Using a sample volume of 1.0 ml, the lowest concentration of I quantified with acceptable day-to-day reproducibility was found to be 2.56 ng/ml (R.S.D. 18.9%, n=21, 4 months). This proved to be sufficiently sensitive for pharmacokinetic drug level monitoring in cancer patients treated with a 6-h continuous intravenous infusion of I, even at the starting dose of 3 mg/m2. The successful performance and reliability of the assay has been demonstrated through extensive application to the routine analysis of plasma specimens acquired during a phase I clinical trial of the drug.

Computer simulation of the binding of quinocarcin to DNA. Prediction of mode of action and absolute configuration

Computer-based models were derived for the covalent and noncovalent binding of the antitumor antibiotic quinocarcin to a representative DNA segment, d(ATGCAT)2. They showed that a mode of action, involving opening of the oxazolidine ring to give an iminium ion, followed by initial noncovalent binding in the minor groove and subsequent alkylation of the 2-amino group of guanine, was rational and attended by favorable interaction energies in each step. The best model had the aryl ring of quinocarcin lying in the 3' direction from the covalent binding site and an R configuration at the carbon involved in covalent bond formation. It also showed that the preferred absolute configuration for quinocarcin was the reverse of that arbitrarily assigned in the literature.