Self-organization, quality control, and preclinical studies of human iPSC-derived retinal sheets for tissue-transplantation therapy.

Three-dimensional retinal organoids (3D-retinas) are a promising graft source for transplantation therapy. We previously developed self-organizing culture for 3D-retina generation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Here we present a quality control method and preclinical studies for tissue-sheet transplantation. Self-organizing hPSCs differentiated into both retinal and off-target tissues. Gene expression analyses identified the major off-target tissues as eye-related, cortex-like, and spinal cord-like tissues. For quality control, we developed a qPCR-based test in which each hPSC-derived neuroepithelium was dissected into two tissue-sheets: inner-central sheet for transplantation and outer-peripheral sheet for qPCR to ensure retinal tissue selection. During qPCR, tissue-sheets were stored for 3-4 days using a newly developed preservation method. In a rat tumorigenicity study, no transplant-related adverse events were observed. In retinal degeneration model rats, retinal transplants differentiated into mature photoreceptors and exhibited light responses in electrophysiology assays. These results demonstrate our rationale toward self-organizing retinal sheet transplantation therapy.

Metal-Free Synthesis of Acyl Glycosides and Application to Oligosaccharide Synthesis.

Oligosaccharides are involved in numerous biological processes. Achieving optimal anomeric selectivity and regioselectivity remains challenging. Herein, we present a method for the oxidative glycosylation of thioglycosides with hypervalent iodine reagents derived from carboxylic acid to form C-O bonds. The reaction of thioglycosides with various hypervalent iodine carboxylates afforded acyl O-glycosyl compounds. These acyl O-glycosyl compounds could react with thioglycoside acceptors to produce disaccharides; trisaccharides and tetrasaccharides could be synthesized by repeating this method.

Cyclic Hypervalent Iodine-Induced Oxidative Phenol and Aniline Couplings with Phenothiazines.

C-H/N-H bond functionalization for direct intermolecular aryl C-N couplings is a useful synthetic process. In this study, we achieved metal-free cross-dehydrogenative coupling of phenols and anilines with phenothiazines using hypervalent iodine reagents. This method affords selective amination products under mild conditions. Electron-rich phenols and anilines could be employed, affording moderate-to-high yields of N-arylphenothiazines. Aniline amination proceeded efficiently at 20 °C, a previously unreported phenomenon.

Ligand- and Counterion-Assisted Phenol O-Arylation with TMP-Iodonium(III) Acetates.

High reactivity of trimethoxyphenyl (TMP)-iodonium(III) acetate for phenol O-arylation was achieved. It was first determined that the TMP ligand and acetate anion cooperatively enhance the electrophilic reactivity toward phenol oxygen atoms. The proposed method provides access to various diaryl ethers in significantly higher yields than the previously reported techniques. Various functional groups, including aliphatic alcohol, boronic ester, and sterically hindered groups, were tolerated during O-arylation, verifying the applicability of this ligand- and counterion-assisted strategy.

µ-Oxo-Hypervalent-Iodine-Catalyzed Oxidative C-H Amination for Synthesis of Benzolactam Derivatives.

Benzolactams have unique biological activity and high utility in the synthesis of valuable compounds with direct applicability to oxindole alkaloids and antibacterial agents. Despite recent advances in organic chemistry and the growing number of reported methods for synthesizing benzolactams, their preparation still requires a multistep process. C-H amination reactions can convert aromatic C(sp2)-H bonds directly to C(sp2)-N bonds, and this direct approach to C-N bond formation offers effective access to benzolactams. Hypervalent iodine reagents are promising tools for achieving oxidative C-H amination. Motivated by our ongoing research efforts toward the development of useful hypervalent-iodine-mediated oxidative transformations, we herein describe an effective intramolecular oxidative C-H amination reaction based on µ-oxo hypervalent iodine catalysis for the synthesis of benzolactams bearing various functional groups.

[3 + 2] Coupling of Quinone Monoacetals with Vinyl Ethers Effected by Tetrabutylammonium Triflate: Regiocontrolled Synthesis of 2-Oxygenated Dihydrobenzofurans.

The synthesis of 2-oxygenated dihydrobenzofurans involving the [3 + 2] coupling of quinone monoacetals with vinyl ethers has been realized by tetrabutylammonium triflate catalysis. The reaction involves a new activation method of the acetal moiety in quinone monoacetals under acid-free conditions affording the highly oxygenated dihydrobenzofurans. This new activation mode was achieved by using the triflate anion catalyst for stabilization of the highly reactive cationic intermediate.

1-Alkoxyvinyl Ester as an Excellent Acyl Donor: Efficient Macrolactone Synthesis.

