Synthesis, Characterization, Biological Evaluation and DNA Interaction Studies of 4-Aminophenol Derivatives: Theoretical and Experimental Approach

In the present study, five 4-aminophenol derivatives (4-chloro-2-(((4-hydroxyphenyl)imino)methyl)phenol(S-1), 4-((4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene)amino)phenol(S-2), 4-((3-nitrobenzylidene)amino)phenol(S-3), 4-((thiophen-2-ylmethylene)amino)phenol(S-4) and 4-(((E)-3-phenylallylidene)amino)phenol(S-5)) were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and elemental analyses. The synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial (Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Saccharomyces cervesea fungus) and antidiabetic (α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory) activities. All the compounds showed broad-spectrum activities against the Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 4698), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Bacillus subtilis sub. sp spizizenii (ATCC 6633), Bordetella bronchiseptica (ATCC 4617) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 9763) strains. The newly synthesized compounds showed a significant inhibition of amylase (93.2%) and glucosidase (73.7%) in a concentration-dependent manner. Interaction studies of Human DNA with the synthesized Schiff bases were also performed. The spectral bands of S-1, S-2, S-3 and S-5 all showed hyperchromism, whereas the spectral band of S-4 showed a hypochromic effect. Moreover, the spectral bands of the S-2, S-3 and S-4 compounds were also found to exhibit a bathochromic shift (red shift). The present studies delineate broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antidiabetic activities of the synthesized compounds. Additionally, DNA interaction studies highlight the potential of synthetic compounds as anticancer agents. The DNA interaction studies, as well as the antidiabetic activities articulated by the molecular docking methods, showed the promising aspects of synthetic compounds.

Modulators of CFTR. Updates on clinical development and future directions

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most frequent life-limiting autosomal recessive disorder in the Caucasian population. It is due to mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. Current symptomatic CF therapies, which treat the downstream consequences of CFTR mutations, have increased survival. Better knowledge of the CFTR protein has enabled pharmacologic therapy aiming to restore mutated CFTR expression and function. These CFTR "modulators" have revolutionised the CF therapeutic landscape, with the potential to transform prognosis for a considerable number of patients. This review provides a brief summary of their mechanism of action and presents a thorough review of the results obtained from clinical trials of CFTR modulators.

Polymersome-Based Modular Nanoreactors with Size-Selective Transmembrane Permeability

Polymersome nanoreactors encapsulating the enzymes or particulate catalysts attract interest because of their potential use as modular reactors to synthesize complex compounds via a cascade of chemical reactions in a single batch. To achieve these goals, a key requirement is the tunable permeability of the polymersome membrane, which allows the size-selective transportation of reagents and products while protecting the encapsulated catalysts during the chemical reaction. We report here a stimuli-responsive route for controlling the permeability of the polymersomes of the binary blend of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polystyrene (PEG-b-PS) and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(acrylbenzylborate) (PEG-b-PABB). The presence of H₂O₂ (1 mM) in the medium (0.1 M PBS, pH 7.4) triggers the oxidation of benzyl borate pendants of PABB to form poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). This transformation results in the perforation of the compartmentalizing membrane of polymersomes by the dissolution of PEG-b-PAA domains embedded in the inert PEG-b-PS matrix. By controlling the composition of the stimuli-responsive block copolymer, the polymersomes of the binary blend exhibit size-selective permeability without losing the structural integrity. Release of fluorescent guests with different sizes (fluorescein, PEG2k-Cm, PEG5k-Rho) can be controlled by tuning the composition (PEG-b-PS/PEG-b-PABB = 100/0-80/20) of blended polymersomes. Selective permeability of the membrane provides protection of the encapsulated enzymes from external proteases present in the medium, resulting in the one-pot synthesis of small molecules via cascades of chemical reactions. The nanoparticular catalysts are also encapsulated within the permeable polymersomes, serving as modular reactors for the conversion of organic compounds via a cascade of reactions.

Practical access to axially chiral sulfonamides and biaryl amino phenols via organocatalytic atroposelective N-alkylation

The importance of axial chirality in enantioselective synthesis has been widely recognized for decades. The practical access to certain structures such as biaryl amino phenols known as NOBINs in enantiopure form, however, still remains a challenge. In drug delivery, the incorporation of axially chiral molecules in systematic screening has also received a great deal of interest in recent years, which calls for innovation and practical synthesis of structurally different axially chiral entities. Herein we present an operationally simple catalytic N-alkylation of sulfonamides using commercially available chiral amine catalysts to deliver two important classes of axially chiral compounds: structurally diverse NOBIN analogs as well as axially chiral N-aryl sulfonamides in excellent enantiopurity. Structurally related chiral sulfonamide has shown great potential in drug molecules but enantioselective synthesis of them has never been accomplished before. The practical catalytic procedures of our methods also bode well for their wide application in enantioselective synthesis.

