Synthesis, X-ray analysis, and biological evaluation of a new class of stereopure lactam-based HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

In an effort to identify a new class of druglike HIV-1 protease inhibitors, four different stereopure ß-hydroxy γ-lactam-containing inhibitors have been synthesized, biologically evaluated, and cocrystallized. The impact of the tether length of the central spacer (two or three carbons) was also investigated. A compound with a shorter tether and (3R,4S) absolute configuration exhibited high activity with a K(i) of 2.1 nM and an EC(50) of 0.64 µM. Further optimization by decoration of the P1' side chain furnished an even more potent HIV-1 protease inhibitor (K(i) = 0.8 nM, EC(50) = 0.04 µM). According to X-ray analysis, the new class of inhibitors did not fully succeed in forming two symmetric hydrogen bonds to the catalytic aspartates. The crystal structures of the complexes further explain the difference in potency between the shorter inhibitors (two-carbon spacer) and the longer inhibitors (three-carbon spacer).

Investigations on the 4-quinolone-3-carboxylic acid motif. 1. Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of a class of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase inhibitors.

A set of 4-quinolone-3-carboxylic acids bearing different substituents on the condensed benzene ring was designed and synthesized as potential HIV-1 integrase inhibitors structurally related to elvitegravir. Some of the new compounds proved to be able to inhibit the strand transfer step of the virus integration process in the micromolar range. Docking studies and quantum mechanics calculations were used to rationalize these data.

Highly regioselective internal heck arylation of hydroxyalkyl vinyl ethers by aryl halides in water.

Highly regioselective and fast Pd(0)-catalyzed internal alpha-arylation of ethylene glycol vinyl ether with aryl halides was shown to be possible in water without the need for any halide scavengers or ionic liquid additives. This presents, to our knowledge, the first case of water being utilized in the selective arylation of electron-rich olefins. Resulting alpha-products were hydrolyzed and isolated as corresponding acetophenones in good to excellent yields when using aryl bromides and with good to moderate yields in the case of aryl iodides. Microwave irradiation was shown to be beneficial in activation of aryl chlorides toward the internal Heck arylation. The scope of the protocol was further increased to include different hydroxyalkyl vinyl ethers, these all giving selectively only branched alpha-products. Finally, the active role of the hydroxy group in directing the regioselectivity toward internal arylation of electron-rich olefins, even in nonpolar toluene, was revealed.

Suzuki coupling of aryl chlorides with phenylboronic acid in water, using microwave heating with simultaneous cooling.

[reaction: see text]. We present here a methodology for the Suzuki coupling of aryl chlorides with phenylboronic acid using Pd/C as a catalyst, water as a solvent, and microwave heating. We show that simultaneous cooling in conjunction with microwave heating prolongs the lifetime of the aryl chloride substrates during the course of the reaction and, as a result, yields of the desired biaryl as well as overall recovery of material can be increased.

Microwave-promoted Heck coupling using ultralow metal catalyst concentrations.

We show that Heck couplings can be performed in water using microwave heating and Pd catalyst concentrations as low as 500 ppb. The methodology is simple; all that is required as the catalyst is a stock solution of palladium.

A reassessment of the transition-metal free suzuki-type coupling methodology.

We present here a reassessment of our transition-metal free Suzuki-type coupling protocol. We believe that, although the reaction can be run without the need for addition of a metal catalyst, palladium contaminants down to a level of 50 ppb found in commercially available sodium carbonate are responsible for the generation of the biaryl rather than, as previously suggested, an alternative non-palladium-mediated pathway. We present a revised methodology for Suzuki couplings using ultralow palladium concentrations for use with aryl and vinyl boronic acids and discuss the effects of the purity of the boronic acid on the reaction.

Rapid, easy cyanation of aryl bromides and chlorides using nickel salts in conjunction with microwave promotion.

We report here a fast, easy, and efficient method for the preparation of aryl nitriles from aryl bromides and chlorides. The methodology for aryl bromides involves the use of either Ni(CN)(2) or NaCN and NiBr(2). With aryl chlorides, a mix of NaCN and NiBr(2) is used and the reaction proceeds via the in situ formation of the corresponding aryl bromide. The reaction can be performed in air and is complete within 10 min.

Rapid cyanation of aryl iodides in water using microwave promotion.

We show that using water in conjunction with microwave heating it is possible to prepare aryl nitriles from the corresponding aryl iodides rapidly and in high yield without the need for a palladium catalyst.