5-Arylidenerhodanines as P-gp Modulators: An Interesting Effect of the Carboxyl Group on ABCB1 Function in Multidrug-Resistant Cancer Cells.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is considered one of the major mechanisms responsible for the failure of numerous anticancer and antiviral chemotherapies. Various strategies to overcome the MDR phenomenon have been developed, and one of the most attractive research directions is focused on the inhibition of MDR transporters, membrane proteins that extrude cytotoxic drugs from living cells. Here, we report the results of our studies on a series newly synthesized of 5-arylidenerhodanines and their ability to inhibit the ABCB1 efflux pump in mouse T-lymphoma cancer cells. In the series, compounds possessing a triphenylamine moiety and the carboxyl group in their structure were of particular interest. These amphiphilic compounds showed over 17-fold stronger efflux pump inhibitory effects than verapamil. The cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of target rhodanines on T-lymphoma cells were also investigated. A putative binding mode for 11, one of the most potent P-gp inhibitors tested here, was predicted by molecular docking studies and discussed with regard to the binding mode of verapamil.

Discovery of Cinnamylidene Derivative of Rhodanine with High Anthelmintic Activity against Rhabditis sp.

The treatment of parasitic infections requires the application of chemotherapy. In view of increasing resistance to currently in-use drugs, there is a constant need to search for new compounds with anthelmintic activity. A series of 16 cinnamylidene derivatives of rhodanine, including newly synthesized methoxy derivatives (1-11) and previously obtained chloro, nitro, and diethylamine derivatives (12-16), was investigated towards anthelmintic activity. Compounds (1-16) were evaluated against free-living nematodes of the genus Rhabditis sp. In the tested group of rhodanine derivatives, only compound 2 shows very high biological activity (LC50 = 0.93 µg/µL), which is higher than the reference drug albendazole (LC50 = 19.24 µg/µL). Crystal structures of two compounds, active 2 and inactive 4, were determined by the X-ray diffraction method to compare molecular geometry and search for differences responsible for observed biological activity/inactivity. Molecular modelling and selected physicochemical properties prediction were performed to assess the potential mechanism of action and applied in the search for an explanation as to why amongst all similar compounds only one is active. We can conclude that the tested compound 2 can be further investigated as a potential anthelmintic drug.

Synthesis, spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations of some 2-thiohydantoin derivatives as possible new fungicides.

We present the synthesis and structure determination for two thiohydantoin compounds (5-benzylidene-2-sulfanylideneimidazolidin-4-one and 5-cinnamylidene-2-sulfanylideneimidazolidin-4-one), proposed as potential novel fungicides. The exact chemical structure of these molecules has not yet been determined since they can potentially exist in several tautomeric and geometric forms (Z-E isomerism). The geometries of all the theoretically possible structures of the studied compounds were optimised. The calculations were performed at the density functional theory level using the B3LYP functional and the 6-311++G** basis set. Based on our calculations, the most probable structures of the studied compounds were proposed. The theoretical predictions were verified by comparing the calculated IR as well as the 1H and 13C NMR spectra with the experimental data. It was documented that both the studied compounds exist predominantly in the tautomeric structure, in which the movable hydrogen is connected to the nitrogen atom in the hydantoin ring. It has been experimentally proven that one of the studied compounds occurs only as a single structure, whereas the other one exists as a mixture of two geometric isomers. Schematic presentation of synthesis reaction and predicted percentage contents of studied compounds in products mixture.

Hydrolysis of 2,4-dithiophenobarbital.

Hydrolysis of 2,4-dithiophenobarbital in aqueous solutions of pH 2-12 was investigated at 40 and 60 degrees C using UV spectrophotometry. The values of reaction order, rate constants, pKa1 and pKa2 and activation energy were determined. The preliminary estimation of degradation products was accomplished using thin layer chromatography. The major products were isolated by circular chromatography and identified by spectroscopic and classical methods.

Stability of 2-thiophenobarbital and its N-methyl derivatives in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin.

The rates of hydrolysis of thiophenobarbital and its N-mono- and N,N'-dimethyl-derivatives were determined under different conditions of pH and temperature using UV spectroscopy. They were compared with those obtained in the presence of different concentrations of beta-cyclodextrin. It was found that the compounds degrade with different rates and beta-cyclodextrin retards the hydrolysis. The formation of complexes between the investigated compounds and beta-cyclodextrin was proved by 13C NMR and ROESY spectra and molecular modeling. The inclusion with the phenyl substituent into the beta-cyclodextrin cavity is preferred.

Hydrolysis of N,N- and N,S-dimethyl derivatives of 2-thiophenobarbital.

Kinetics of hydrolysis of N,N- and N,S-dimethyl-2-thiophenobarbital and products of this reaction were investigated. The UV spectroscopy served as a tool for kinetic investigations and chromatography was used to separate and isolate the main products of hydrolysis. These products were identified by spectroscopic methods and the course of hydrolysis of both isomers was compared.

Hydrolysis of N- and S-monomethyl derivatives of 2-thiophenobarbital.

Kinetics of hydrolysis of S-methyl-2-thiophenobarbital in aqueous solutions was investigated using the UV spectroscopic method within the pH range 1.5-12.9 at 60 degrees C. Chromatography was used to separate and isolate the products of hydrolysis of this compound and its N-methyl isomer. The products were identified by spectroscopic methods and the course of hydrolysis of both isomers were compared.

Enantioselective chromatography of alkyl derivatives of 5-ethyl-5-phenyl-2-thiobarbituric acid studied by semiempirical AM1 method.

Complexation of alkyl derivatives of 5-ethyl-5-phenyl-2-thiobarbituric acid (2-thiophenobarbital) enantiomers by beta-cyclodextrin was investigated by the AM1 method. The inclusion complexes of beta-cyclodextrin with neutral and anionic forms of these enantiomers have been modeled and energetically optimized. The chiral discrimination of enantiomers was analyzed in terms of differences in the interaction energies. The calculated interaction energies between each enantiomer of the investigated 2-thiobarbiturates and beta-cyclodextrin confirm the ability of beta-cyclodextrin to act as a mobile phase additive in reversed-phase HPLC to separate enantiomers by liquid chromatography and rationalize their order of elution.