Concise synthesis and CDK/GSK inhibitory activity of the missing 9-azapaullones.

A remarkably concise, chromatography-free route to the parent compound of the paullone family of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors is reported. A similar strategy allowed the synthesis of the hitherto missing 9-azapaullone and its protonated, N-oxidised and N-alkylated derivatives. Screening studies identified an active and strongly selective inhibitor of CDK9/cyclin T.

Reactions of lithiated (E)-3-halo-1-phenylsulfonylprop-1-enes and (Z)-1-halo-3-phenylsulfonylprop-1-enes with aldehydes.

(E)-3-Chloro-1-phenylsulfonylprop-1-ene and its iodo- and bromo-analogues, (Z)-1-iodo-3-phenylsulfonylprop-1-ene and (Z)-1-bromo-3-phenylsulfonylprop-1-ene, have each been successfully converted into lithiated carbanions which react regioselectively with aromatic aldehydes to give gamma-alkylated products whose nature depends upon the halogen substituent: the chloro-sulfones yield (2Z)-1-aryl-2-chloro-4-phenylsulfonylbut-2-en-1-ols but the bromo- and iodo-derivatives behave differently, yielding (1E)-trans-4-aryl-3,4-epoxy-1-phenylsulfonylbut-1-enes. In sharp contrast, the same lithiated sulfones react with aliphatic aldehydes to give anti-configured beta-hydroxysulfones which are formed via diastereoselective alpha-alkylation reactions.

Intramolecular acylative ring-switching reactions of 3-(tetrahydro-2'-furyl)propanoic acid derivatives to give butanolides: mechanism and scope.

The mechanism by which dihydro-5-(3'-trifluoroacetoxypropyl)-2(3H)-furanone is formed when 3-(tetrahydro-2'-furyl)propanoic-trifluoroacetic mixed anhydride is treated with an acidic catalyst is defined, and routes to some potentially useful butanolide synthons are described.

Impurities in a morphine sulfate drug product identified as 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural, 10-hydroxymorphine and 10-oxomorphine.

Stability testing of morphine sulfate formulated with nonpareil sugar seeds (consisting of sucrose and starch) and fumaric acid revealed the formation of the three impurities 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural, 10-hydroxymorphine and 10-oxomorphine. 5-(Hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural was isolated via semipreparative HPLC utilizing volatile mobile phase constituents and was identified by analysis of its HRMS and NMR spectra. 10-Hydroxymorphine and 10-oxomorphine were obtained via semipreparative HPLC and subsequent removal of ion-pair reagents using an anion exchange resin, or by solid phase extraction, and identified by spectroscopic analysis followed by comparison with authentic materials. 5-(Hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural is a degradation product of hexose sugars, and its formation in the presence of morphine sulfate formulated with fumaric acid suggests that caution should be exercised when including nonpareil seeds in formulations that contain acidic drug salts and/or acid excipients. The preliminary results of tests on the interaction of acidic salts of some other drugs with nonpareil seeds are presented.