Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé multicomponent reaction in scaffold-modification of adenine, guanine, and cytosine: synthesis of aminoimidazole-condensed nucleobases

Starch mediates and cements densely magnetite-coating of talc, giving an efficient nano-catalyst for three-component synthesis of imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines

Hot-water-soluble starch (HWSS) was used as a powerful cementing material to produce nano-size conglomerates of talc and magnetite nanoparticles. Coordination of HWSS hydroxyl groups to iron atoms at surface of magnetite leads to grafting and encapsulation of its nanoparticles. The resulting nano-complex showed a higher loading capacity on talc than pristine magnetite nanoparticles. Only a minute amount of HWSS was detected in the fabricated nano-composite Talc\HWSS@Fe3O4. XPS study suggests a considerable interaction between HWSS and Fe3O4 nanoparticles, upon which some of the Fe+3 atoms on surface of Fe3O4 are reduced into Fe+2 atoms. ATR FT-IR spectra of the nano-composite revealed significant delamination of talc sheets on interaction with HWSS-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The nano-composite displayed an efficient catalytic activity in the synthesis of new imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline derivatives via Grobke-Blackburn-Bienaymé three-component reaction of 4-aminoquinazoline, arylaldehydes and isocyanide. The efficiency of the method was exemplified by synthesizing 7 new products in fairly high yields (68-83%) within short reaction times (24-30 min) using a catalytic amount of the catalyst under solvent-free condition at 120 °C. Clean and fast synthesis of the products and convenient separation of the robust nano-catalyst are the prominent advantages of the present method. The nano-catalyst was properly characterized.

Novel Organoselenium Redox Modulators with Potential Anticancer, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities

Novel organic selenides were developed in good yields (up to 91%), and their chemical entities were confirmed by IR, MS, and ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Their anticancer and antimicrobial properties were estimated against different human cancer (MCF-7 and HepG2) and healthy (WI-38) cell lines, as well as several microbial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans). Furthermore, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) bioassays were used for the estimation of the antioxidant activities. Generally, cytotoxicity results were more pronounced against the MCF-7 cells than HepG2 cells. Compound 2-((4-((1-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)diazenyl)phenyl)selanyl)-N-phenylacetamide (9) was the most cytotoxic, even more than doxorubicin, with IC₅₀ of 3.27 ± 0.2 against 4.17 ± 0.2 µM and twelve-times more selective, respectively. Interestingly, compound 9 exhibited similar antimicrobial potential to reference antibacterial and antifungal drugs and comparable antioxidant activity to vitamin C. These results point to selective cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells and interesting antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of some newly synthesized organic selenides, which in turn needs further in vitro studies.

The Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé Reaction

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine is a well-known scaffold in many marketed drugs, such as Zolpidem, Minodronic acid, Miroprofen and DS-1 and it also serves as a broadly applied pharmacophore in drug discovery. The scaffold revoked a wave of interest when Groebke, Blackburn and Bienaymé reported independently a new three component reaction resulting in compounds with the imidazo[1,2-a]-heterocycles as a core structure. During the course of two decades the Groebke Blackburn Bienaymé (GBB-3CR) reaction has emerged as a very important multicomponent reaction (MCR), resulting in over a hundred patents and a great number of publications in various fields of interest. Now two compounds derived from GBB-3CR chemistry received FDA approval. To celebrate the first 20 years of GBB-chemistry, we present an overview of the chemistry of the GBB-3CR, including an analysis of each of the three starting material classes, solvents and catalysts. Additionally, a list of patents and their applications and a more in-depth summary of the biological targets that were addressed, including structural biology analysis, is given.

Novel nucleosides as potential inhibitors of fungal lanosterol 14α-demethylase: an in vitro and in silico study

Aim: The global burden of fungal infections has transitioned from a case-specific observation to a major cause of high human mortality. Therefore, novel compounds with innovative methodologies need to be synthesized and evaluated for their antifungal potential to keep pace with the current clinical demands. Results: An efficient synthetic pathway was developed for the synthesis of 21 synthetic novel nucleosides. Two compounds had significant antifungal effect on Aspergillus fumigatus 3007, which was comparable to fluconazole. The experimental data (confocal microscopy, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and flow cytometry) demonstrated the inhibition of fungal lanosterol 14α-demethylase. Conclusion: Owing to the therapeutic relevance of the synthesized nucleosides and simplicity of the procedure, the method may find its potential application for synthesis of antifungal agents.

Scaffold-hopping and hybridization based design and building block strategic synthesis of pyridine-annulated purines: discovery of novel apoptotic anticancer agents

A set of novel pyridine annulated purines are considered as potential anticancer agents based on scaffold-hopping and hybridization of known drugs and bioactive agents.

Facile synthesis of 1H-imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazoles via a sequential one-pot synthetic approach

5-Aminopyrazole-4-carbonitrile and ethyl 5-aminopyrazole-4-carboxylate, as potential trifunctional building blocks are introduced in a facile, chemo- and regioselective multicomponent assembly of imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazoles via the Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé reaction (GBB reaction). Besides the synthetic elaboration of a green-compatible isocyanide-based access in three-component mode, we describe an operationally simple, one-pot two-step GBB protocol for the rapid construction of a 46 membered imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole library with yields up to 83%.

Desilylative activation of TMSCN in chemoselective Strecker–Ugi type reaction: functional fused imidazoles as building blocks as an entry route to annulated purines

Nucleophilic activation of TMSCN as an isocyanide equivalent by DABCO–THF in the Strecker–Ugi reaction facilitates the synthesis of functional imidazoles which, as building blocks, afford access to C8–N9 annulated purines.

CuSO4-glucose for in situ generation of controlled Cu(I)-Cu(II) bicatalysts: multicomponent reaction of heterocyclic azine and aldehyde with alkyne, and cycloisomerization toward synthesis of N-fused imidazoles

The catalytic efficiency of mixed Cu(I)-Cu(II) system in situ generated by partial reduction of CuSO(4) with glucose in ethanol (nonanhydrous) under open air has been explored. With this catalysis, the multicomponent cascade reaction of A(3)-coupling of heterocyclic amidine with aldehyde and alkyne, 5-exo-dig cycloisomerization, and prototropic shift has afforded an efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of therapeutically important versatile N-fused imidazoles. Diverse heterocyclic amidines, several of which are known to be poorly reactive, and aldehydes are compatible in this catalytic process.