Activation of Hepatocyte Growth Factor/MET Signaling as a Mechanism of Acquired Resistance to a Novel YAP1/TEAD Small Molecule Inhibitor.

Many tumor types harbor alterations in the Hippo pathway, including mesothelioma, where a high percentage of cases are considered YAP1/TEAD dependent. Identification of autopalmitoylation sites in the hydrophobic palmitate pocket of TEADs, which may be necessary for YAP1 protein interactions, has enabled modern drug discovery platforms to generate compounds that allosterically inhibit YAP1/TEAD complex formation and transcriptional activity. We report the discovery and characterization of a novel YAP1/TEAD inhibitor MRK-A from an aryl ether chemical series demonstrating potent and specific inhibition of YAP1/TEAD activity. In vivo, MRK-A showed a favorable tolerability profile in mice and demonstrated pharmacokinetics suitable for twice daily oral dosing in preclinical efficacy studies. Importantly, monotherapeutic targeting of YAP1/TEAD in preclinical models generated regressions in a mesothelioma CDX model; however, rapid resistance to therapy was observed. RNA-sequencing of resistant tumors revealed mRNA expression changes correlated with the resistance state and a marked increase of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression. In vitro, exogenous HGF was able to fully rescue cytostasis induced by MRK-A in mesothelioma cell lines. In addition, co-administration of small molecule inhibitors of the MET receptor tyrosine kinase suppressed the resistance generating effect of HGF on MRK-A induced growth inhibition. In this work, we report the structure and characterization of MRK-A, demonstrating potent and specific inhibition of YAP1/TAZ-TEAD-mediated transcriptional responses, with potential implications for treating malignancies driven by altered Hippo signaling, including factors resulting in acquired drug resistance.

Mechanistic Investigation, Wavelength-Dependent Reactivity, and Expanded Reactivity of N-Aryl Azacycle Photomediated Ring Contractions.

Under mild blue-light irradiation, α-acylated saturated heterocycles undergo a photomediated one-atom ring contraction that extrudes a heteroatom from the cyclic core. However, for nitrogenous heterocycles, this powerful skeletal edit has been limited to substrates bearing electron-withdrawing substituents on nitrogen. Moreover, the mechanism and wavelength-dependent efficiency of this transformation have remained unclear. In this work, we increased the electron richness of nitrogen in saturated azacycles to improve light absorption and strengthen critical intramolecular hydrogen bonding while enabling the direct installation of the photoreactive handle. As a result, a broadly expanded substrate scope, including underexplored electron-rich substrates and previously unsuccessful heterocycles, has now been achieved. The significantly improved yields and diastereoselectivities have facilitated reaction rate, kinetic isotope effect (KIE), and quenching studies, in addition to the determination of quantum yields. Guided by these studies, we propose a revised ET/PT mechanism for the ring contraction, which is additionally corroborated by computational characterization of the lowest-energy excited states of α-acylated substrates through time-dependent DFT. The efficiency of the ring contraction at wavelengths longer than those strongly absorbed by the substrates was investigated through wavelength-dependent rate measurements, which revealed a red shift of the photochemical action plot relative to substrate absorbance. The elucidated mechanistic and photophysical details effectively rationalize empirical observations, including additive effects, that were previously poorly understood. Our findings not only demonstrate enhanced synthetic utility of the photomediated ring contraction and shed light on mechanistic details but may also offer valuable guidance for understanding wavelength-dependent reactivity for related photochemical systems.

14N to 15N Isotopic Exchange of Nitrogen Heteroaromatics through Skeletal Editing.

