Pyrazolopyrimidines as dual Akt/p70S6K inhibitors.

Activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR kinase pathway is frequently associated with human cancer. Selective inhibition of p70S6Kinase, which is the last kinase in the PI3K pathway, is not sufficient for strong tumor growth inhibition and can lead to activation of upstream proteins including Akt through relief of a negative feedback loop. Targeting multiple sites in the PI3K pathway might be beneficial for optimal activity. In this manuscript we report the design of dual Akt/p70S6K inhibitors and the evaluation of the lead compound 11b in vivo, which was eventually advanced into clinical development.

Design and evaluation of a series of pyrazolopyrimidines as p70S6K inhibitors.

The 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) is part of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and has been implicated in cancer. High throughput screening versus p70S6K led to the identification of aminopyrimidine 3a as active inhibitor. Lead optimization of 3a resulted in highly potent, selective, and orally bioavailable pyrazolopyrimidines. In this manuscript we report the structure-activity relationship of this series and pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and efficacy data of the lead compound 13c.

Dynamic devices. Shape switching and substrate binding in ion-controlled nanomechanical molecular tweezers.

As examples of supramolecular devices performing chemical (ionic, molecular) control of binding events and models of related natural systems, two molecular conformational switches are described, which display cation-controlled nanomechanical motion coupled to substrate binding and release. The substrate binding relies on donor/acceptor interactions, provided by intercalation between planar sites located at the extremities of the switching units, whereas cation complexation is responsible for conformational regulation. The terpyridine py-py-py-based receptor is activated toward substrate binding upon complexation of a zinc(II) cation and operates in a two-state process. The replacement of the central pyridine by a 4,6-disubstituted pyridimine as in py-pym-py induces a state reversal and yields a new receptor which binds a substrate in the absence of cation, and releases it when copper(I) is introduced, following a three-step process. These systems represent effector-triggered supramolecular switching devices leading toward multistate nanomechanical chemical systems. These two systems illustrate the use of simple conformational switches in the binding site and allosteric regulation of substrate affinity.

Supramolecular polymers generated from heterocomplementary monomers linked through multiple hydrogen-bonding arrays--formation, characterization, and properties.

Supramolecular polymers are described that are derived from the association of two homoditopic heterocomplementary monomers through sextuple hydrogen-bonding arrays. They form fibers and a variety of different materials depending on the conditions. The strong affinity of the DAD-DAD (D=donor, A=acceptor) hydrogen-bonding sites for double-faced cyanuric acid type wedges drives the supramolecular polymeric assembly in apolar and chlorinated organic solvents. The marked influence of stoichiometry, as well as end-capping and cross-linking agents upon fiber formation is revealed in solution and by electron microscopy (EM). The results further contribute to the development of a supramolecular polymer chemistry that comprises reversible polymers formed through recognition-controlled noncovalent connections between the molecular components. Such materials are, by nature, dynamic and present adaptive character in view of their ability to respond to external stimuli.

Substituent-Induced Perturbation Symmetries and Distortions of meso-tert-Butylporphyrins.

The out-of-plane and in-plane distortions of a series of nickel(II) meso-substituted porphyrins with 0, 1, 2, or 4 tert-butyl groups [nickel(II) porphine (NiP), nickel(II) mono-tert-butylporphyrin (NiMtBuP), nickel(II) di-tert-butylporphyrin (NiDtBuP), and nickel(II) tetra-tert-butylporphyrin (NiTtBuP)] are investigated using molecular mechanics (MM) calculations, X-ray crystallography, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and resonance Raman spectroscopy. MM calculations are used to predict the stable conformations for this series of porphyrins. The out-of-plane distortions are then analyzed in terms of displacements along the normal coordinates of the porphyrin macrocycle using a new normal-coordinate structural decomposition method. As expected, the distortions are found to occur primarily along the lowest-frequency normal coordinate of each symmetry type and the distortions could be adequately simulated using only the lowest-frequency normal coordinates as a basis (the minimal basis). However, the distortions could be simulated significantly more accurately by extending the minimal basis by including the second-lowest-frequency normal coordinate of all symmetries. Using the extended basis is most important for the in-plane distortions. Detailed analysis of the types of distortion revealed that both the out-of-plane and the in-plane distortions depend on the perturbation symmetry of the peripheral substituents. The symmetry primarily depends on the pattern of substitution (number and positions of substituents) and the orientations of substituents. Often the perturbation symmetry can be predicted for a given porphyrin simply from the possible orientations of the substituents. Then, the main type(s) of symmetric deformation occurring for each possible molecular symmetry can be readily predicted from a D(4)(h)() correlation table. The stable conformers predicted by MM for the series of tert-butyl-substituted porphyrins confirm this simple but informative approach. Experimental verification of the calculated contributions of the symmetric deformations is provided by normal-coordinate structural decomposition of the available X-ray crystal structures of NiP, NiMtBuP, and NiDtBuP. The solid-state results are also supported by the resonance Raman and UV-visible absorption spectroscopic characterization of the porphyrins in solutions. The X-ray crystal structure of NiMtBuP is reported here for the first time.

Metal-Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclizations of a,c-Biladiene Salts Bearing 1- and/or 19-Arylmethyl Substituents: Macrocyclic Products and Their Chemistry.

Several 1-mono- and 1,19-bis(p-arylmethyl)-a,c-biladiene salts were prepared and subjected to either copper(II)- or chromium(III)-assisted oxidative cyclization to yield numerous products in which the 1- or 19- substituent is adapted, eliminated, or rearranged to other points on the tetrapyrrole. For example, cyclization using copper(II) acetate of 19-((ethoxycarbonyl)methyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-19-(p-tolylmethyl)-a,c-biladiene dihydrobromide (25) yielded the copper(II) 20-((ethoxycarbonyl)methyl)-1-(p-tolylmethyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-1,20-dihydroporphyrin (42), copper(II) 20-(ethoxycarbonyl)-3-methylidene-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-2-(p-tolylmethyl)chlorin (44), copper(II) 20-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-methylidene-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-3-(p-tolylmethyl)chlorin (45), and three porphyrins: copper(II) 20-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethylporphyrin (3), copper(II) 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-20-p-tolylporphyrin (50), and copper(II) 20-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-5-(p-tolylmethyl)porphyrin (47). Formation of porphyrin 47 and the intermediate chlorins 44 and 45 suggests the stepwise migration of the arylmethyl group from the 1-position in compound 42. The isolation of products from cyclization reactions of various 1,19-arylmethyl-substituted a,c-biladiene salts provides further insight into the mechanisms of metal-assisted oxidative cyclization of a,c-biladiene salts to give cyclic tetrapyrroles. Macrocyclizations of a,c-biladienes such as 25 using chromium(III) afford good yields of the metal-free 1-substituted compounds such as 43.