Reaction of bis[(2-chlorocarbonyl)phenyl] Diselenide with Phenols, Aminophenols, and Other Amines towards Diphenyl Diselenides with Antimicrobial and Antiviral Properties

A reaction of bis[(2-chlorocarbonyl)phenyl] diselenide with various mono and bisnucleophiles such as aminophenols, phenols, and amines have been studied as a convenient general route to a series of new antimicrobial and antiviral diphenyl diselenides. The compounds, particularly bis[2-(hydroxyphenylcarbamoyl)]phenyl diselenides and reference benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones, exhibited high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacterial species (Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp.), and some compounds were also active against Gram-negative E. coli and fungi (Candida spp., A. niger). The majority of compounds demonstrated high activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HHV-1) and moderate activity against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), while they were generally inactive against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

A proline-based aminophenol ligand: synthesis, iron complexation, magnetic, electronic and redox investigation

A new proline-based aminophenol ligand was synthesized by a convenient procedure. The ligand was characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and IR spectroscopies, elemental analysis and optical activity measurements. Mononuclear iron(III) complex (FeL(Pro)) of this ligand was synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-vis, ESI-MS, magnetic susceptibility studies and cyclic voltammetry techniques. The equilibrium formation constant of FeL(Pro) and the pure UV-vis spectral profile of the complex was determined by multivariate hard modeling method. The molecular structure of FeL(Pro) determined by ESI-MS consist of two aminophenolate ligands. The variation of magnetic susceptibility with temperature indicates paramagnetic iron(III) in the monomeric complex. FeL(Pro) complex undergo metal-centered reduction, and ligand-centered oxidation.

Selective photo-reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol by Au deposited CdS nanostructures of different shapes having large surface area

The preparation and photocatalytic reductive ability of a new spongy flower or cotton bud like amorphous CdS microstructures (size = 200-300 nm) having intermediate crystal phase between cubic and hexagonal structure and possesses much larger surface area ca. 119 m2 g(-1) is demonstrated here. Structural analysis has been done by TEM, XRD, BET surface area, UV-Vis absorption, luminescence analysis, and photocatalytic study. The photoreactivity of as-prepared CdS for p-nitrophenol reduction to p-aminophenol conversion under visible light (150 W halogen lamp) irradiation has been found to be greatly enhanced from 62% to 94% (yield) and 81% to 100% (selectivity) after 1 wt% Au deposition. The obtained p-aminophenol yield is always better than 32% for CdS nanosphere (size 10-12 nm) and 40% for CdS nanorod (length/width in nm = 126/6). Surface passivation with a thin layer of SiO2 coating over this flower like spongy CdS appreciably increased the BET surface area to 158 m2 g(-1) and displayed stable photocatalytic activity for p-nitrophenol reduction up to 30 h of light exposure as compared to bare CdS of low activity because of its easy photodissolution. A good co-relation between the BET surface area and surface photoactivity of as-prepared CdS with the conventional cubic and hexagonal CdS nanoparticles of different dimensions is established here.

Facile and green synthesis of palladium nanoparticles-graphene-carbon nanotube material with high catalytic activity

We report a facile and green method to synthesize a new type of catalyst by coating Pd nanoparticles (NPs) on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite. An rGO-CNT nanocomposite with three-dimensional microstructures was obtained by hydrothermal treatment of an aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide (GO) and CNTs. After the rGO-CNT composites have been dipped in K₂PdCl₄ solution, the spontaneous redox reaction between the GO-CNT and PdCl₄(2-) led to the formation of nanohybrid materials consisting rGO-CNT decorated with 4 nm Pd NPs, which exhibited excellent and stable catalytic activity: the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol using NaBH4 as a catalyst was completed in only 20 s at room temperature, even when the Pd content of the catalyst was 1.12 wt%. This method does not require rigorous conditions or toxic agents and thus is a rapid, efficient, and green approach to the fabrication of highly active catalysts.

Amino-acid-based, lipid-directed, in situ synthesis and fabrication of gold nanoparticles on silica: a metamaterial framework with pronounced catalytic activity

We introduce a new example of the in situ preparation and fabrication of stable gold nanoparticles on silica in an aqueous medium, by using only lipid-grafted silica particles in HAuCl(4) solution without addition of any external reducing agent. The lipid-grafted silica particles have been synthesized by graft-to methodology and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The metamaterial particles show high catalytic activity for the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol.

Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol using biogenic gold and silver nanoparticles derived from Breynia rhamnoides

A simple, green method is described for the synthesis of Gold (Au) and Silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) from the stem extract of Breynia rhamnoides. Unlike other biological methods for NP synthesis, the uniqueness of our method lies in its fast synthesis rates (~7 min for AuNPs) and the ability to tune the nanoparticle size (and subsequently their catalytic activity) via the extract concentration used in the experiment. The phenolic glycosides and reducing sugars present in the extract are largely responsible for the rapid reduction rates of Au(3+) ions to AuNPs. Efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of AuNPs (or AgNPs) and NaBH(4) was observed and was found to depend upon the nanoparticle size or the stem extract concentration used for synthesis.

Synthesis of self-supporting gold microstructures with three-dimensional morphologies by direct replication of diatom templates

Diatoms (unicellular algae) form porous silica walls (frustule) with intricate, hierarchically organized three-dimensional (3D) structures with micro- to nanoscale dimensions. This paper presents the fabrication of self-supporting gold microstructures with complex 3D morphologies by using electroless gold deposition onto a diatom silica substrate, followed by the substrate removal by acid dissolution. It was demonstrated that gold diatom replicas with distinct micro- to nanoscale structures can be created by a simple and scalable process based on electroless gold deposition. Excellent catalytic properties (catalytic rate constant k = 23.5 +/- 1 x 10(-2) min(-1)) of prepared gold replica catalysts were confirmed for the reduction process of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) into 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of NaBH(4) as the reductant. This synthetic approach is general and flexible, and it is envisaged that it can be applied for the preparation of a wide range of different metals (Pt, Pd, Ag, Ni, etc.) offering more efficient catalytic, optical, or magnetic properties.

