Fluorine-containing 6,7-dialkoxybiaryl-based inhibitors for phosphodiesterase 10 A: synthesis and in vitro evaluation of inhibitory potency, selectivity, and metabolism

C-H Fluoromethoxylation of Arenes by Photoredox Catalysis

Redox-active N-(fluoromethoxy)benzotriazoles were made accessible from fluoroacetic acid and hydroxybenzotriazoles via electrodecarboxylative coupling. After alkylation, they become effective monofluoromethoxylation reagents, enabling the photocatalytic C-H functionalization of arenes. Thus, irradiation of 1-(OCH2 F)-3-Me-6-(CF3 )benzotriazolium triflate with blue LED light in the presence of [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ] promotes the synthesis of diversely functionalized aryl monofluoromethyl ethers. This method allows the late-stage functionalization of biologically relevant structures without relying on ecologically problematic halofluorocarbons.

Advances in Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase-Targeted PET Imaging and Drug Discovery

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) control the intracellular concentrations of cAMP and cGMP in virtually all mammalian cells. Accordingly, the PDE family regulates a myriad of physiological functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, gene expression, central nervous system function, and muscle contraction. Along this line, dysfunction of PDEs has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, coronary artery diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer development. To date, 11 PDE families have been identified; however, their distinct roles in the various pathologies are largely unexplored and subject to contemporary research efforts. Indeed, there is growing interest for the development of isoform-selective PDE inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents. Similarly, the evolving knowledge on the various PDE isoforms has channeled the identification of new PET probes, allowing isoform-selective imaging. This review highlights recent advances in PDE-targeted PET tracer development, thereby focusing on efforts to assess disease-related PDE pathophysiology and to support isoform-selective drug discovery.

2,4-Disubstituted Quinazoline Derivatives Act as Inducers of Tubulin Polymerization: Synthesis and Cytotoxicity

BACKGROUND

During last recent years number of anti-tubulin agents were introduced for treatment of diverse kind of cancer. Despite of their potential in treatment of cancer, drug resistance and adverse toxicity such as peripheral neuropathy are some of the negative criteria of anti-tubulin agents.

METHODS

Twenty seven quinazoline derivatives were synthesized using a multicomponent reaction. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1-27 was tested in SRB assays employing five different human tumor cell lines. Effect of two of active compounds on tubulin polymerization was also checked using a commercially available assay kit. Molecular modelling studies were also performed using autodock tools software.

RESULTS

SRB assays showed that compounds 2, 9, 16 and 26, being highly cytotoxic with IC50 values ranging between 2.1 and 14.3µM. The possible mode of action of compounds, 2, 9, 16 and 26, and the taxol binding site of the protein tubulin, an important goal for antimitotic drugs, was also studied by molecular docking, which showed reasonable interactions with tubulin active site, followed by investigation of the effects of compounds 9 and 16 on the polymerization of tubulin. The results showed the tested compounds to be highly active as inducers of tubulin polymerization.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, with respect to obtained results, it is attractive and beneficial to further investigation on quinazoline scaffold as antimitotic agents.

Comparison between [18F]fluorination and [18F]fluoroethylation reactions for the synthesis of the PDE10A PET radiotracer [18F]MNI-659

INTRODUCTION

2-(2-(3-(4-(2-[¹⁸F]Fluoroethoxy)phenyl)-7-methyl-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-yl)ethyl)-4-isopropoxyisoindoline-1,3-dione ([¹⁸F]MNI-659, [¹⁸F]1) is a useful PET radiotracer for imaging phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) in human brain. [¹⁸F]1 has been previously prepared by direct [¹⁸F]fluorination of a tosylate precursor 2 with [¹⁸F]F^-. The aim of this study was to determine the conditions for the [¹⁸F]fluorination reaction to obtain [¹⁸F]1 of high quality and with sufficient radioactivity for clinical use in our institute. Moreover, we synthesized [¹⁸F]1 by [¹⁸F]fluoroethylation of a phenol precursor 3 with [¹⁸F]fluoroethyl bromide ([¹⁸F]FEtBr), and the outcomes of [¹⁸F]fluorination and [¹⁸F]fluoroethylation were compared.

METHODS

We performed the automated synthesis of [¹⁸F]1 by [¹⁸F]fluorination and [¹⁸F]fluoroethylation using a multi-purpose synthesizer. We determined the amounts of tosylate precursor 2 and potassium carbonate as well as the reaction temperature for direct [¹⁸F]fluorination.

