A B2(OH)4-Mediated Synthesis of 2-Substituted Indazolone and Its Application in a DNA-Encoded Library

Discovery of Triketone-Indazolones as Novel 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase Inhibiting-Based Herbicides

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) is a crucial herbicide target in current research, playing an important role in the comprehensive management of resistant weeds. However, the limited crop selectivity and less effectiveness against grass weeds of many existing HPPD inhibitors, limit their further application. To address these issues, a series of novel HPPD inhibitors with fused ring structures were designed and synthesized by introducing an electron-rich indazolone ring and combining it with the classical triketone pharmacophore structure. The cocrystal structure of representative compound III-7 complexed with Arabidopsis thaliana HPPD (AtHPPD) was obtained at 2.0 Å resolution to guide the optimization of the designed inhibitor. The optimization results showed that 5-(2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonyl)-1,4-dimethyl-2-(3-(methylthio)phenyl)-1,2-dihydro-3H-indazol-3-one, III-15, was the most active AtHPPD inhibitor, with an IC50 value of 12 nM, nearly 30 times higher efficacy than mesotrione. Greenhouse herbicidal activity tests demonstrated that compound III-15 exhibited excellent herbicidal potency at 30-120 g ai/ha. Notably, it maintained high safety for peanuts even at 120 g ai/ha. Our results showed that compound III-15 is promising as a new candidate HPPD herbicide for use in the peanut fields.

Discovery Small-Molecule p300 Inhibitors Derived from a Newly Developed Indazolone-Focused DNA-Encoded Library

The DNA-encoded library (DEL) is a robust tool for chemical biology and drug discovery. In this study, we developed a DNA-compatible light-promoted reaction that is highly efficient and plate-compatible for DEL construction based on the formation of the indazolone scaffold. Employing this high-efficiency approach, we constructed a DEL featuring an indazolone core, which enabled the identification of a novel series of ligands specifically targeting E1A-binding protein (p300) after DEL selection. Taken together, our findings underscore the feasibility of light-promoted reactions in DEL synthesis and unveil promising avenues for developing p300-targeting inhibitors.

B2(OH)4-Mediated Reductive Ring-Opening of N-Tosyl Aziridines by Nitroarenes: A Green and Regioselective Access to Vicinal Diamines

The nucleophilic ring-opening of aziridine derivatives provides an important synthetic tool for the preparation of various β-functionalized amines. Amines as nucleophiles are employed to prepare synthetically useful 1,2-diamines in the presence of various catalysts or activators. Herein, the B2(OH)4-mediated reductive ring-opening transformation of N-tosyl aziridines by nitroarenes was developed. This aqueous protocol employed nitroarenes as cheap and readily available amino sources and proceeds under external catalyst-free conditions. Control experiments and DFT calculations pointed to the in situ reduction of nitroarenes to aryl amines via N-aryl boramidic acid (E) and an SN1-type ring-opening of N-tosylaziridines by the resultant aryl amines with high regioselectivity.

An Electrochemical Oxo-amination of 2H-Indazoles: Synthesis of Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical Indazolylindazolones

We have established a supporting-electrolyte free electrochemical method for the synthesis of indazolylindazolones through oxygen reduction reaction (eORR) induced 1,3-oxo-amination of 2H-indazoles where 2H-indazole is used as both aminating agent as well as the precursor of indazolone. Moreover, we have merged indazolone and indazole to get unsymmetrical indazolylindazolones through direct electrochemical cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC). This exogenous metal-, oxidant- and catalyst-free protocol delivered a number of multi-functionalized products with high tolerance of diverse functional groups.

DNA-Compatible Cyclization Reaction to Access 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles and 1,2,4-Triazoles

DNA-encoded chemical library (DECL) technology is a commonly employed screening platform in both the pharmaceutical industry and academia. To expand the chemical space of DECLs, new and robust DNA-compatible reactions are sought after. In particular, DNA-compatible cyclization reactions are highly valued, as these reactions tend to be atom economical and thus may provide lead- and drug-like molecules. Herein, we report two new methodologies employing DNA-conjugated thiosemicarbazides as a common precursor, yielding highly substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles and 1,2,4-triazoles. These two novel DNA-compatible reactions feature a high conversion efficiency and broad substrate scope under mild conditions that do not observably degrade DNA.