Spectroscopic characterization and biological activity of Zn(II), Cd(II), Sn(II) and Pb(II) complexes with Schiff base derived from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde and 2-amino phenol

A new Schiff base 2-aminophenol-pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde and its Zn(II), Cd(II), Sn(II) and Pb(II) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical studies. Spectral studies (IR and (1)H NMR) indicate deprotonation and coordination of phenolic oxygen along with binding of pyrrole nitrogen, azomethine nitrogen and anion with metal ions. The presence of lattice water molecule(s) has also been confirmed by TG/DTA studies. Mass spectrum explains the successive degradation of the molecular species in solution and justifies ML complexes. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were computed from the thermal data using Coats and Redfern method, which confirm first order kinetics. The bio-efficacy of the ligand and their complexes has been examined against the growth of bacteria in vitro to evaluate their antimicrobial potential. Molecular structures of the complexes have been optimized by MM2 calculations and suggest a tetrahedral geometry around metal ions.

Photochemical green synthesis of calcium-alginate-stabilized Ag and Au nanoparticles and their catalytic application to 4-nitrophenol reduction

Silver and gold nanoparticles have been grown on calcium alginate gel beads using a green photochemical approach. The gel served as both a reductant and a stabilizer. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analyses. The particles are spherical, crystalline, and the size ranges for both Ag and Au nanoparticles are <10 nm. It is noticed from the sorption experiment that the loading of gold on calcium alginate beads is much more compared to that of Ag. The effectiveness of the as-prepared dried alginate-stabilized Ag and Au nanoparticles as a solid phase heterogeneous catalyst has been evaluated, for the first time, on the well-known 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of excess borohydride. The reduction was very efficient and followed zero-order kinetics for both Ag and Au nanocomposites. The effects of borohydride, initial 4-NP concentration, and catalyst dose were evaluated. The catalyst efficiency was examined on the basis of turnover frequency (TOF) and recyclability. The catalytic efficiency of alginate-based Ag catalyst was much more compared to that of the Au catalyst. The as-prepared new solid-phase biopolymer-based catalysts are very efficient, stable, easy to prepare, eco-friendly, and cost-effective, and they have the potential for industrial applications.

Total syntheses of (+/-)-platencin and (-)-platencin

The secondary metabolites platensimycin and platencin, isolated from the bacterial strain Streptomyces platensis, represent a novel class of natural products exhibiting unique and potent antibacterial activity. Platencin, though structurally similar to platensimycin, has been found to operate through a slightly different mechanism of action involving the dual inhibition of lipid elongation enzymes FabF and FabH. Both natural products exhibit strong, broad-spectrum, gram-positive antibacterial activity to key antibiotic resistant strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Described herein are our synthetic efforts toward platencin, culminating in both racemic and asymmetric preparation of the natural product. The syntheses demonstrate the power of the cobalt-catalyzed asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction and the one-pot reductive rearrangement of [3.2.1] bicyclic ketones to [2.2.2] bicyclic olefins.

Amino acid salt catalyzed intramolecular Robinson annulation

The silica gel absorbed amino acid salt catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular Robinson annulation reaction has been developed; up to 97% ee was obtained with this readily recoverable organocatalyst.

Spectroscopic study of molecular structures of novel Schiff base derived from o-phthaldehyde and 2-aminophenol and its coordination compounds together with their biological activity

New Schiff base (H(2)L) ligand is prepared via condensation of o-phthaldehyde and 2-aminophenol. The metal complexes of Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with the ligand are prepared in good yield from the reaction of the ligand with the corresponding metal salts. They are characterized based on elemental analyses, IR, solid reflectance, magnetic moment, electron spin resonance (ESR), molar conductance, (1)H NMR and thermal analysis (TGA). From the elemental analyses data, the complexes are proposed to have the general formulae [M(L)(H(2)O)n].yH(2)O (where M=Mn(II) (n=0, y=1), Fe(II) (n=y=0), Co(II) (n=2, y=0), Ni(II) (n=y=2), Cu(II) (n=0, y=2) and Zn(II) (n=y=0), and [MCl(L)(H(2)O)].yH(2)O (where M=Cr(III) and Fe(III), y=1-2). The molar conductance data reveal that all the metal chelates are non-electrolytes. IR spectra show that H(2)L is coordinated to the metal ions in a bi-negatively tetradentate manner with ONNO donor sites of the azomethine N and deprotonated phenolic-OH. This is supported by the (1)H NMR and ESR data. From the magnetic and solid reflectance spectra, it is found that the geometrical structures of these complexes are octahedral (Cr(III), Fe(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes), tetrahedral (Mn(II), Fe(II) and Zn(II) complexes) and square planar (Cu(II) complex). The thermal behaviour of these chelates is studied and the activation thermodynamic parameters, such as, E*, Delta H*, DeltaS* and Delta G* are calculated from the DrTGA curves using Coats-Redfern method. The parent Schiff base and its eight metal complexes are assayed against two fungal and two bacterial species. With respect to antifungal activity, the parent Schiff base and four metal complexes inhibited the growth of the tested fungi at different rates. Ni(II) complex is the most inhibitory metal complex, followed by Cr(III) complex, parent Schiff base then Co(II) complex. With regard to bacteria, only two of the tested metal complexes (Mn(II) and Fe(II)) weakly inhibit the growth of the two tested bacteria.

