An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the 1,3-Dipolar Cyclo­addition of Alloxan-Derived Azomethine Ylides to Cyclopropenes

11H-Benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]indol-11-one as a New Precursor of Azomethine Ylides: 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions with Cyclopropenes and Maleimides

The possibility of generating azomethine ylides from 11H-benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]indol-11-one and amino acids is shown for the first time. Based on the cycloaddition reactions of these azomethine ylides with cyclopropenes and maleimides, cyclopropa[a]pyrrolizines, 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes, and pyrrolo[3,4-a]pyrrolizines spiro-fused with a benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]indole fragment were synthesized. Spirocyclic compounds were obtained in moderate to good yields, albeit with poor diastereoselectivity. Density functional theory calculations were performed to obtain an insight into the mechanism of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 11H-benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]indol-11-one-derived azomethine ylides to cyclopropenes. The cytotoxic activity of some of the obtained cycloadducts against the human erythroleukemia (K562) cell line was evaluated in vitro by MTS-assay.

Biological Evaluation of 3-Azaspiro[Bicyclo[3.1.0]Hexane-2,5′-Pyrimidines] as Potential Antitumor Agents

A series of heterocyclic compounds containing spirofused barbiturate and 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane frameworks have been studied as potential antitumor agents. Antiproliferative activity of products was screened in human erythroleukemia (K562), T lymphocyte (Jurkat), and cervical carcinoma (HeLa) as well as mouse colon carcinoma (CT26) and African green monkey kidney epithelial (Vero) cell lines. The most effective among the screened compounds show IC50 in the range from 4.2 to 24.1 μM for all tested cell lines. The screened compounds have demonstrated a significant effect of the distribution of HeLa and CT26 cells across the cell cycle stage, with accumulation of cells in SubG1 phase and induced apoptosis. It was found, using a confocal microscopy, that actin filaments disappeared and granular actin was distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm of up to 90% of HeLa cells and up to 64% of CT26 cells after treatment with tested 3-azaspiro[bicyclo [3.1.0]hexane-2,5′-pyrimidines]. We discovered that the number of HeLa cells with filopodium-like membrane protrusions was reduced significantly (from 91% in control cells to 35%) after treatment with the most active compounds. A decrease in cell motility was also noticed. Preliminary in vivo experiments on the impact of the studied compounds on the dynamics of CT26 tumor growth in Balb/C mice were also performed.

Synthesis of bis-spirocyclic derivatives of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane via cyclopropene cycloadditions to the stable azomethine ylide derived from Ruhemann's purple

A reliable method for the synthesis of bis-spirocyclic derivatives of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes through the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (1,3-DC) reactions of cyclopropenes to the stable azomethine ylide – protonated form of Ruhemann's purple (PRP) has been developed. Both 3-substituted and 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes reacted with PRP, affording the corresponding bis-spirocyclic 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane cycloadducts in moderate to good yields with high diastereofacial selectivity. Moreover, several unstable 1,2-disubstituted cyclopropenes were successfully trapped by the stable 1,3-dipole under mild conditions. The mechanism of the cycloaddition reactions of cyclopropenes with PRP has been thoroughly studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods at the M11/cc-pVDZ level of theory. The cycloaddition reactions have been found to be HOMOcyclopropene–LUMOylide controlled while the transition-state energies for the reaction of 3-methyl-3-phenylcyclopropene with PRP are fully consistent with the experimentally observed stereoselectivity.