Synthesis, Structural Elucidation, In Silico and In Vitro Studies of New Class of Methylenedioxyphenyl-Based Amide Derivatives as Potential Myeloperoxidase Inhibitors for Cardiovascular Protection

Novel methylenedioxyphenyl-based amides, especially N-(4-methoxybenzyl)-6-nitrobenzo-[1,3]-dioxole-5-carboxamide (MDC) and N-(3-acetylphenyl)-6-nitrobenzo-[1,3]-dioxole-5-carboxamide (ADC), potential cardiovascular preventive agents, are successfully synthesized, and their chemical structures are verified by 1H and 13C NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) analyses. Data obtained from SC-XRD reveal that MDC and ADC are both monoclinic molecules with Z = 2 and 4, respectively. From density functional theory (DFT) calculations, 3.54 and 3.96 eV are the energy gaps of the optimized MDC and ADC structures, respectively. MDC and ADC exhibit an electrophilicity index value of more than 1.5 eV, suggesting that they can act as an electrophile, facilitating bond formation with biomolecules. Hirshfeld surface analysis demonstrates that more than 25% of atomic interactions in both MDC and ADC are from H···H interactions. Based on pharmacokinetic predictions, MDC and ADC exhibit drug-like properties, and molecular docking simulations revealed favorable interactions with active site pockets. Both MDC and ADC achieved higher docking scores of -7.74 and -7.79 kcal/mol, respectively, with myeloperoxidase (MPO) protein. From docking results, MPO was found to be most favorable followed by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and α-glucosidase (α-GD). Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and in vitro enzymatic studies of MDC and ADC indicate that MDC is more selective toward MPO and more potent than ADC. The application of MDC to inhibit myeloperoxidase could be ascertained to reduce the cardiovascular risk factor. This can be supported from the results of computational docking (based on hydrogen bonding and docking score), in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and MPO enzymatic inhibition (based on the percentage of inhibition and IC50 values).

Construction of Diversified Penta-Spiro-Heterocyclic and Fused-Heterocyclic Frameworks with Potent Antitumor Activity

Multiple-spiro/fused-heterocyclic frameworks containing indazolone are structurally unique and represent a class of potentially dominant skeletons. In this work, we successfully fulfilled Rh(III)-catalyst mediated substrate- and pH- controlled strategies to construct four novel types of complicated penta-spiro/fused-heterocyclic frameworks via C-H activation/[4+1] and [4+2] annulation cascades. This method had mild reaction conditions, a broad scope of substrates, moderate to good yields, and valuable applications, which could realize for the first time the generation of the novel di-spiro-heterocyclic and multiple fused-heterocyclic products with unique structures. More importantly, novel spiro[cyclohexane-indazolo[1,2-a]indazole] scaffold constructed by this method exhibited potent antitumor activity against a variety of refractory solid tumors and hematological malignancies in vitro. Overall, our work provided new insights into the construction of complex and diverse multiple spiro/fused-heterocyclic systems and offered novel valuable lead compounds for the discovery of antitumor drugs.

Synthesis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of N(2)-Arylindazol-3(2H)-One Derivatives: Copper-Promoted Direct N-Arylation via Chan-Evans-Lam Coupling

Inflammatory-related diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent, leading to a growing focus on the development of anti-inflammatory agents, with a particular emphasis on creating novel structural compounds. In this study, we present a highly efficient synthetic method for direct N-arylation to produce a variety of N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3, which exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. The Chan-Evans-Lam (CEL) coupling of N(1)-benzyl-indazol-3-(2H)-ones 1 with arylboronic acids 2 in the presence of a copper complex provided the corresponding N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3 in good-to-excellent yields, as identified with NMR, MS, and X-ray crystallography techniques. The cell viability and anti-inflammatory effects of the synthesized compounds (3 and 5) were briefly assessed using the MTT method and Griess assay. Among them, compounds 5 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects with negligible cell toxicity.

Cu-Catalyzed Regioselective C-H Amination of 2H-Indazoles for the Synthesis of Indazole-Containing Indazol-3(2H)-ones

A copper-catalyzed C3 amination of 2H-indazoles with 2H-indazoles and indazol-3(2H)-ones under mild conditions was developed. A series of indazole-containing indazol-3(2H)-one derivatives were produced in moderate to excellent yields. The mechanistic studies suggest that the reactions probably proceed through a radical pathway.

B2(OH)4-Mediated Reductive Transamidation of N-Acyl Benzotriazoles with Nitro Compounds En Route to Aqueous Amide Synthesis

We herein developed a reductive transamidation reaction between N-acyl benzotriazoles (AcBt) and organic nitro compounds or NaNO₂ under mild conditions. This protocol employed the stable and readily available B₂(OH)₄ as the reducing agent and H₂O as the ideal solvent. N-Deuterated amides can be synthesized when conducting the reaction in D₂O. A reasonable reaction mechanism involving bond metathesis between the AcBt amide and amino boric acid intermediate was proposed to explain the unique nature of AcBt.

Emerging trends in the sustainable synthesis of N-N bond bearing organic scaffolds

N-N bond bearing organic frameworks such as azos, hydrazines, indazoles, triazoles and their structural moieties have piqued the interest of organic chemists due to the intrinsic nitrogen electronegativity. Recent methodologies with atom efficacy and a greener approach have overcome the synthetic obstacles of N-N bond construction from N-H. As a result, a wide range of amine oxidation methods have been reported early on. This review's vision emphasizes the emerging methods of N-N bond formation, particularly photo, electro, organo and transition metal free chemical methods.

