Carboxylated, heteroaryl-substituted chalcones as inhibitors of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression for use in chronic inflammatory diseases

Starting from a simple chalcone template, structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies led to a series of carboxylated, heteroaryl-substituted chalcone derivatives as novel, potent inhibitors of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression. Correlations between lipophilicity determined by calculated logP values and inhibitory efficacy were observed among structurally similar compounds of the series. Various substituents were found to be tolerated at several positions of the chalcone backbone as long as the compounds fell into the right range of lipophilicity. The chalcone alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone moiety seemed to be the pharmacophore required for inhibition of VCAM-1 expression. Compound 19 showed significant antiinflammatory effects in a mouse model of allergic inflammation, indicating that this series of compounds might have therapeutic value for human asthma and other inflammatory disorders.

Discovery of Novel Phenolic Antioxidants as Inhibitors of Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 Expression for Use in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) mediates recruitment of leukocytes to endothelial cells and is implicated in many inflammatory conditions. Since part of the signal transduction pathway that regulates the activation of VCAM-1 expression is redox-sensitive, compounds with antioxidant properties may have inhibitory effects on VCAM-1 expression. Novel phenolic compounds have been designed and synthesized starting from probucol (1). Many of these compounds demonstrated potent inhibitory effects on cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression and displayed potent antioxidant effects in vitro. Some of these derivatives (4o, 4p, 4w, and 4x) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and IL-6 from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro and showed antiinflammatory effects in an animal model. Compounds 4ad and 4ae are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and prevention of chronic organ transplant rejection, respectively.

Discovery of novel heteroaryl-substituted chalcones as inhibitors of TNF-α-induced VCAM-1 expression

Novel chalcone derivatives have been discovered as potent inhibitors of TNF-alpha-induced VCAM-1 expression. Thienyl or benzothienyl substitution at the meta-position of ring B helps boost potency while large substitution at the para-position on ring B is detrimental. Various substitutions are tolerated on ring A. A lipophilicity-potency relationship has been observed in several sub-series of compounds.

An approach toward isoindolobenzazepines using the ammonium ylide/Stevens

Ammonium ylides derived from the Cu(II)-catalyzed decomposition of alpha-diazo carbonyls tethered to tertiary amines underwent a benzylic Stevens [1,2]-rearrangement to give tetrahydroisoquinolines or benzazepines containing fused five-membered rings, a feature found in the cephalotaxus alkaloids. Model studies were also carried out toward the synthesis of lennoxamine, a member of the isoindolobenzazepine family of alkaloids. The approach utilized is based on the Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction of an alpha-diazo carbonyl compound containing an amido group in the gamma-position. Treatment of several N,N-dialkyl-substituted amido diazo-esters with Rh2(OAc)4 in benzene at 80 degrees C in the presence of several dienophiles gave [4 + 2]-cycloadducts derived from the Diels-Alder reaction of a transient alpha-amino isobenzofuran intermediate. In the absence of an external trapping agent, no rearranged product derived from an ammonium ylide intermediate could be detected in the crude reaction mixture. In contrast to this result, reaction of the related diazo dihydroisoquinoline amide 46 with Rh2(OAc)4 afforded the isoindolobenzazepine ring system in high yield. Formation of the 5,7-fused skeleton was rationalized in terms of a spirocyclic ammonium ylide that underwent a preferential Stevens [1,2]-shift of the benzylic carbon atom. While we were ultimately thwarted in using the ammonium ylide/rearrangement cascade for a lennoxamine synthesis by an uncooperative diazo transfer reaction, the cascade sequence was shown to be useful for the preparation of various isoindolobenzazepines.