Regiospecific Photochemical Synthesis of Methylchrysenes.

Methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are suspected to be some of the toxic compounds in crude oil towards marine life and are needed as single compounds for environmental studies. 1-, 3- and 6-methylchrysene (3a,b,c) were prepared as single isomers by photochemical cyclization of the corresponding stilbenoids in the Mallory reaction using stoichiometric amounts of iodine in 82-88% yield. 2-methylchrysene (3d) was prepared by photochemical cyclization where the regioselectivity was controlled by elimination of an ortho-methoxy group under acidic oxygen free conditions in 72% yield. These conditions failed to form 4-methylchrysene from the corresponding stilbenoid. All stilbenoids were made from a common naphthyl Wittig salt and suitably substituted benzaldehydes. We have also demonstrated that methylchrysenes can be oxidized to the corresponding chrysenecarboxylic acids by KMnO4 in modest yields.

Kinase Chemodiversity from the Arctic: The Breitfussins.

In this work, we demonstrate that the indole-oxazole-pyrrole framework of the breitfussin family of natural products is a promising scaffold for kinase inhibition. Six new halogenated natural products, breitfussin C-H (3 - 8) were isolated and characterized from the Arctic, marine hydrozoan Thuiaria breitfussi. The structures of two of the new natural products were also confirmed by total synthesis. Two of the breitfussins (3 and 4) were found to selectively inhibit the survival of several cancer cell lines, with the lowest IC50 value of 340 nM measured against the drug-resistant triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-468, while leaving the majority of the tested cell lines not or significantly less affected. When tested against panels of protein kinases, 3 gave IC50 and Kd values as low as 200 and 390 nM against the PIM1 and DRAK1 kinases, respectively. The activity was confirmed to be mediated through ATP competitive binding in the ATP binding pocket of the kinases. Furthermore, evaluation of potential off-target and toxicological effects, as well as relevant in vitro ADME parameters for 3 revealed that the breitfussin scaffold holds promise for the development of selective kinase inhibitors.

Directed ortho-Metalation and Anionic ortho-Fries Rearrangement of Polycyclic Aromatic O-Carbamates: Regioselective Synthesis of Substituted Chrysenes.

A general method for the regioselective synthesis of a series of ortho-substituted chrysenyl N, N-diethyl- O-carbamates by the directed ortho-metalation (D oM) strategy is reported. The starting O-carbamates were prepared from the corresponding chrysenols, available by oxidative photochemical cyclization or directed remote metalation tactics. Chrysen-1-yl and chrysene-3-yl ring site selectivity of directed ortho-metalation (D oM) and anionic ortho-Fries rearrangement (A oF) protocols, with s-BuLi/TMEDA, followed by electrophilic quench using a selection of electrophiles, were observed, leading to new chrysenyl derivatives. 5-Chrysenyl N,N-diethyl- O-carbamate underwent instant A oF rearrangement even at -100 °C to furnish chrysenyl o-hydroxycarboxamide. Iterative D oM reactions were carried out to gain insight into the regioselectivity factors.

Atropisomerism in Tertiary Biaryl 2-Amides: A Study of Ar-CO and Ar-Ar' Rotational Barriers.

A rotational barrier study was performed on eight tertiary biaryl 2-amides using variable-temperature (VT) NMR and exchange (EXSY) spectroscopy experiments. Seven out of the eight 2-amido-2'-methylbiphenyls with additional 3- and 6-substitution patterns (1-7) were found to have approximately similar rotational barriers (ΔG⧧Tc = 56.5-67.5 kJ/mol). However, for both 3- and 6-substitution (8), the rotational barrier was found to be significantly higher (ΔG⧧ = 102.6-103.8 kJ/mol). Computational studies performed on all eight compounds gave results in good agreement with the experimental rotational barriers. A transition state in which atropisomerism occurs by a cooperative rotation of the Ar-CO and Ar-Ar' bonds depending on substituent location is proposed.

Biological effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their first metabolic products in in vivo exposed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

The monitoring of the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the aquatic environment is a worldwide activity since some of these compounds are well-established carcinogens and mutagens. Contaminants in this class are in fact regarded as priority hazardous substances for environmental pollution (Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC). In this study, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) was selected to assess in vivo effects of two PAH and their first metabolic products, namely, the corresponding trans-dihydrodiols, using biological markers. Fish were exposed for 1 wk to a single PAH (naphthalene or chrysene) and its synthetic metabolites ((1R,2R)-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-1,2-diol and (1R,2R)-1,2-dihydrochrysene-1,2-diol) by intraperitoneal injection in a continuous seawater flow system. After exposure, PAH metabolism including PAH metabolites in bile and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, oxidative stress glutathione S-transferases (GST) and catalase (CAT) activities, and genotoxicity such as DNA adducts were evaluated, as well as general health conditions including condition index (CI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), and gonadosomatic index (GSI). PAH metabolite values were low and not significantly different when measured with the fixed-wavelength fluorescence screening method, while the gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) method showed an apparent dose response in fish exposed to naphthalene. DNA adduct levels ≥0.16 × 10(-8) relative adduct level (RAL) were detected. It should be noted that 0.16 × 10(-8) RAL is considered the maximal acceptable background level for this species. The other biomarkers activities of catalase, GST, and EROD did not display a particular compound- or dose-related response. The GSI values were significantly lower in some chrysene- and in both naphthalene- and naphthalene diol-exposed groups compared to control.