The selective modification of nitrogen heteroaromatics enables the development of new chemical tools and accelerates drug discovery. While methods that focus on expanding or contracting the skeletal structures of heteroaromatics are emerging, methods for the direct exchange of single core atoms remain limited. Here, we present a method for 14N → 15N isotopic exchange for several aromatic nitrogen heterocycles. This nitrogen isotope transmutation occurs through activation of the heteroaromatic substrate by triflylation of a nitrogen atom, followed by a ring-opening/ring-closure sequence mediated by 15N-aspartate to effect the isotopic exchange of the nitrogen atom. Key to the success of this transformation is the formation of an isolable 15N-succinyl intermediate, which undergoes elimination to give the isotopically labeled heterocycle. These transformations occur under mild conditions in high chemical and isotopic yields.

Translating Planar Heterocycles into Three-Dimensional Analogs by Photoinduced Hydrocarboxylation.

The rapid preparation of complex three-dimensional (3D) heterocyclic scaffolds is a key challenge in modern medicinal chemistry. Despite the increased probability of clinical success for small molecule therapeutic candidates with increased 3D complexity, new drug targets remain dominated by flat molecules due to the abundance of coupling reactions available for their construction. In principle, heteroarene hydrofunctionalization reactions offer an opportunity to transform readily accessible planar molecules into more three-dimensionally complex analogs through the introduction of a single molecular vector. Unfortunately, dearomative hydrofunctionalization reactions remain limited. Herein, we report a new strategy to enable the dearomative hydrocarboxylation of indoles and related heterocycles. This reaction represents a rare example of a heteroarene hydrofunctionalization that meets the numerous requirements for broad implementation in drug discovery. The transformation is highly chemoselective, broad in scope, operationally simple, and readily amenable to high-throughput experimentation (HTE). Accordingly, this process will allow existing libraries of heteroaromatic compounds to be translated into diverse 3D analogs and enable exploration of new classes of medicinally relevant molecules.

General access to cubanes as benzene bioisosteres.

The replacement of benzene rings with sp3-hybridized bioisosteres in drug candidates generally improves pharmacokinetic properties while retaining biological activity1-5. Rigid, strained frameworks such as bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane and cubane are particularly well suited as the ring strain imparts high bond strength and thus metabolic stability on their C-H bonds. Cubane is the ideal bioisostere as it provides the closest geometric match to benzene6,7. At present, however, all cubanes in drug design, like almost all benzene bioisosteres, act solely as substitutes for mono- or para-substituted benzene rings1-7. This is owing to the difficulty of accessing 1,3- and 1,2-disubstituted cubane precursors. The adoption of cubane in drug design has been further hindered by the poor compatibility of cross-coupling reactions with the cubane scaffold, owing to a competing metal-catalysed valence isomerization8-11. Here we report expedient routes to 1,3- and 1,2-disubstituted cubane building blocks using a convenient cyclobutadiene precursor and a photolytic C-H carboxylation reaction, respectively. Moreover, we leverage the slow oxidative addition and rapid reductive elimination of copper to develop C-N, C-C(sp3), C-C(sp2) and C-CF3 cross-coupling protocols12,13. Our research enables facile elaboration of all cubane isomers into drug candidates, thus enabling ideal bioisosteric replacement of ortho-, meta- and para-substituted benzenes.

Nickel-Catalyzed Chemoselective Arylation of Amino Alcohols.

A systematic evaluation of competitive bisphosphine/Ni-catalyzed C-N versus C-O cross-couplings involving model compounds enabled development of hitherto unknown chemoselective O- and N-arylation of amino alcohols with (hetero)aryl chloride electrophiles, without recourse to protection group chemistry. Use of the CyPAd-DalPhos pre-catalyst C2 enabled particularly challenging O-arylation chemoselectivity in amino alcohols featuring branched primary and secondary alkylamine groups, while selective N-arylation was observed in substrates featuring less-hindered linear alkylamine and aniline reacting groups. Useful reaction scope in the (hetero)aryl chloride was achieved throughout, and the ability to conduct such transformations using benchtop handling of materials is demonstrated.

Practical and General Alcohol Deoxygenation Protocol.