Ketene acetal derivatives, such as 1-alkoxyvinyl esters and O-silyl ketene acetals, belong to the category of O-substituted enols of esters, which easily react with various types of nucleophiles, Nu-H, under neutral conditions to give the corresponding acylated and silylated products in excellent yields only by evaporation of the generated volatile esters. Silyl ketene acetals can be easily synthesized by various simple procedures, whereas 1-alkoxyvinyl esters require an equimolar or catalytic amount of a mercury salt to synthesize them. This drawback prevented the advancement of the chemistry of 1-alkoxyvinyl esters. In 1993, we developed a useful synthetic method of 1-alkoxyvinyl esters using a small amount (0.5-1 mol %) of a ruthenium catalyst. Encouraged by this discovery, we subsequently developed various reactions and applied them to the synthesis of natural products. It is noteworthy that the stereoselective total synthesis of fredericamycin A was achieved by the combined use of these reactions. Macrocyclization was variously utilized for the synthesis of natural macrolides by two types of approaches: direct macrolactonization of α,ω-hydroxy acids or intermolecular esterification between an acid and alcohol followed by a ring-closure step. Additionally, several new reactions using 1-alkoxyvinyl esters or their analogs as key intermediates on the basis of our methods were recently reported. In this paper, we introduce our efforts from the synthesis of 1-alkoxyvinyl esters to the application such as natural product syntheses and recent advancements.

Selective carboxylation of reactive benzylic C-H bonds by a hypervalent iodine(III)/inorganic bromide oxidation system.

An oxidation system comprising phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA) and iodosobenzene with inorganic bromide, i.e., sodium bromide, in an organic solvent led to the direct introduction of carboxylic acids into benzylic C-H bonds under mild conditions. The unique radical species, generated by the homolytic cleavage of the labile I(III)-Br bond of the in situ-formed bromo-λ3-iodane, initiated benzylic carboxylation with a high degree of selectivity for the secondary benzylic position.

The Autism-Related Protein CHD8 Cooperates with C/EBPß to Regulate Adipogenesis.

The gene encoding the chromatin remodeler CHD8 is the most frequently mutated gene in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Heterozygous mutations in CHD8 give rise to ASD that is often accompanied by macrocephaly, gastrointestinal complaints, and slender habitus. Whereas most phenotypes of CHD8 haploinsufficiency likely result from delayed neurodevelopment, the mechanism underlying slender habitus has remained unknown. Here, we show that CHD8 interacts with CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ß (C/EBPß) and promotes its transactivation activity during adipocyte differentiation. Adipogenesis was impaired in Chd8-deleted preadipocytes, with the upregulation of C/EBPα and peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), two master regulators of this process, being attenuated in mutant cells. Furthermore, mice with CHD8 ablation in white preadipocytes had a markedly reduced white adipose tissue mass. Our findings reveal a mode of C/EBPß regulation by CHD8 during adipogenesis, with CHD8 deficiency resulting in a defect in the development of white adipose tissue.

Chiral Atropisomeric 8,8'-Diiodobinaphthalene for Asymmetric Dearomatizing Spirolactonizations in Hypervalent Iodine Oxidations.

A new type of binaphthyl-based chiral iodide functionalized at positions 8 and 8' of the naphthalene rings has been found as a promising structural motif for the asymmetric hypervalent iodine(III) oxidations, specifically, for the dearomatizing spirocyclization of naphthol carboxylic acids showing expectedly better enantioselectivities versus other atropisomeric biaryls, i.e., a conventionally used binaphthalene having the diiodides in the minor groove.

Atropisomeric Chiral Diiododienes (Z,Z)-2,3-Di(1-iodoalkylidene)tetralins: Synthesis, Enantiomeric Resolution, and Application in Asymmetric Catalysis.

The C2-symmetric tetralin-fused 1,4-diiodo-1,3-butadiene derivatives, (Z,Z)-2,3-di(1-iodoalkylidene)tetralin 1a-c, are atropisomeric and can be resolved into the two persistent axially chiral enantiomers by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase. The enantiomerically pure compounds can serve as chiral organocatalysts for dearomatizing spirolactonization to show good performance in up to 73% ee.

Efficient Coupling Reaction of Quinone Monoacetal with Phenols Leading to Phenol Biaryls.

A simple and efficient synthesis of phenol biaryls by the cross-couplings of quinone monoacetals (QMAs) and phenols is reported. The Brønsted acid catalytic system in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol was found to be particularly efficient for this transformation. This reaction can be extended to the synthesis of various phenol biaryls, including sterically hindered biaryls, with yields ranging from 58 to 90 % under mild reaction conditions and in a highly regiospecific manner.

Stabilized pyrrolyl iodonium salts and metal-free oxidative cross-coupling.

