J-filter: An experiment to simplify and isolate specific signals in 1 H NMR spectra of complex mixtures based on scalar coupling constants.

One-dimensional selective NMR experiments relying on a J-filter element are proposed to isolate specific signals in crowded 1 H spectral regions. The J-filter allows the edition or filtering of signals in a region of interest of the spectrum by exploiting the specific values of their 1 H-1 H coupling constants and certain parameters of protons coupled to them that appear in less congested parts of the spectrum (chemical shifts and coupling constants). The new experiments permitted the isolation of specific peaks of phytosterol components in a sample obtained from a liquid nutraceutical recommended for lowering blood cholesterol levels in regions with complete overlap in the 1 H spectrum.

HIPK2 in the physiology of nervous system and its implications in neurological disorders.

HIPK2 is an evolutionary conserved serine/threonine kinase with multifunctional roles in stress response, embryonic development and pathological conditions, such as cancer and fibrosis. The heterogeneity of its interactors and targets makes HIPK2 activity strongly dependent on the cellular context, and allows it to modulate multiple signaling pathways, ultimately regulating cell fate and proliferation. HIPK2 is highly expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and its genetic ablation causes neurological defects in mice. Moreover, HIPK2 is involved in processes, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress response and protein aggregate accumulation, and pathways, including TGF-ß and BMP signaling, that are crucial in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Here, we review the data about the role of HIPK2 in neuronal development, survival, and homeostasis, highlighting the implications in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, and pointing out HIPK2 potentiality as therapeutic target and diagnostic or prognostic marker.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Hydrindane and Hydroazulene Derivatives by Transannular Cyclization of Nine- and Ten-Membered Carbocycles.

Treatment of cis-fused bicyclic diene dicarboxylates with Li/naphthalene triggers a tandem ring-opening and transannular cyclization process that stereoselectively yields hydroazulenes and hydrindanes derivatives. Cyclononadienyl diesters, which can be isolated after the ring-opening step by judicious choice of the reaction conditions, undergo a tandem conjugate addition/intramolecular Michael addition upon treatment with chiral lithium amides to give bicyclic ß-amino esters in a process where 4 contiguous stereocenters are formed with high diastereocontrol. A concise route toward the highly enantioenriched AEF ring core of the aconitine-type alkaloids has been developed as an application of this methodology. The starting cis-fused bicyclic dicarboxylates are easily prepared in one step by reductive alkylation of diisopropyl phthalate (Na/THF, followed by the appropriate bis-electrophiles).

Bis-enolates with Extended π-Conjugation Are Powerful Nucleophiles: A Study of Their Alkylation Reactions with Very Hindered C-Electrophiles.

Bis-enolates with extended π-conjugation, prepared by alkali metal-mediated reduction of several aromatic and unsaturated diesters, can be efficiently and regioselectively alkylated with very hindered C-electrophiles, such as neopentyl, secondary and tertiary alkyl halides, and tosylates. A one-step synthesis of 4-alkyl phthalates was derived from the reductive alkylation of a phthalate diester with hindered halides followed by rearomatization with oxygen. Additionally, synthetic protocols have been developed to efficiently prepare complex fused- or spiro-bicycles from diisopropyl phthalate in just one or two steps.

C-C Bond-Forming and Bond-Breaking Processes from the Reaction of Diesters with Me3SnLi. Synthesis of Complex Bridged Polycycles and Dialkyl Aromatic Compounds.

1,2-Aromatic diesters can be transformed into strained bridged polycyclic structures by a two-step procedure consisting of an initial reductive alkylation promoted by alkaline metals, followed by a reaction of the resulting unsaturated diesters with Me3SnLi. We propose that a stanna-Brook rearrangement plays a fundamental role in the formation of the polycyclic organotin acetals obtained. These unusual compounds could be further functionalized by tin-lithium exchange followed by alkylation of the newly formed tertiary carbanion. Alternatively, dialkylated aromatic hydrocarbons have been prepared via a decarbonilation reaction promoted by Me3SnLi. 1,4-Aromatic diesters were reductively dialkylated and then transformed into norbornadienone derivatives by reaction with Me3SnLi. Several stable dibenzonorbornadienones 41 have been prepared in just two steps starting from anthracene 38. The corresponding naphthalene analogues gave 1,4-dialkylnaphthalenes. The synthetic protocols described provide access to structures that are not easily obtained through existing synthetic methodologies.

