Cascade and multicomponent synthesis of structurally diverse 2-(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridines and polysubstituted pyrazoles.

The cascade reaction between N-tosylhydrazones and 2-alkynylpyridines leads to 2-(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridines, important structural motifs in ligands for transition metals and bioactive molecules. When the reaction is conducted with 2,6-diethynylpyridine, the important 2,6-bis(pyrazolyl)pyridines are obtained, featuring the arrangement of tridentate and also pentadentate ligands. A novel three-component version of the reaction has been designed, which involves the use of α-bromo-N-tosylhydrazones, alkynylpyridines and NH-azoles. The generality of the multicomponent reaction is further illustrated by the preparation of different polysubstituted pyrazoles by employing an array of terminal alkynes. In these multicomponent reactions, complex molecules featuring three different heterocycles are assembled in a single step from commercial materials, enabling the fast generation of molecular diversity.

Synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-3-trifluoromethylcyclopropenes by transition-metal-free reaction of 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone tosylhydrazones with alkynes: the effect of the trifluoromethyl group.

1,3-Diaryl-3-trifluoromethylcyclopropenes and 2-aryl- or 2-alkyl-1,3-diaryl-3-trifluoromethylcyclopropenes are prepared in a very simple way by reaction between 1,1,1-trifluoroacetophenone tosylhydrazones and terminal or internal alkynes, respectively, in a base promoted process that does not require the presence of any metal catalyst. The essential role of the trifluoromethyl group, which enables the formation of the cyclopropenes instead of the expected pyrazoles, has been computationally investigated, suggesting the participation of a free carbene.

An Autocatalytic System of Photooxidation-Driven Substitution Reactions on a Fe(II)4L6 Cage Framework.

The functions of life are accomplished by systems exhibiting nonlinear kinetics: autocatalysis, in particular, is integral to the signal amplification that allows for biological information processing. Novel synthetic autocatalytic systems provide a foundation for the design of artificial chemical networks capable of carrying out complex functions. Here we report a set of Fe(II)4L6 cages containing BODIPY chromophores having tuneable photosensitizing properties. Electron-rich anilines were observed to displace electron-deficient anilines at the dynamic-covalent imine bonds of these cages. When iodoaniline residues were incorporated, heavy-atom effects led to enhanced (1)O2 production. The incorporation of (methylthio)aniline residues into a cage allowed for the design of an autocatalytic system: oxidation of the methylthio groups into sulfoxides make them electron-deficient and allows their displacement by iodoanilines, generating a better photocatalyst and accelerating the reaction.

Alternative transcripts of the SERPINA1 gene in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

BACKGROUND: SERPINA1 is the gene for alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), an acute phase protein with anti-protease and immunoregulatory activities. Mutations in SERPINA1 gene cause AAT deficiency and predispose individuals to early-onset emphysema and liver diseases. Expression of the SERPINA1 gene is regulated by different promoters and alternative splicing events among non-coding exons 1A, 1B and 1C. METHODS: We have developed three quantitative PCR (QT-PCR) assays (1A, 1B and 1C). These assays were applied for the analysis of SERPINA1 alternative transcripts in: (1) 16 human tissues and (2) peripheral blood leukocytes from 33 subjects with AAT mutations and 7 controls. RESULTS: Tissue-specific expression was found for the SERPINA1 transcripts. The 1A transcripts were mainly expressed in leukocytes and lung tissue while those detected with the 1B assay were highly restricted to leukocytes. Only 1B transcripts significantly correlated with serum AAT levels. The 1C transcripts were specifically found in lung, liver, kidney and pancreas. Furthermore, the expression of transcripts was related to AAT genotypes. While deficient variants of AAT had no pronounced effect on the transcript expression, null alleles were associated with significant reduction of different transcripts. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility to discriminate between SERPINA1 alternative splicing products will help us to understand better the regulation of SERPINA1 gene and its association with SERPINA1 mutations-related diseases.

Selective encapsulation and sequential release of guests within a self-sorting mixture of three tetrahedral cages.

A mixture of two triamines, one diamine, 2-formylpyridine and a Zn(II) salt was found to self-sort, cleanly producing a mixture of three different tetrahedral cages. Each cage bound one of three guests selectively. These guests could be released in a specific sequence following the addition of 4-methoxyaniline, which reacted with the cages, opening each in turn and releasing its guest. The system here described thus behaved in an organized way in three distinct contexts: cage formation, guest encapsulation, and guest release. Such behavior could be used in the context of a more complex system, where released guests serve as signals to other chemical actors.

Chirality-driven folding of short ß-lactam pseudopeptides.

Novel enantiopure pseudopeptide models containing a central -(ß-lactam)-(Aa)- scaffold characterized by the combined presence of an α-alkyl-α-amino-ß-lactam (i+1) residue and a α-substituted (i + 2) amino acid have been readily synthesized from α-alkyl serines. The conformational analysis of such ß-lactam pseudopeptides conducted in CDCl(3) and DMSO-d(6) solutions using 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques revealed an equilibrium between ß-II turn and γ-turn conformers, which was ultimately modulated by the relative configuration of the -(ß-lactam)-(Aa)- residues. Long-range chiral effects on the α-lactam pseudopeptide conformers were also found when two (i) and (i + 3) chiral residues were attached to the termini of a central -(ß-lactam)-(Aib)- segment. In such mimetics, heterochiral (i) and (i + 3) residues reinforced a ß-II turn conformer, whereas homochiral corner residues stabilized an overlapped ß-II/ ß-I double turn motif. No ß-hairpin nucleation was observed in any instance. In good agreement with the conformers found in solution, ß-turned and open structures were also characterized by X-ray crystallography. Relative stabilities of the different conformers were estimated computationally at a B3LYP/6-31++G** calculation level, and finally, a conformation equilibrium model based on steric inter-residual interactions around the -(ß-lactam)-(i + 2)- segment was proposed to account for the observed chiral effects.

Synthesis of beta-lactam scaffolds for ditopic peptidomimetics.

[reaction: see text] Ring opening of alpha-substituted-alpha-methoxycarbonyl-N-nosylaziridines provides a practical access to enantiopure alpha,alpha'-disubstituted beta-lactam scaffolds, novel types of ditopic reverse turn surrogates. The procedure is general, short, and high yielding and starts from handy alpha-substituted serinates and alpha-amino acid derivatives.

Synthesis of type II beta-turn surrogate dipeptides based on syn-alpha-amino-alpha,beta-dialkyl-beta-lactams.

The achiral bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl group acts as an efficient stereochemical determinant of the alpha-alkylation reaction in beta-branched alpha-phenyloxazolidinyl- or alpha-diphenyloxazolidinyl-beta-lactams and provides the first stereocontrolled access to syn-alpha-amino-alpha,beta-dialkyl(aryl)-beta-lactams. These products are readily transformed into type II beta-turn mimetic surrogates 2B. [reaction: see text]