Pyrrole-aryl derivatives are important due to their unique biological activities in medicinal chemistry. We now report a new oxidative biaryl coupling for pyrroles and indoles toward various arenes using a hypervalent iodine reagent and an appropriate stabilizer for pyrrolyl iodonium intermediates. The reactions readily provide a variety of desired coupling products in good yields.

Glycosylation Reaction of Thioglycosides by Using Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagent as an Excellent Promoter.

Thioglycosides are available donors in glycosylation due to the stability of the anomeric C-S bond under general reaction conditions of protection and deprotection, and offer orthogonality in their activation. We report now that the hypervalent iodine effectively induced glycosylation reaction of thioglycosides with various alcohols. This method features a high efficiency, completion in a short time, and proceeding under very mild conditions.

Organo-Iodine(III)-Catalyzed Oxidative Phenol-Arene and Phenol-Phenol Cross-Coupling Reaction.

The direct oxidative coupling reaction has been an attractive tool for environmentally benign chemistry. Reported herein is that the hypervalent iodine catalyzed oxidative metal-free cross-coupling reaction of phenols can be achieved using Oxone as a terminal oxidant in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFIP). This method features a high efficiency and regioselectivity, as well as functional-group tolerance under very mild reaction conditions without using metal catalysts.

Hypervalent Iodine-Induced Oxidative Couplings (New Metal-Free Coupling Advances and Their Applications in Natural Product Syntheses).

Recently, hypervalent iodine reagents have been extensively used in organic synthesis. A variety of reactions available for natural product syntheses have been developed using phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA), phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA), and other iodine(III) and (V) reagents. These reactions are expected to have applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical processes because of their safety, mild reaction conditions, and high yields of pure products. Under such considerations, this chapter focuses on the oxidative coupling reactions of hypervalent iodine reagents found in total syntheses of biologically active natural products and their related compounds.

Phthalimide Compounds Containing a Trifluoromethylphenyl Group and Electron-Donating Aryl Groups: Color-Tuning and Enhancement of Triboluminescence.

Trifluoromethylphenyl-substituted phthalimide derivatives favorably form triboluminescence (TL) active noncentrosymmetric crystals. Oligothienyl-, oligophenyl-, and naphthyl-substituted phthalimide derivatives were successfully developed as a series of metal free TL compounds. X-ray crystal structure analyses of bithienyl and naphthyl derivatives revealed noncentrosymmetric layer structures in the same direction. Introduction of suitable electron rich π-units such as thienyl groups enhances their photoluminescence and TL characteristics, and the colors can be also controlled in the visible region. A rigid naphthyl-substituted imide derivative exhibits extremely high TL performance.

Gold-Catalyzed Benzylic Azidation of Phthalans and Isochromans and Subsequent FeCl3-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Substitutions.

The benzylic positions of the phthalan and isochroman derivatives (1) as benzene-fused cyclic ethers effectively underwent gold-catalyzed direct azidation using trimethylsilylazide (TMSN3) to give the corresponding 1-azidated products (2) possessing the N,O-acetal partial structure. The azido group of the N,O-acetal behaved as a leaving group in the presence of catalytic iron(III) chloride, and 1-aryl or allyl phthalan and isochroman derivatives were obtained by nucleophilic arylation or allylation, respectively. Meanwhile, a double nucleophilic substitution toward the 1-azidated products (2) occurred at the 1-position using indole derivatives as a nucleophile accompanied by elimination of the azido group and subsequent ring opening of the cyclic ether nucleus produced the bisindolylarylmethane derivatives.

Clean Synthesis of N-Pyrrolyl Azoles by Metal-Free Oxidative Cross-Coupling Using Recyclable Hypervalent Iodine Reagent.

The facile and clean oxidative coupling reaction of pyrroles with azoles has been achieved using the recyclable hypervalent iodine(III) reagents having adamantane structures. These iodine(III) reagents could be recovered from the reaction mixtures by a simple solid-liquid separation, i.e., filtration, for reuse.

Pioneering Metal-Free Oxidative Coupling Strategy of Aromatic Compounds Using Hypervalent Iodine Reagents.

We started our hypervalent iodine research about 30 years ago in the mid-1980s. We soon successfully developed the single-electron-transfer oxidation ability of a hypervalent iodine reagent, specifically, phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA), toward aromatic rings of phenyl ethers for forming aromatic cation radicals. This was one of the exciting and unexpected events in our research studies so far, and the discovery was reported in 1991. It also led to the next challenge, developing the metal-free oxidative couplings for C-H functionalizations and direct couplings between the C-H bonds of valuable aromatic compounds in organic synthesis. In order to realize the effective oxidative coupling, pioneering new aromatic ring activations was essential and several useful methodologies have been found for oxidizable arenes. The achievements regarding this objective obtained in our continuous research are herein summarized with classification of the aromatic ring activation strategies.