MSpin-JCoupling. A modular program for prediction of scalar couplings and fast implementation of Karplus relationships.

MSpin-JCoupling is a modular program for the prediction of scalar couplings using a large variety of Karplus relationships. The program was specially designed for small molecule analysis and can be run in graphical or command-line mode. The architecture of the program is highly modular, and new equations can be rapidly implemented, through a complete C++ programming interface, and deployed as run-time loadable plugins.

PARP inhibitors enhance replication stress and cause mitotic catastrophe in MYCN-dependent neuroblastoma.

High-risk and MYCN-amplified neuroblastomas are among the most aggressive pediatric tumors. Despite intense multimodality therapies, about 50% of these patients succumb to their disease, making the search for effective therapies an absolute priority. Due to the important functions of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases, PARP inhibitors have entered the clinical settings for cancer treatment and are being exploited in a variety of preclinical studies and clinical trials. PARP inhibitors based combination schemes have also been tested in neuroblastoma preclinical models with encouraging results. However, the expression of PARP enzymes in human neuroblastoma and the biological consequences of their inhibition remained largely unexplored. Here, we show that high PARP1 and PARP2 expression is significantly associated with high-risk neuroblastoma cases and poor survival, highlighting its previously unrecognized prognostic value for human neuroblastoma. In vitro, PARP1 and 2 are abundant in MYCN amplified and MYCN-overexpressing cells. In this context, PARP inhibitors with high 'PARP trapping' potency, such as olaparib or talazoparib, yield DNA damage and cell death preceded by intense signs of replication stress. Notwithstanding the activation of a CHK1-CDC25A replication stress response, PARP-inhibited MYCN amplified and overexpressing cells fail to sustain a prolonged checkpoint and progress through mitosis in the presence of damaged DNA, eventually undergoing mitotic catastrophe. CHK1-targeted inhibition of the replication stress checkpoint exacerbated this phenotype. These data highlight a novel route for cell death induction by PARP inhibitors and support their introduction, together with CHK1 inhibitors, in therapeutic approaches for neuroblastomas with high MYC(N) activity.

The Two Alternative Rate-Determining Steps in Benzylic Lithiation Reactions of Esters and Carbamates.

Lithiation reactions of tertiary benzylic esters and carbamates have been studied. Kinetic methodology revealed that a two-step reaction pathway should be considered for these reactions, where either the lithium precomplexation and/or the proton transfer steps can be rate determining. Kinetic isotopic effects were evaluated by comparison of the lithiations of the corresponding protio/deutero substrates, and the results obtained support the notion that lithium precomplexation is taking place on the reaction pathway and that it is the rate-determining step in this transformation.

The MRN complex is transcriptionally regulated by MYCN during neural cell proliferation to control replication stress.

The MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 (MRN) complex is a major sensor of DNA double strand breaks, whose role in controlling faithful DNA replication and preventing replication stress is also emerging. Inactivation of the MRN complex invariably leads to developmental and/or degenerative neuronal defects, the pathogenesis of which still remains poorly understood. In particular, NBS1 gene mutations are associated with microcephaly and strongly impaired cerebellar development, both in humans and in the mouse model. These phenotypes strikingly overlap those induced by inactivation of MYCN, an essential promoter of the expansion of neuronal stem and progenitor cells, suggesting that MYCN and the MRN complex might be connected on a unique pathway essential for the safe expansion of neuronal cells. Here, we show that MYCN transcriptionally controls the expression of each component of the MRN complex. By genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the MRN complex in a MYCN overexpression model and in the more physiological context of the Hedgehog-dependent expansion of primary cerebellar granule progenitor cells, we also show that the MRN complex is required for MYCN-dependent proliferation. Indeed, its inhibition resulted in DNA damage, activation of a DNA damage response, and cell death in a MYCN- and replication-dependent manner. Our data indicate the MRN complex is essential to restrain MYCN-induced replication stress during neural cell proliferation and support the hypothesis that replication-born DNA damage is responsible for the neuronal defects associated with MRN dysfunctions.

A two-step, stereoselective synthesis of nine- and ten-membered carbocycles from phthalates.

