Neo-tanshinlactone D-ring modified novel analogues induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cell via DNA damage.

Neo-tanshinlactone (NTL) a natural product is known for its specificity and selectivity towards the breast cancer cells. By NTL D-ring modification approach, 13 new analogues were synthesized (1A-1M). Among them 1J showed the best anticancer activity in MCF-7 (ER+, PR+/-, HER2-), SKBR3 (ER-, PR-, HER2+) and MDA-MB-231 (ER-, PR-, HER2-) cells lines with IC50 value 11.98nM, 23.71nM, and 62.91nM respectively. 1J showed minor grove binding interaction with DNA at AT-rich region and induced DNA double strand breaks (DDSBs). This had triggered several key molecular events involving, activation of ATM, Chk2 and p53, reduction in mitochondrial potential (Δψm) leading to caspase-3 and PARP cleavage mediated apoptosis. These results along with other biochemical studies strongly suggest that novel NTL analogue 1J caused DNA cleavage mediated apoptosis in the breast cancer cells and this may serve as potential lead for future breast cancer treatment.

Silver-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AgAAC): assessing the mechanism by density functional theory calculations.

'Click reactions' are the copper catalysed dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azides and alkynes to incorporate nitrogens into a cyclic hydrocarbon scaffold forming a triazole ring. Owing to its efficiency and versatility, this reaction and the products, triazole-containing heterocycles, have immense importance in medicinal chemistry. Copper is the only known catalyst to carry out this reaction, the mechanism of which remains unclear. We report here that the 'click reactions' can also be catalysed by silver halides in non-aqueous medium. It constitutes an alternative to the well-known CuAAC click reaction. The yield of the reaction varies on the type of counter ion present in the silver salt. This reaction exhibits significant features, such as high regioselectivity, mild reaction conditions, easy availability of substrates and reasonably good yields. In this communication, the findings of a new catalyst along with the effect of solvent and counter ions will help to decipher the still obscure mechanism of this important reaction.

New Conjugates of Quinoxaline as Potent Antitubercular and Antibacterial Agents.

Considering quinoxaline as a privileged structure for the design of potent intercalating agents, some new sugar conjugates of quinoxaline were synthesized and characterized by IR, (1)HNMR, (13)C NMR, and mass spectral data. In vitro testing for antitubercular and antimicrobial activities was performed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv and some pathogenic bacteria. Results revealed that conjugate containing ribose moiety demonstrated the most promising activity against Mycobacteria and bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.65 and 2.07 µM, respectively. Other conjugates from xylose, glucose, and mannose were moderately active whilst disaccharides conjugates were found to be less active. In silico docking analysis of prototype compound revealed that ATP site of DNA gyrase B subunit could be a possible site for inhibitory action of these synthesized compounds.

Regioselective Synthesis of Quinazolinone-/Phenanthridine-Fused Heteropolycycles by Pd-Catalyzed Direct Intramolecular Aerobic Oxidative C-H Amination from Aromatic Strained Amides.

A new route for the expedient synthesis of specific regioisomer of quinazolinone- and phenanthridine-fused heterocycles through a palladium-catalyzed regioselective intramolecular oxidative C-H amination from cyclic strained amides of aromatic amido-amidine systems (quinazolinones) has been developed. The amine functionalization of an aromatic C-H bond from a strained amide nitrogen involved in aromaticity has been a challenging work so far. The fusion of two heterocyclic cores, quinazolinone and phenanthridine, can occur in two different ways (linear and angular), but under the conditions reported here, only linear type isomer is exclusively produced. This approach provides a variety of substituted quinazolinone- and phenanthridine-fused derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. Moreover, such fused molecules show excellent fluorescent properties and have great potential to be a new type of fluorophores for the use in medicinal and material science.