Asymmetric synthesis, molecular modeling and biological evaluation of 5-methyl-3-aryloxazolidine-2,4-dione enantiomers as monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.

Single enantiomers of the new 5-methyl-3-aryloxazolidine-2,4-diones have been obtained either by an asymmetric synthesis using the chiral pool strategy or by a semipreparative resolution of the racemic compound by HPLC on an optically active stationary phase. The single enantiomers were assayed for their in vitro monoamine oxidase (hMAO) inhibitory activity and selectivity. The most potent inhibitor among the studied compounds has been found as (5R)-3-phenyl-5-methyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (compound 1-R) which appeared to be a good antidepressant drug candidate since it inhibited hMAO-A selectively, competitively and reversibly with Ki values in the micromolar range (0.16 ±â€¯0.01 µM). To better understand the enzyme-inhibitor interaction and to explain the efficiency and selectivity of the compounds toward hMAOs, molecular modeling studies were carried out on new, high resolution hMAO-A and hMAO-B crystallographic structures. According to binding energies and inhibition constants obtained from molecular docking calculations, compound 1-R has been found as the most selective MAO-A inhibitor and its weak binding affinities to MAO-B (large Ki values) led to the enhancement in MAO-A selectivity. It bounded in close proximity to FAD in the active site of MAO-A and situated near the aromatic cage by means of π-alkyl interactions with Tyr407 and Phe352 whereas its position in MAO-B was 10 Šfar from FAD and it was situated outside the Ile199 gate of the active site. None of the studied compounds showed any cytototoxicity on HepG2 cells at 1 and 5 µM concentrations.

Aldol Reactions of Axially Chiral 5-Methyl-2-(o-aryl)imino-3-(o-aryl)-thiazolidine-4-ones.

Axially chiral 5-methyl-2-(o-aryl)imino-3-(o-aryl)-thiazolidine-4-ones have been subjected to aldol reactions with benzaldehyde to produce secondary carbinols which have been found to be separable by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase. Based on the reaction done on a single enantiomer resolved via a chromatographic separation from a racemic mixture of 5-methyl-2-(α-naphthyl)imino-3-(α-naphthyl)-thiazolidine-4-one by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase, the aldol reaction was shown to proceed via an enolate intermediate. The axially chiral enolate of the thiazolidine-4-one was found to shield one face of the heterocyclic ring rendering face selectivity with respect to the enolate. The selectivities observed at C-5 of the ring varied from none to 11.5:1 depending on the size of the ortho substituent. Although the aldol reaction proceeded with a lack of face selectivity with respect to benzaldehyde, recrystallization returned highly diastereomerically enriched products.

The origin of exo-stereoselectivity of norbornene in hetero Diels-Alder reactions.

In this study the exo selectivity in the hetero Diels-Alder reaction of atropisomeric 5-benzylidine-2-arylimino-3-aryl-thiazolidine-4-thiones with norbornene was investigated with computational tools. Taking into account the M/P chiral character of the o-methoxyphenyl substituted heterodienes in addition to the exo/endo selectivity, 8 different transition structures were located. Based on the direction of approach of the diene and the dienophile for each plausible path it is found that endo products are not preferred because of the large distortion of norbornene and the rather eclipsed conformations of these transition state structures. Computational results are consistent with the experimental exo/endo selectivity. The computational methodology (M06-2X/6-31+G(d)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d)) was justified by comparison of the experimental rotational barriers with the calculated ones for selected compounds.