A two-step, stereoselective procedure for the synthesis of nine- and ten-membered carbocycles from readily available phthalates is described. A variety of dialkyl phthalates have been transformed into [6,n]-fused bicyclo systems (n = 5, 6, 7) by a dearomatization/cyclization process and then converted into cyclonona- and cyclodecadienes through a bond cleavage reaction, whereby both processes are promoted by alkaline metals in THF.

Computer-aided structure-based design of multitarget leads for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative pathology with unmet clinical needs. A highly desirable approach to this syndrome would be to find a single lead that could bind to some or all of the selected biomolecules that participate in the amyloid cascade, the most accepted route for Alzheimer disease genesis. In order to circumvent the challenge posed by the sizable differences in the binding sites of the molecular targets, we propose a computer-assisted protocol based on a pharmacophore and a set of required interactions with the targets that allows for the automated screening of candidates. We used a combination of docking and molecular dynamics protocols in order to discard nonbinders, optimize the best candidates, and provide a rationale for their potential as inhibitors. To provide a proof of concept, we proceeded to screen the literature and databases, a task that allowed us to identify a set of carbazole-containing compounds that initially showed affinity only for the cholinergic targets in our experimental assays. Two cycles of design based on our protocol led to a new set of analogues that were synthesized and assayed. The assay results revealed that the designed inhibitors had improved affinities for BACE-1 by more than 3 orders of magnitude and also displayed amyloid aggregation inhibition and affinity for AChE and BuChE, a result that led us to a group of multitarget amyloid cascade inhibitors that also could have a positive effect at the cholinergic level.

Host-guest chemistry of a water-soluble pillar[5]arene: evidence for an ionic-exchange recognition process and different complexation modes.

The complexation of an anionic guest by a cationic water-soluble pillararene is reported. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), (1)H NMR, (1)H and (19)F DOSY, and STD NMR experiments were performed to characterize the complex formed under aqueous neutral conditions. The results of ITC and (1)H NMR analyses showed the inclusion of the guest inside the cavity of the pillar[5]arene, with the binding constant and thermodynamic parameters influenced by the counter ion of the macrocycle. NMR diffusion experiments showed that although a fraction of the counter ions are expelled from the host cavity by exchange with the guest, a complex with both counter ions and the guest inside the pillararene is formed. The results also showed that at higher concentrations of guest in solution, in addition to the inclusion of one guest molecule in the cavity, the pillararene can also form an external complex with a second guest molecule.

A one-step, versatile synthesis of dibenzo [n.2.2] macrobicyclic compounds via a conformation-directed macrocyclization reaction.

A series of dibenzo [n.2.2] bicyclic compounds (n = 2-20) were prepared in one step and good yields starting from dimethyl anthracene-9,10-dicarboxylate. Reduction of the aromatic diester using lithium/naphthalene led to a bis-enolate that was cyclized with a variety of bis-electrophiles. The ease of the cyclization is probably due to the puckered conformation of the intermediate formed after the first alkylation step, in which the newly introduced chain that will become the bridge portion occupies a pseudoaxial position, positioning the leaving group close to the enolate nucleophile in the macrocyclization step.

Mechanism of the deprotonation reaction of alkyl benzyl ethers with n-butyllithium.

Kinetic study of the α-lithiation of benzyl methyl ether (BME) by nBuLi has revealed that increasing the concentration of the organolithium compound does not necessarily increase the reactivity, and this is a consequence of the reactivities of the different nBuLi aggregates present in solution. We propose a dimer-based mechanism, in which a pre-complexation step is a key process for substrates bearing a donor oxygen atom that can interact with the lithium cation to form mixed dimers. For these studies, we have developed a system based on UV/Vis spectroscopy that allows kinetic measurements to be conducted at -80 °C under argon.

Determination of the effect of cation-pi interactions on the stability of alpha-oxy-organolithium compounds.

Sn-Li exchange equilibria have allowed the quantification of the stabilizing effect of cation-pi interactions in organolithium chemistry. Stabilization energy data on the effect of Li-pi complexation of an aromatic ring or a CC double bond in organolithium compounds are presented. The amount of stabilization gained by complexation of the Li atom with a pi system in alpha-oxy-organolithium compounds is quite comparable to the one observed in systems containing Li-N or Li-O interactions.

