Fluorescent pH Sensors for Broad-Range pH Measurement Based on a Single Fluorophore.

We constructed a series of novel optical sensors for determination of broad-range pH based on a single fluorophore and multi-ionophores with different pK(a) values. These optical sensors use photoinduced electron transfer (PET) as the signal transduction and follow the design concept of "fluorophore-spacer-receptor (ionophore)" which employs 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide as the single fluorophore, ethyl moiety as the spacer, and a series of phenols and anilines as the receptors. Key to the successful development of this sensor system is that coupling the receptors with six different pK(a) values with a single fluorophore produces the correct optical properties. This rational design affords a series of optical pH sensors with unique fluorescence property and accurately tunable pH measurement ranging from 1 to 14 pH units. Because of covalent immobilization of the indicators, these sensors demonstrate excellent stability, adequate reversibility, and satisfactory dynamic range up to full pH ranges (pH 1-14).

Synthesis of alkyne derivatives of a novel triazolopyrazine as A(2A) adenosine receptor antagonists.

A novel [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrazine core was synthesized and coupled with terminal acetylenes. The structure-activity relationship of the alkynes from this novel template was studied for their in vitro and in vivo adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonism. Selected compounds from this series were shown to have potent in vitro and in vivo activities against adenosine A(2A) receptor. Compound 12, in particular, was found to be orally active at 3mg/kg in both a mouse catalepsy model and a 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat model.

Novel bicyclic piperazine derivatives of triazolotriazine and triazolopyrimidines as highly potent and selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonists.

A series of bicyclic piperazine derivatives of triazolotriazine and triazolopyrimidines was synthesized. Some of these analogues show high affinity and excellent selectivity for adenosine A(2a) receptor versus the adenosine A(1) receptor. Structure-activity-relationship (SAR) studies based on octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine and octahydropyrido[1,2-a]pyrazine with various capping groups are reported. Among these analogues, the most potent and selective A(2a) antagonist 26 h has a K(i) value of 0.2 nM and is 16 500-fold selective with respect to the A(1) receptor. Among a number of compounds tested, compounds 21a and 21c exhibited significantly improved metabolic stability. Compounds 21a, 21c, and 18a showed good oral efficacy in rodent catalepsy models of Parkinson's disease.

Design of antineoplastic agents based on the '2-phenylnaphthalene-type' structural pattern--synthesis and biological activity studies of 11H-indolo[3.2-c]quinoline derivatives.

Designed as a new group of planar molecule containing the proposed 2-phenylnaphthalene-type structure, a number of 11H-indolo[3.2-c]quinoline derivatives were synthesized and evaluated biologically. Several compounds were found to possess cytotoxic activity against the growth of human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60), against the small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and showed good response in the National Cancer Institute preclinical antitumor drug discovery 60-cell line panel.