Herein, we describe a practical protocol for the removal of alcohol functional groups through reductive cleavage of their benzoate ester analogs. This transformation requires a strong single electron transfer (SET) reductant and a means to accelerate slow fragmentation following substrate reduction. To accomplish this, we developed a photocatalytic system that generates a potent reductant from formate salts alongside Brønsted or Lewis acids that promote fragmentation of the reduced intermediate. This deoxygenation procedure is effective across structurally and electronically diverse alcohols and enables a variety of difficult net transformations. This protocol requires no precautions to exclude air or moisture and remains efficient on multigram scale. Finally, the system can be adapted to a one-pot benzoylation-deoxygenation sequence to enable direct alcohol deletion. Mechanistic studies validate that the role of acidic additives is to promote the key C(sp3 )-O bond fragmentation step.

Rapid Access to 2-Substituted Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes.

The replacement of aryl rings with saturated carbocyclic structures has garnered significant interest in drug discovery due to the potential for improved pharmacokinetic properties upon substitution. In particular, 1,3-difunctionalized bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) have been widely adopted as bioisosteres for parasubstituted arene rings, appearing in a number of lead pharmaceutical candidates. However, despite the pharmaceutical value of 2-substituted BCPs as replacements for ortho- or meta-substituted arene rings, general and rapid syntheses of these scaffolds remain elusive. Current approaches to 2-substituted BCPs rely on installation of the bridge substituent prior to BCP core construction, leading to lengthy step counts and often nonmodular sequences. While challenging, direct functionalization of the strong bridge BCP C-H bonds would offer a more streamlined pathway to diverse 2-substituted BCPs. Here, we report a generalizable synthetic linchpin strategy for bridge functionalization via radical C-H abstraction of the BCP core. Through mild generation of a strong hydrogen atom abstractor, we rapidly synthesize novel 2-substituted BCP synthetic linchpins in one pot. These synthetic linchpins then serve as common precursors to complex 2-substituted BCPs, allowing one-step access to a number of previously inaccessible electrophile and nucleophile fragments at the 2-position via two new metallaphotoredox protocols. Altogether, this platform enables the expedient synthesis of four pharmaceutical analogues, all of which show similar or improved properties compared to their aryl-containing equivalents, demonstrating the potential of these 2-substituted BCPs in drug development.

Optimization of brain-penetrant picolinamide derived leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) inhibitors.

The discovery of potent, kinome selective, brain penetrant LRRK2 inhibitors is the focus of extensive research seeking new, disease-modifying treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD). Herein, we describe the discovery and evolution of a picolinamide-derived lead series. Our initial optimization efforts aimed at improving the potency and CLK2 off-target selectivity of compound 1 by modifying the heteroaryl C-H hinge and linker regions. This resulted in compound 12 which advanced deep into our research operating plan (ROP) before heteroaryl aniline metabolite 14 was characterized as Ames mutagenic, halting its progression. Strategic modifications to our ROP were made to enable early de-risking of putative aniline metabolites or hydrolysis products for mutagenicity in Ames. This led to the discovery of 3,5-diaminopyridine 15 and 4,6-diaminopyrimidine 16 as low risk for mutagenicity (defined by a 3-strain Ames negative result). Analysis of key matched molecular pairs 17 and 18 led to the prioritization of the 3,5-diaminopyridine sub-series for further optimization due to enhanced rodent brain penetration. These efforts culminated in the discovery of ethyl trifluoromethyl pyrazole 23 with excellent LRRK2 potency and expanded selectivity versus off-target CLK2.

Photomediated ring contraction of saturated heterocycles.