A symmetry-based concise formal synthesis of platencin, a novel lead against "superbugs"

Quick access: A concise and efficient formal synthesis of platencin has been accomplished in nine steps from a commercially available starting material. The synthesis utilized only one protecting group. The base-catalyzed Michael cyclization of precursor 1 afforded the key diketone 2, which was converted into the desired core structure 4 via the radical intermediate 3.

Synthesis and characterization of di-phenyl-tinIV-salicyliden-ortho-aminophenols: Analysis of in vitro antitumor/antioxidant activities and molecular structures

The one pot reactions carried among salicylaldehyde 1, ortho-aminophenols 2a-2g, and di-phenyl-tin(IV) oxide 3 led to seven di-phenyl-tin(IV) compounds 4a-4g in good yields (97-83%). All compounds were analyzed by IR, 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analyses; furthermore, in the case of compounds 4b, 4c, 4e and 4g by X-ray diffraction. Compounds 4a-4g were tested in vitro against six human tumor cell lines U251, PC-3, K-562, HCT-15, MCF-7 and SKLU-1 to assess their in vitro antitumor activity. The results suggest biological specificity towards U251, MCF-7 and SKLU-1 cells at doses below 2.5 microM, which are lower than cis-platin IC50's in the three cell lines. Since the inhibitory concentration values for the series were alike to Ph(2)SnCl(2) is feasible that only the Ph(2)Sn moiety is responsible for those activities, further experiments are under research. Besides, 4a-4g were tested for their antioxidant efficiency in rat brain homogenate showing that 4g is more active (IC50=3.01 microM) than the flavone quercetin (natural antioxidant, IC50=4.11 microM) on inhibition of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The TBARS activity (IC50) correlates with the ortho-aminophenol substitutions and a linear combination among sigma Hammett, one bond tin coupling constants and tin chemical shifts against the measured IC(50-TBARS) was found. This correlation gave basis that the implied molecular variables can become trackers for the calculation of TBARS inhibitory concentrations in similar systems. Moreover, there seemed to be an inverse structure-response behavior among activities, since the 4g derivative is the less active compound for cytotoxic assays meanwhile it is the best in antioxidant tests.

Potent anticancer activities of novel aminophenol analogues against various cancer cell lines

Novel aminophenol analogues were synthesized based on the structure of fenretinide (N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide, 5), which is a potent anticancer agent. Our findings showed that the anticancer activities of 5 were due to the side chain attached to the aminophenol moiety. A p-octylaminophenol (p-OAP) provided the most potent anticancer activity among p-alkylaminophenols examined. In this study, we investigated anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines by the new aminophenols, p-dodecylaminophenol (1), p-decylaminophenol (2), N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)dodecananamide (3), and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)decananamide (4), which exhibits a side chain as long as 5. Cell growth of breast cancer (MCF-7, MCF-7/Adr(R)), prostate cancer (DU-145), and leukemia (HL60) cells was suppressed by 1 and 2 in a fashion dependent on the length of the alkyl chain attached to the aminophenol. In contrast, 3 and 4 were extremely weak. Compound 5 was less potent than 1. Cell growth of liver cancer (HepG2) was not markedly affected by these compounds. In addition, apoptosis of HL60 cells was induced by 1 and 2 in a chain length-dependent manner, but not by 3 and 4. Incorporation of compounds into HL60 cells was in the order 1>2=3>4. These results indicated that anticancer activities for 1 and 2 are correlated with their incorporation into cancer cells and their capability to induce apoptosis, but not for 3 and 4. Compound 1, a potent anticancer agent with potency strikingly greater than 5, may potentially be useful in clinic.

Catalytic properties of carboxylic acid functionalized-polymer microsphere-stabilized gold metallic colloids

Polymer-microsphere-stabilized gold metallic colloids have been prepared by a novel strategy of simple and convenient reduction of the metallic salt through the stabilization of the active carboxylic acid group on the gel and surface layer of the microsphere. The nature of the interaction between the carboxylic acid and Au nanoparticles was studied in detail by XPS. Preliminary results indicate that polymer-microsphere-stabilized gold colloids are active catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with sodium borohydride as reductant. The catalytic properties of the stabilized catalyst for recycling were also investigated.

Identification of the Syk kinase inhibitor R112 by a human mast cell screen

BACKGROUND

Activation of the IgE receptor, FcvarepsilonRI, in mast cells is the key mechanism initiating and propagating pathophysiological responses in allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE

Identify and characterize a small molecule inhibitor of IgE-dependent mast cell activation for the treatment of allergic diseases.

METHODS

A cell-based high-throughput screen for small molecules that block IgE signaling was performed in cultured human mast cells. A potent inhibitor, referred to as R112, was selected and characterized by using biochemical and cell-based assays. R112 effects on IgE-dependent degranulation and cytokine production was measured in mast cells and basophils and compared with other mast cell inhibitors.