RESULTS

The efficiency of the [¹⁸F]fluorination reaction was strongly affected by the amount of 2 and potassium carbonate. Under the determined reaction conditions, [¹⁸F]1 with 0.82±0.2GBq was obtained in 13.6%±3.3% radiochemical yield (n=8, decay-corrected to EOB and based on [¹⁸F]F^-) at EOS, starting from 11.5±0.4GBq of cyclotron-produced [¹⁸F]F^-. On the other hand, the [¹⁸F]fluoroethylation of 3 with [¹⁸F]FEtBr produced [¹⁸F]1 with 1.0±0.2GBq and in 22.5±2.5 % radiochemical yields (n=7, decay-corrected to EOB and based on [¹⁸F]F^-) at EOS, starting from 7.4GBq of cyclotron-produced [¹⁸F]F^-. Clearly, [¹⁸F]fluoroethylation resulted in a higher radiochemical yield of [¹⁸F]1 than [¹⁸F]fluorination.

CONCLUSION

[¹⁸F]1 of high quality and with sufficient radioactivity was successfully radiosynthesized by two methods. [¹⁸F]1 synthesized by direct [¹⁸F]fluorination has been approved and will be provided for clinical use in our institute.

Radiosynthesis and biological evaluation of the new PDE10A radioligand [18 F]AQ28A

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) regulates the level of the second messengers cAMP and cGMP in particular in brain regions assumed to be associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. A better understanding of the pathophysiological role of the expression of PDE10A could be obtained by quantitative imaging of the enzyme by positron emission tomography (PET). Thus, in this study we developed, radiolabeled, and evaluated a new PDE10A radioligand, 8-bromo-1-(6-[¹⁸ F]fluoropyridin-3-yl)-3,4-dimethylimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxaline ([¹⁸ F]AQ28A). [¹⁸ F]AQ28A was radiolabeled by both nucleophilic bromo-to-fluoro or nitro-to-fluoro exchange using K[¹⁸ F]F-K_2.2.2 -carbonate complex with different yields. Using the superior nitro precursor, we developed an automated synthesis on a Tracerlab FX F-N module and obtained [¹⁸ F]AQ28A with high radiochemical yields (33 ± 6%) and specific activities (96-145 GBq·μmol^-1 ) for further evaluation. Initially, we investigated the binding of [¹⁸ F]AQ28A to the brain of different species by autoradiography and observed the highest density of binding sites in striatum, the brain region with the highest PDE10A expression. Subsequent dynamic PET studies in mice revealed a region-specific accumulation of [¹⁸ F]AQ28A in this region, which could be blocked by preinjection of the selective PDE10A ligand MP-10. In conclusion, the data suggest [¹⁸ F]AQ28A is a suitable candidate for imaging of PDE10A in rodent brain by PET.

Novel Radioligands for Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase Imaging with Positron Emission Tomography: An Update on Developments Since 2012

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are a class of intracellular enzymes that inactivate the secondary messenger molecules, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Thus, PDEs regulate the signaling cascades mediated by these cyclic nucleotides and affect fundamental intracellular processes. Pharmacological inhibition of PDE activity is a promising strategy for treatment of several diseases. However, the role of the different PDEs in related pathologies is not completely clarified yet. PDE-specific radioligands enable non-invasive visualization and quantification of these enzymes by positron emission tomography (PET) in vivo and provide an important translational tool for elucidation of the relationship between altered expression of PDEs and pathophysiological effects as well as (pre-)clinical evaluation of novel PDE inhibitors developed as therapeutics. Herein we present an overview of novel PDE radioligands for PET published since 2012.

Development of highly potent phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors: Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of 1,8-dipyridinyl- and 1-pyridinyl-substituted imidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines

Herein we report the synthesis of fluorinated inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) which can be used potentially as lead structure for the development of a (18)F-labeled PDE10A imaging agent for positron emission tomography. The use of ortho-fluoropyridines as residues could potentially enable the introduction of (18)F through nucleophilic substitution for radiolabeling purposes. 2-Fluoropyridines are introduced by a Suzuki coupling at different positions of the molecule. The reference compounds, 1,8-dipyridinylimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines and 1-pyridinylimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines, show inhibitory potencies at best in the subnanomolar range and selectivity factors greater than 38 against other PDE's. 1,8-Dipyridinylimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines are more potent inhibitors than 1-pyridinylimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines. Using 2-fluoro-3-pyridinyl as residue provided the most potent inhibitors 16 (IC50 = 0.12 nM), 17 (IC50 = 0.048 nM) and 32 (IC50 = 0.037 nM).