Saturated heterocycles are found in numerous therapeutics and bioactive natural products and are abundant in many medicinal and agrochemical compound libraries. To access new chemical space and function, many methods for functionalization on the periphery of these structures have been developed. Comparatively fewer methods are known for restructuring their core framework. Herein, we describe a visible light-mediated ring contraction of α-acylated saturated heterocycles. This unconventional transformation is orthogonal to traditional ring contractions, challenging the paradigm for diversification of heterocycles including piperidine, morpholine, thiane, tetrahydropyran, and tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives. The success of this Norrish type II variant rests on reactivity differences between photoreactive ketone groups in specific chemical environments. This strategy was applied to late-stage remodeling of pharmaceutical derivatives, peptides, and sugars.

Sequential Norrish-Yang Cyclization and C-C Cleavage/Cross-Coupling of a [4.1.0] Fused Saturated Azacycle.

Methods that functionalize the periphery of azacylic scaffolds have garnered increasing interest in recent years. Herein, we investigate the selectivity of a solid-state Norrish-Yang cyclization (NYC) and subsequent C-C cleavage/cross-coupling reaction of a strained cyclopropane-fused azacyclic system. Surprisingly, the NYC primarily furnished a single lactam constitutional and diastereo-isomer. The regioselectivity of the C-C cleavage of the α-hydroxy-ß-lactam moiety could be varied by altering the ligand set used in the coupling chemistry. Experimental and computational observations are discussed.

Non-innocent Radical Ion Intermediates in Photoredox Catalysis: Parallel Reduction Modes Enable Coupling of Diverse Aryl Chlorides.

We describe a photocatalytic system that elicits potent photoreductant activity from conventional photocatalysts by leveraging radical anion intermediates generated in situ. The combination of an isophthalonitrile photocatalyst and sodium formate promotes diverse aryl radical coupling reactions from abundant but difficult to reduce aryl chloride substrates. Mechanistic studies reveal two parallel pathways for substrate reduction both enabled by a key terminal reductant byproduct, carbon dioxide radical anion.

Achieving C(sp2)-C(sp3) Coupling with BCP-F2 Building Blocks via Barluenga Coupling: A Comparative Approach.

We report our efforts toward achieving C(sp2)-C(sp3) coupling reactions with 2,2-difluorobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP-F2) building blocks. By comparing the reactivities of matching pairs of bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) and BCP-F2 analogues, we discovered that the Barluenga coupling reaction was the only cross-coupling protocol that translated well between the two structural motifs in contrast to other reported protocols. In this chemistry, a BCP-F2 bearing a tosylhydrazone functional group is cross-coupled with an arylboronic acid. These results further expanded the scope of BCP-F2 building blocks for potential applications in organic chemistry as well as medicinal chemistry.

Enantioselective Addition of Pyrazoles to Dienes*.

We report the first enantioselective addition of pyrazoles to 1,3-dienes. Secondary and tertiary allylic pyrazoles can be generated with excellent regioselectivity. Mechanistic studies support a pathway distinct from previous hydroaminations: a Pd0 -catalyzed ligand-to-ligand hydrogen transfer (LLHT). This hydroamination tolerates a range of functional groups and advances the field of diene hydrofunctionalization.

The Discovery of Two Novel Classes of 5,5-Bicyclic Nucleoside-Derived PRMT5 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is a type II arginine methyltransferase that catalyzes the post-translational symmetric dimethylation of protein substrates. PRMT5 plays a critical role in regulating biological processes including transcription, cell cycle progression, RNA splicing, and DNA repair. As such, dysregulation of PRMT5 activity is implicated in the development and progression of multiple cancers and is a target of growing clinical interest. Described herein are the structure-based drug designs, robust synthetic efforts, and lead optimization strategies toward the identification of two novel 5,5-fused bicyclic nucleoside-derived classes of potent and efficacious PRMT5 inhibitors. Utilization of compound docking and strain energy calculations inspired novel designs, and the development of flexible synthetic approaches enabled access to complex chemotypes with five contiguous stereocenters. Additional efforts in balancing bioavailability, solubility, potency, and CYP3A4 inhibition led to the identification of diverse lead compounds with favorable profiles, promising in vivo activity, and low human dose projections.