RESULTS

R112 inhibited degranulation induced by anti-IgE cross-linking in mast cells (tryptase release, effective concentration for 50% inhibition [EC(50)] = 353 nmol/L) or basophils (histamine release, EC(50) = 280 nmol/L), and by allergen (dust mite) in basophils (histamine release, EC(50) = 490 nmol/L). R112 also blocked leukotriene C4 production and all proinflammatory cytokines tested. Subsequent molecular characterization indicated that R112 is an ATP-competitive spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitor (inhibitory constant [K(i)] = 96 nmol/L). Its onset of action was immediate, and the inhibition was reversible. Incubation of mast cells with R112 showed that cytokine production in mast cells was dependent on sustained activation of the FcvarepsilonRI-Lyn-spleen tyrosine kinase pathway. Unlike other mast cell inhibitors, R112 was able to completely inhibit all three IgE-induced mast cell functions: degranulation, lipid mediator production, and cytokine production.

CONCLUSION

R112 potently, completely, and rapidly abrogated all mast cell activation cascades triggered by IgE receptor cross-linking.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

R112 and its analogues offer a new modality in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Design of a small-molecule entry inhibitor with activity against primary measles virus strains

The incidence of measles virus (MV) infection has been significantly reduced in many nations through extensive vaccination; however, the virus still causes significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Measles outbreaks also occur in some developed countries that have failed to maintain high vaccine coverage rates. While vaccination is essential in preventing the spread of measles, case management would greatly benefit from the use of therapeutic agents to lower morbidity. Thus, the development of new therapeutic strategies is desirable. We previously reported the generation of a panel of small-molecule MV entry inhibitors. Here we show that our initial lead compound, although providing proof of concept for our approach, has a short half-life (<16 h) under physiological conditions. In order to combine potent antiviral activity with increased compound stability, a targeted library of candidate molecules designed on the structural basis of the first lead has been synthesized and tested against MV. We have identified an improved lead with low toxicity and high stability (half-life >> 16 h) that prevents viral entry and hence infection. This compound shows high MV specificity and strong activity (50% inhibitory concentration = 0.6 to 3.0 microM, depending on the MV genotype) against a panel of wild-type MV strains representative of viruses that are currently endemic in the field.

N-[(R)-1-(2-Hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)ethyl]-N-[(R)-1-(2-methoxy-5-methylphenyl)-2-phenylethyl]aminium chloride

The title compound, C25H30NO2+.Cl-, has been synthesized, and the crystal structure shows that it is mainly stabilized through intermolecular N-H...Cl and O-H...Cl and intramolecular N-H...O hydrogen bonds. The absolute configuration of the new stereogenic center (the C atom adjacent to the N atom on the phenol side) was determined to have an R configuration.

Continuous synthesis of aminophenols from nitroaromatic compounds by combination of metal and biocatalyst

The combined action of immobilized hydroxylaminobenzene mutase and zinc in a flow-through system catalyzes the conversion of nitroaromatic compounds to the corresponding ortho-aminophenols, including a novel analog of chloramphenicol.

Reversible and irreversible inhibitory activity of succinic and maleic acid derivatives on acetylcholinesterase

Aryl succinic and maleic acid derivatives are potent inhibitors of bovine acetylcholinesterase in vitro. Succinic acid aminophenol derivatives 1b-e and 2b-d act as reversible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, while maleic acid aminophenol derivatives 3b-d and 4c-e act as choline subsite-directed irreversible inhibitors, detected by dialysis in the presence of edrophonium. Linear relationships between the logarithm of the velocity of hydrolysis of acetylcholine plotted against the time of incubation at several different inhibitor concentrations were determined. The K(i) for reversible competitive inhibitors was determined. For irreversible inhibitors the K(i) for the dissociation constant of the enzyme-inhibitor complex at the beginning of the recognition process was also determined as well as the inactivation constant of the enzyme-inhibitor adduct formation k(+2) and the bimolecular inhibition constant k(i) for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by aminophenol derivatives 3b-d and 4c-e. The conclusions of this study can be summarized as follows for both families: (a) the aromatic moiety played a critical role in the recognition of the active site; (b) in case of the reversible inhibitor, when the ester function took the place of the hydroxyl fragment, there was an important increase in the affinity; and (c) the distance between phenolic hydroxyl and nitrogen was critical because the inhibition is ortho<<meta<para.

Array-based structure and gene expression relationship study of antitumor sulfonamides including N-[2-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)amino]-3-pyridinyl]-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide and N-(3-chloro-7-indolyl)-1,4-benzenedisulfonamide

Compounds from sulfonamide-focused libraries have been evaluated in cell-based antitumor screens using the COMPARE analysis with a panel of 39 human cancer cell lines and flow cytometric cell cycle analysis. Thus far, 2 (N-[2-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)amino]-3-pyridinyl]-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide (E7010)) and 3 (N-(3-chloro-7-indolyl)-1,4-benzenedisulfonamide (E7070)) have been selected from the collections as potent cell cycle inhibitors, which have progressed to clinical trials. Compound 2 is an orally active antimitotic agent disrupting tubulin polymerization, whereas compound 3 belongs to a novel class of antiproliferative agents causing a decrease in the S phase fraction along with G1 and/or G2 accumulation in various cancer cell lines. Because both compounds exhibited preliminary clinical activities in the phase I setting, we decided to examine further this series of oncolytic small molecules, particularly by using high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis. The array data have enabled us to characterize these two classes of antitumor sulfonamides on the basis of gene expression changes, illuminating the essential pharmacophore structure and drug-sensitive cellular pathways for each class. Moreover, the dual character of 5 (N-(3-chloro-7-indolyl)-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide (ER-67880)), resembling both 2 and 3, was revealed by array-based transcription profiling, though the 3-type profile of this molecule had not been apparent in the cell-based phenotypic screens. These results provide an example of the utility of structure and gene expression relationship studies in medicinal genomics.