Multicomponent DNA-Compatible Synthesis of an Annelated Benzodiazepine Scaffold for Focused Chemical Libraries

Annelated benzodiazepines are attractive drug-like scaffolds with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Incorporation of this heterocyclic core into DNA-encoded chemical libraries (DELs) via multicomponent assembly is highly demanded. Herein, we developed a DNA-compatible method to generate the tricyclic benzodiazepine scaffold via catalyst-free three-component condensation using a broad range of aldehyde, o-phenylenediamine, and diketone sources. With either aldehyde or o-phenylenediamine conjugated with DNA tags, functionalized 1,5-benzodiazepine scaffolds were efficiently forged, expanding the chemical space of the diazepine-centered drug-like DEL.

On-DNA Synthesis of Functionalized 4H-Pyran Scaffolds for Focused DNA-Encoded Chemical Libraries

The functionalized 4H-pyran scaffold has aroused synthetic attention because it is widely found in many interesting pharmacologically relevant compounds. We here disclose its incorporation into DNA-encoded chemical libraries, combining this scaffold with the merits of scaffold architecture in drug design. Under the optimized DNA-compatible conditions, functionalized 4H-pyrans were efficiently formed with a broad substrate scope. Among the 4H-pyrans formed, the axial structure features rotational restriction, and the spirocyclic structure provides rigidity and three-dimensionality. These efforts open the door for the construction of DNA-encoded chemical libraries with more consideration for this structural architecture.

N N ‑

The use of electricity as a traceless oxidant enables a sustainable and novel approach to N,N′-disubstituted indazolin-3-ones by an intramolecular anodic dehydrogenative N–N coupling reaction. This method is characterized by mild reaction conditions, an easy experimental setup, excellent scalability, and a high atom economy. It was used to synthesize various indazolin-3-one derivatives in yields up to 78%, applying inexpensive and sustainable electrode materials and a low supporting electrolyte concentration. Mechanistic studies, based on cyclic voltammetry experiments, revealed a biradical pathway. Furthermore, the access to single 2-aryl substituted indazolin-3-ones by cleavage of the protecting group could be demonstrated.

A novel sustainable electrochemical synthetic route to N,N′-disubstituted indazolin-3-ones by direct anodic oxidation with mild reaction conditions, a simple galvanostatic setup, broad scope and excellent scalability is established.

Development of on-DNA vinyl sulfone synthesis for DNA-encoded chemical libraries

We present the development of an efficient synthetic route to generate a DNA-compatible vinyl sulfone functional group, and the subsequent chemical transformations demonstrated the feasibility of our method in DEL construction.

Hypervalent iodine(iii)-mediated oxidative dearomatization of 2H-indazoles towards indazolyl indazolones

We accomplished a [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene mediated oxidative dearomatization of 2H-indazoles, obtaining a new family of N-1 indazolyl indazolone derivatives in good to excellent yields through C–N and C–O bond formations.

A General Set of DNA-Compatible Reactions for Preparing DNA-Tagged Multisubstituted Pyrroles

DNA-encoded library (DEL) technology provided a powerful screening platform for identifying potential bioactive small molecules with high affinity to biologically interesting targets. Essential to a successful DEL campaign are the drug-like small molecular moieties of DNA-encoded libraries with expanded chemical space. Our laboratory has been working on developing and producing novel DNA-encoded libraries that complement current reported DELs. Herein, we demonstrated a general set of DNA-compatible reactions that enable the preparation of pyrrole-based DNA-encoded libraries in which the DNA tags are linked to the N position of the pyrrole central core. Further diversification could be rapidly incorporated into the pyrrole scaffold by robust iodination and Suzuki coupling reactions.

The expanding reaction toolkit for DNA-encoded libraries

Over the past decade, DNA-encoded libraries (DELs) have emerged as a leading platform for small molecule drug discovery among pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies and academic drug hunters alike. This revolutionary technology has tremendous potential that is yet to be fully realized, as the exploration of therapeutically relevant chemical space is fueled by the ever-expanding repertoire of DNA-compatible reactions used to construct the libraries. Advances in direct coupling reactions, like photo-catalytic cross couplings, unique cyclizations such as the formation of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles, and new functional group transformations are valuable contributions to the DEL reaction toolkit, and indicate where future reaction development efforts should focus in order to maximize the productivity of DELs.

Exploring Aldol Reactions on DNA and Applications to Produce Diverse Structures: An Example of Expanding Chemical Space of DNA-Encoded Compounds by Diversity-Oriented Synthesis

A DNA-encoded chemical library (DECL) is built with combinatorial chemistry, which works by bringing chemical fragments together to generate diverse structures. However, chemical diversity of DNA-encoded chemical libraries is often limited by DNA compatible synthetic reactions. This report shows a conceptual strategy to expand chemical space of DNA-encoded chemical libraries by incorporation of diversity-oriented synthesis in DECL synthesis. We developed Aldol reactions on DNA in a combinatorial way. After obtaining DNA-tagged α, β-unsaturated ketones which represent important chemical intermediates, many distinct structures with skeletal diversities are achieved by diversity-oriented synthesis.