Design, synthesis, evaluation, and crystallographic-based structural studies of HIV-1 protease inhibitors with reduced response to the V82A mutation.

In our quest for HIV-1 protease inhibitors that are not affected by the V82A resistance mutation, we have synthesized and tested a second generation set of C2-symmetric HIV-1 protease inhibitors that contain a cyclohexane group at P1 and/or P1'. The binding affinity results indicate that these compounds have an improved response to the appearance of the V82A mutation than the parent compound. The X-ray structure of one of these compounds with the V82A HIV-1 PR variant provides the structural rationale for the better resistance profile of these compounds. Moreover, scrutiny of the X-ray structure suggests that the ring of the Cha side chain might be in a boat rather than in the chair conformation, a result supported by molecular dynamics simulations.

New insights in cyclodextrin: surfactant mixed systems from the use of neutral and anionic cyclodextrin derivatives.

The kinetics of the hydrolysis of 4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl chloride (MBSC) have been studied in mixed systems made up of surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTABr), and cyclodextrin, beta-CD or SBE-beta-CD(Captisol). The use of SBE-beta-CD instead of beta-CD allowed us to indicate certain characteristics of the mixed cyclodextrin-surfactant system: (a) The percentage of uncomplexed cyclodextrin is higher for SBE-beta-CD than for beta-CD when we use SDS, but the opposite effect was observed when we use TTABr. This behavior can be explained by taking into account the increase in salinity when we add SBE-beta-CD, and the electrostatic forces between the SBE-beta-CD and the surfactant that have influence on the complexation. (b) The presence or even the charge of cyclodextrin has no effect on the properties of surfactant micelles once they have been formed; in particular, it does not alter K(s)(m) or k(m), parameters very sensitive to the micellar system structure. Therefore, we can conclude that for surfactants concentrations lower than the micellization point, the charge of cyclodextrin modifies the cyclodextrin-surfactant interactions but once the micelles have been formed there is no interaction between them and the cyclodextrins.

Quantitative data on the effects of alkyl substituents and Li-O and Li-N chelation on the stability of secondary alpha-oxy-organolithium compounds.

A DeltaG(eq) stability scale of secondary alpha-oxy-organolithium compounds was established from measurements of tin-lithium exchange equilibria in THF, and the quantitative effects of substituents at the anionic center on carbanion stability are presented. A new lead-lithium exchange equilibrium reaction was also investigated and shown to be a very useful alternative for the determination of the relative stability of the more sterically hindered organolithium compounds. Alkyl groups adversely affect the stability of organolithium compounds when attached to the carbon bearing the negative charge, but the extent of this effect is highly dependent on the nature of the rest of the substituents attached to the anionic center. Quantitative data on the stabilization imparted to organolithium compounds by Li-O and Li-N chelation have been determined for a variety of systems. The formation of four- and five-membered chelate rings leads to a considerable stabilization of the organolithium compound, while chelation through the formation of six-membered rings affords no extra stabilization to this type of organometallics. Multinuclear NMR experiments carried out on several alpha-oxy-organolithium compounds to determine their aggregation state are supportive of these species being monomers in THF solution.

Dearomatization-bis-alkylation of aromatic and heteroaromatic diesters promoted by Me3SnLi via a stanna-Brook rearrangement.

Reaction of Me3SnLi with aromatic and heteroaromatic diesters proceeds through a fast stanna-Brook rearrangement that generates an stable bis-enolate which can be regioselectively alkylated and cyclized, in one step, to bicyclic compounds containing 6,5-, 6,6-, and 6,7-fused ring systems.

Wavelet-based ultra-high compression of multidimensional NMR data sets.

The application of a lossy data compression algorithm based on wavelet transform to 2D NMR spectra is presented. We show that this algorithm affords rapid and extreme compression ratios (e.g., 800:1), providing high quality reconstructed 2D spectra. The algorithm was evaluated to ensure that qualitative and quantitative information are retained in the compressed NMR spectra. Whilst the maximum compression ratio that can be achieved depends on the number of signals and on the difference between the most and the least intense peaks (dynamic range), a compression ratio of 80:1 is affordable even for the challenging case of homonuclear 2D experiments of large biomolecules.