Design and synthesis of aminophenol-based factor Xa inhibitors

A novel potent and selective aminophenol scaffold for fXa inhibitors was developed from a previously reported benzimidazole-based naphthylamidine template. The aminophenol template is more synthetically accessible than the benzimidazole template, which simplified the introduction of carboxylic acid groups. Substitution of a propenyl-para-hydroxy-benzamidine group on the aminophenol template produced selective, sub-nanomolar fXa inhibitors. The potency of the inhibitors is partially explained with the aid of a trypsin complex crystal structure.

Pyrolysis of p-benzosemiquinone

In contrast to the thermolysis of p-benzoquinone, which does not decompose until the temperature is over 800 degrees C, and then primarily yields vinylacetylene, the corresponding anion radical, precipitated from liquid ammonia [Na(+)(NH(3))C(6)H(4)O(2)(*-)], decomposes at 380 degrees C and fragments primarily into phenol, hydroquinone, ammonia, methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and minor amounts of other simple compounds. When the benzoquinone is replaced with perdeuteriobenzoquinone, deuterium and hydrogen are randomly scrambled into the products, and both ND(3) and CH(4) are formed. When the hot pyrolysis container is completely sealed, preventing the escape of volatile materials, p-aminophenol, as opposed to phenol, is the major liquid product.

An approach to metal-assisted DNA base pairing: novel beta-C-nucleosides with a 2-aminophenol or a catechol as the nucleobase

The metal-chelating beta-C-nucleoside having a phenylenediamine moiety as the nucleobase was previously found to form a stable 2:1 complex with a Pd(2+) ion in aqueous media, where hydrogen bonding is replaced by metal coordination in the base pairing, thereby creating a novel hybridization motif in duplex DNA. In this regard, we have further designed two types of artificial beta-C-nucleosides possessing a metal-chelating site (a 2-aminophenol or a catechol) as the nucleobase moiety. These artificial nucleosides are directed toward controlling the net charges of the metal-assisted base pairs. This paper describes convenient syntheses of the artificial nucleosides bearing a 2-aminophenol or a catechol moiety. Each nucleoside was directly synthesized through 2'-deoxy derivative via a Friedel-Crafts coupling reaction as the key step between the aromatic ring and ribose moiety, whereas the nucleoside having a phenylenediamine moiety was prepared in rather longer steps through an RNA type intermediate followed by the removal of 2'-hydroxyl group.

Synthesis of novel orthoalkylaminophenol derivatives as potent neuroprotective agents in vitro

A series of orthoalkylaminophenol derivatives was synthesized and tested in vitro with respect to their neuroprotective effect. Some of these compounds exhibited a potent antioxidant activity close to that of standard alpha-tocopherol.

Fluorinated o-aminophenol derivatives for measurement of intracellular pH

The simple 2-aminophenol group which serves as a building block for many cationic indicators has been modified to yield a series of pH sensitive probes. This approach is based on the replacement of one of the N-acetate groups of the chelator APTRA (o-aminophenol N,N,O-triacetate) by an N-ethyl group. The resulting series of (N-ethylamino)phenol (NEAP) compounds exhibit pK values in the physiological range and negligible affinity for physiological levels of other ions. Three fluorinated analogs have been prepared: N-ethyl-5-fluoro-2-aminophenol N,O-diacetate (5F NEAP), N-ethyl-2-((2-fluoro-4-carboxybenzyl)oxy)-4-fluoroaniline-N- acetic acid (5F NEAP-2), and 1-(2-(N-ethylamino)-5-fluorophenoxy)-2-(2-fluoro-4- aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (5F NEAP-3). These derivatives exhibit total titration shifts of approximately 11 ppm. NEAP-2 and NEAP-3 contain an additional fluorine to serve as an internal chemical shift reference, and NEAP-3, the most highly charged analog prepared, was designed in order to minimize leakage.

[An industrial toxicological study on workers who synthesize aminophenol and anisidine from chloronitrobenzene]