Synthesis of Bridged Bicyclic Amines by Intramolecular Amination of Remote C-H Bonds: Synergistic Activation by Light and Heat.

The construction of complex aza-cycles is of interest to drug discovery due to the prevalence of nitrogen-containing heterocycles in pharmaceutical agents. Herein we report an intramolecular C-H amination approach to afford value-added and complexity-enriched bridged bicyclic amines. Guided by density functional theory and nuclear magnetic resonance investigations, we determined the unique roles of light and heat activation in the bicyclization mechanism. We applied both light and heat activation in a synergistic fashion, achieving gram-scale bridged aza-cycle synthesis.

C-H/C-C Functionalization Approach to N-Fused Heterocycles from Saturated Azacycles.

Herein we report the synthesis of substituted indolizidines and related N-fused bicycles from simple saturated cyclic amines through sequential C-H and C-C bond functionalizations. Inspired by the Norrish-Yang Type II reaction, C-H functionalization of azacycles is achieved by forming α-hydroxy-ß-lactams from precursor α-ketoamide derivatives under mild, visible light conditions. Selective cleavage of the distal C(sp2)-C(sp3) bond in α-hydroxy-ß-lactams using a Rh-complex leads to α-acyl intermediates which undergo sequential Rh-catalyzed decarbonylation, 1,4-addition to an electrophile, and aldol cyclization, to afford N-fused bicycles including indolizidines. Computational studies provide mechanistic insight into the observed positional selectivity of C-C cleavage, which depends strongly on the groups bound to Rh trans to the phosphine ligand.

C─C Cleavage Approach to C─H Functionalization of Saturated Aza-Cycles.

Saturated cyclic amines (aza-cycles) are ubiquitous structural motifs found in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and bioactive natural products. Given their importance, methods that directly functionalize aza-cycles are in high demand. Herein, we disclose a fundamentally different approach to functionalizing cyclic amines which relies on C─C cleavage and attendant cross-coupling. The initial functionalization step is the generation of underexplored N-fused bicyclo α-hydroxy-ß-lactams under mild, visible light conditions using a Norrish-Yang process to affect α-functionalization of saturated cyclic amines. This approach is complementary to previous methods for the C─H functionalization of aza-cycles and provides unique access to various cross-coupling adducts. In the course of these studies, we have also uncovered an orthogonal, base-promoted opening of the N-fused bicyclo α-hydroxy-ß-lactams. Computational studies have provided insight into the origin of the complementary C─C cleavage processes.

Monophosphine Ligands Promote Pd-Catalyzed C-S Cross-Coupling Reactions at Room Temperature with Soluble Bases.

The Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of thiols with aromatic electrophiles is a reliable method for the synthesis of aryl thioethers, which are important compounds for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Since thiols and thiolates strongly bind late transition metals, previous research has focused on catalysts supported by chelating, bisphosphine ligands, which were considered less likely to be displaced during the course of the reaction. We show that by using monophosphine ligands instead, more effective catalysis can be achieved. Notably, compared to previous methods, this increased reactivity allows for the use of much lower reaction temperature, soluble bases, and base-sensitive substrates. In contrast to conventional wisdom, our mechanistic data suggest that the extent of displacement of phosphine ligands by thiols is, firstly, not correlated with the ligand bulk or thiol nucleophilicity, and secondly, not predictive of the effectiveness of a given ligand in combination with palladium.

Photoredox Catalysis as a Strategy for CO2 Incorporation: Direct Access to Carboxylic Acids from a Renewable Feedstock.

Carbon dioxide is an attractive reagent for organic synthesis from the standpoint of global sustainability. Its widespread use, however, is hampered by the fact that it is poorly reactive. New catalysts and technologies that enable C-C bond constructions are thus of high intrinsic value. This Minireview describes recent advances in the area of photoredox catalysis as an enabling strategy for promoting carboxylations.