Aromatic nitro- and amino-compounds (ANA) are notorious methemoglobin forming substances. From 1987 to 1993, the author surveyed the exposure level to ANA and health status of workers in a chemical industry where they synthetize nitrophenol and anisidine from chloro-nitrobenzene. The ANA exposure indicator was the diazo-reaction positive substance in the worker's urine (Dz) and the biological effect of ANA was monitored through the methemoglobin concentration in the blood (MHb). The following results were obtained from the survey. 1. Both the Dz and MHb values tended to become lower between 1987 and 1993. 2. The MHb levels of the workers were a little higher than the control levels, and the difference between the values was statistically significant (p < 0.01); both levels were, however, within the normal range. 3. The MHb value was estimable from a mathematical model: MHb = (k1-k2/a) x DU x CH, where k1 and k2 were constants and a, DU and CH indicated the activity of glutathione S transferase in erythrocytes (GST), DZ in urine and blood hemoglobin concentration, respectively. The correlation coefficient of the multiple regression was statistically significant (R2 = 0.263, p < 0.01). This model suggests that the biotransformed fraction of ANA in the pulmonary uptake site, the lung, could not penetrate into erythrocytes or act as an MHb former. The model seemed to be consistent and valid when urinary DZ values were less than 1.0 (mg/mg creatinine) and MHb values were less than 2.0 (mg/ml blood). Thus, the upper limit of normal levels for MHb can be considered to be 2.0 (mg/ml blood), or 12-1.6% of total hemoglobin in blood. 4. The significance of the uptake sites, i.e., lung, skin etc., was discussed with reference to the evidence obtained from the longshoremen cases, who were percutaneously exposed to chloronitrobenzene in 1984. 5. Hemolysate solutions from the blood of workers were applied to isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF), and Hb species of different valencies were separated; intermediate MHbs, where the heme iron in one of the components of Hb, i.e., in the alpha or beta chain was oxidized and MHb where both the alpha and beta chain heme iron oxidized and Hb X and Y, were separated and easily discernible. The correlation matrix was calculated using the data relevant to IEF and other indicators; MHb estimated spectrophotometrically, GST activity of erythrocytes, Hb and urinary DZ vale. The statistical procedure of principal component analysis was applied to the matrix, and two major principal components were extracted from the calculation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

4-acylaminophenol derivatives as novel lipoxygenase inhibitors: synthesis and inhibitory effect on 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene B4 production

Structure-activity relationships in the inhibitory effects of 4-acylaminophenol derivatives on the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) from RBL-1 cells and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production by guinea pig neutrophils were studied. When the N-acyl group was n-octanoyl or 2-thiophenecarbonyl and the size of the two ortho substituents of phenol was varied, the substituents bulkier than isopropyl, i.e., 2,6-di-tert-butyl and 2,6-dicyclohexyl, substantially weakened the inhibitory activity in both enzymatic and cellular systems. Among the 2,6-dimethyl derivatives with an acyl group of various carbon-chain lengths (C1-13), those with a n-alkyl chain of C5 to C12 showed similarly potent inhibitory activities toward 5-LOX with an IC50 ranging from 0.27 to 0.66 microM; in contrast, maximal inhibitory activities toward LTB4 production were observed in a narrower range of the serial compounds: i.e., those with a n-hexyl, n-heptyl, or n-octyl chain on the carbonyl carbon formed by far the most inhibitory group of the series and the inhibitory activity sharply decreased on either side of the chain length. Nearly all the active compounds also inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX), but the IC50 values for COX inhibition were more than ten times higher than the corresponding IC50 values for 5-LOX inhibition in most cases, indicating that the acylaminophenols are relatively selective 5-LOX inhibitors.

Synthesis and topical antiinflammatory and antiallergic activities of antioxidant o-aminophenol derivatives

In order to develop novel compounds for topical use possessing antiallergic as well as antiinflammatory activities, a series of o-aminophenol derivatives bearing H1-antihistaminic structures were synthesized and their effects were investigated on lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates, antiinflammatory effection arachidonic acid- and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate-induced mouse ear edema and antiallergic effect on 48-h homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats. Furthermore, the effects of these compounds on delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in mice were examined. Several N-monosubstituted amino-4-methylphenols were found to exert potent inhibitory activities in all of these assays. Of these compounds, 4m was chosen for further development as AD0261.

Synthesis and cytotoxic properties of new N-substituted 4-aminophenol derivatives with a potential as antimelanoma agents

New tyrosinase-targeted compounds based on structural variants of the prototype unit 4-aminophenol have been synthesized and screened for their potential as antitumour agents against malignant melanoma. Cytotoxicity assays showed that N-4-hydroxyphenylglycine (NHPG) and its alpha-methyl derivatives methylphenylglycine and dimethylphenylglycine exhibit significant antiproliferative effects on pigmented human melanoma cell lines (HBL), with inhibitory concentrations at 50% (IC50) around 80 micrograms/ml. A marked increase in cytotoxicity was observed with morpholine-containing 4-aminophenols, e.g. N-(2-morpholinoethyl)-4-aminophenol, which showed an IC50 of 20 micrograms/ml of HBL cells. Much more pronounced was the effect of the diacetoxy-derivative, DiAcMoAc, which showed an IC50 of 15 micrograms/ml on HBL cells and as low as 2 micrograms/ml on tyrosinase-containing, non-pigmented human melanoma cells (LND1), with a toxicity response of the same order of magnitude as that of melphalan. These results open interesting perspectives in the design of new targeted pro-drugs against malignant melanoma.

Activation and detoxication of aminophenols. II. Synthesis and structural elucidation of various thiol addition products of 1,4-benzoquinoneimine and N-acetyl-1,4-benzoquinoneimine

1. Nine thioethers of 4-aminophenol with beta-hydroxyethylmercaptan, ranging from mono- to tetra-substituted thioadducts, were prepared from synthetic 1,4-benzoquinoneimine and characterized by 1H-n.m.r. and u.v. spectroscopy. For each compound, extinction coefficients and pKa values of the amino group were determined. 2. Five thioethers of 4-aminophenol with glutathione (GSH) were prepared and characterized by 1H-n.m.r. and u.v. spectroscopy with their respective extinction coefficients and pKa values. Two further thioadducts were tentatively assigned by their u.v. spectroscopic properties. 3. Reaction products of 1,4-[U-14C]benzoquinoneimine and GSH were studied, indicating formation of 4-amino-2-(glutathione-S-yl)phenol, 4-amino-2,3,6-tris(glutathione-S-yl)phenol as the main products. Formation of glutathione disulphide (GSSG) was not detected. In contrast, N-acetyl-1,4-[U-14C]benzoquinoneimine was partly reduced by GSH and formed only the 2-substituted thioadduct. 4. Investigation of the product orientation in the reductive addition of GSH to 2-(glutathione-S-yl)-1,4-benzoquinoneimine and 3-(glutathione-S-yl)-1,4-benzoquinoneimine, respectively, showed that the 3-substituted derivative formed mainly the 3,5-di-substituted thioadduct, whereas the 2-substituted compound formed mainly the 2,3,6-tri-substituted thioadduct. 5. Formation of thioadducts which autoxidize markedly faster than the parent aminophenol indicates that thioether formation is not an obligatory detoxication process.

Activation and detoxication of aminophenols. III. Synthesis and structural elucidation of various glutathione addition products to 1,4-benzoquinone

1. Four thioethers of 1,4-hydroquinone with glutathione (GSH) were prepared from 1,4-benzoquinone and characterized by 1H-n.m.r. and partly by 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The structures of three additional thioethers were tentatively assigned by u.v. spectroscopy. 2. The corresponding thioethers of 1,4-benzoquinone with GSH were obtained by oxidation of the corresponding 1,4-hydroquinone thioadducts with PbO2 or potassium ferricyanide. 3. Relative redox potentials of the hydroquinone/benzoquinone thioethers were estimated by determination of their redox equilibria with benzoquinone/hydroquinone. The redox potential of the mono-substituted derivative was 30 mV lower, and that of the di-substituted derivatives 70 mV lower, than that of the unsubstituted couple, thus explaining the readiness of sequential oxidation and addition reactions of the produced thioethers. 4. By use of 1,4-[U-14C]benzoquinone the reaction products with GSH were quantified to elucidate the product orientation. As observed with 1,4-benzoquinoneimine and its thioethers, formation of GSSG was not detected at physiological pH. 5. The high susceptibility of particular thioethers of 1,4-hydroquinone towards (aut)oxidation characterizes these products as reactive intermediates rather than as definitive detoxication products.

Phenoxazinone synthase: mechanism for the formation of the phenoxazinone chromophore of actinomycin

Phenoxazinone synthase is a copper-containing oxidase that catalyzes the coupling of 2-aminophenols to form the 2-aminophenoxazinone chromophore. This reaction constitutes the final step in the biosynthesis of the potent antineoplastic agent actinomycin. The mechanism of this complex 6-electron oxidation was determined by using a variety of substituted 2-aminophenols, designed to block the reaction at intermediate stages. Thus, with 3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-aminophenol as substrate, the reaction was blocked at the o-quinone imine 17; with 5-tert-butyl-2-aminophenol (19) as substrate, the reaction was blocked at the p-quinone imine 20; and with 5-methyl-2-aminophenol (21) as substrate, the reaction was blocked at the dihydro-2-aminophenoxazinone 22. These findings suggested a mechanism in which 2-aminophenoxazinone formation proceeded via a quinone imine intermediate 4 that was trapped by a second molecule of 2-aminophenol. Oxidation of the adduct 5 to the p-quinone imine 6 was followed by a second conjugate addition and a final 2-electron oxidation to give the product, 2-aminophenoxazinone. The role of the enzyme in the catalysis of each of these steps was examined. It was found that the second conjugate addition generated a racemic center at C4a, suggesting that this reaction did not occur at the active site. A deuterium isotope effect on the cleavage of the C4-H bond of 2-aminophenol suggested that partial dissociation of an intermediate from the enzyme occurred after the first conjugate addition. It is proposed that 2-aminophenoxazinone synthesis proceeds via a sequence of three consecutive 2-electron aminophenol oxidations and that the aminophenol moiety is regenerated during the reaction sequence by facile tautomerization reactions. Thus, what initially appears to be an impressively complex mechanism may, in fact, be ingeniously simple.

The synthesis and mutagenicity of the N-formyl analog of N-hydroxyphenacetin

The synthesis and purification of N-hydroxy-N-formyl-p-phenetidine (N-OH-FP) is described. This new compound was subjected to mutagenicity testing using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and TA1538 both in the presence and absence of the post-mitochondrial fraction of rat liver homogenate. Simultaneous mutagenicity testing of the known phenacetin metabolite, N-hydroxyphenacetin (N-OH-AP), was conducted with the same tester strains. The N-formyl derived hydroxamic acid (N-OH-FP) was found to be a much stronger mutagen than N-hydroxy-phenacetin (N-OH-AP). Furthermore, N-OH-FP also behaved as a direct-acting mutagen unlike N-OH-AP. The chemical stabilities of N-OH-AP and N-OH-FP were studied in phosphate buffer in the pH range of 3-8; and both the hydroxamic acids were found to be stable to the conditions employed. The results of this study support the hypothesis that enzymatic deacylation is an activation process for the expression of mutagenicity by hydroxamic acids.