Hantzsch dihydropyridines: Privileged structures for the formation of well-defined gold nanostars.

Anisotropic and branched gold nanoparticles have great potential in optical, chemical and biomedical applications. However their syntheses involve multi-step protocols and the use of cytotoxic agents. Here, we report a novel one-step method for the preparation of gold nanostructures using only Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridines as mild reducing agents. The substituent pattern of the dihydropyridine nucleus was closely related to the ease of formation, morphology and stability of the nanoparticles. We observed nanostructures such as spheres, rods, triangles, pentagons, hexagons, flowers, stars and amorphous. We focused mainly on the synthesis and characterization of well-defined gold nanostars, which were produced quickly at room temperature (25°C) in high yield and homogeneity. These nanostars presented an average size of 68 nm with mostly four or six tips. Based on our findings, we propose that the growth of the nanostars occurs in the (111) lattice plane due to a preferential deposition of the gold atoms in the early stages of particle formation. Furthermore, the nanostars were easily modified with peptides remaining stable for more than six months in their colloidal state and showing a better stability than unmodified nanostars in different conditions. We report a new approach using dihydropyridines for the straightforward synthesis of gold nanostructures with controlled shape, feasible for use in future applications.

Substituent Effect on the Photolability of 4-Aryl-1,4-Dihydropyridines.

The electronic nature of substituents attached to the 4-aryl moiety of 1,4-dihydropyridines strongly affects the photophysical and photochemical behavior of these family of compounds. The presence of an electron donor substituent on the 4-aryl moiety (or the absence of electron-withdrawing ones) modifies the luminescence lifetimes (τ < 100 ps) and diminishes the photodecomposition quantum yields. For electron-withdrawing substituents, the photodegradation quantum yield is affected by the media, changing more than two orders of magnitude as the polarity is increased. Studies in micellar media allow us to conclude that 4-aryl-1,4-dihydropyridines are located near to the interface; however, the surface charge of micelles has no effect on the photodegradation rate constant or the photoproducts profile. The main conclusion of this work is that the photolability of 4-aryl-1,4-dihydropyridines can be significantly reduced by the incorporation of antioxidant moieties.

The effect of 5-substitution on the electrochemical behavior and antitubercular activity of PA-824.

Nitroimidazole PA-824 is part of an exciting new class of compounds currently undergoing clinical evaluation as novel TB therapeutics. The recently elucidated mechanism of action of PA-824 involves reduction of the nitroimidazole ring and subsequent nitric oxide release. The importance of this compound and its unique activity prompted us to explore how substitution of the nitroimidazole ring would affect electrochemical reduction and antitubercular activity. We prepared analogs of PA-824 with bromo, chloro, cyano, and amino substituents in the 5-position of the aromatic ring. We found that substitution of the imidazole ring greatly influences reduction and the stability of the corresponding nitro radical anion. Further, the antitubercular activities of the bromo and chloro analogs may indicate that an alternate nitroreductase pathway within Mycobacterium tuberculosis exists.

Oxidation of C4-hydroxyphenyl 1,4-dihydropyridines in dimethylsulfoxide and its reactivity towards alkylperoxyl radicals in aqueous medium.

This work reports the electrochemical oxidation of three newly synthesized C4-hydroxyphenyl-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives in dimethylsulfoxide. The reactivity of the compounds with ABAP-derived alkylperoxyl radicals in aqueous buffer pH 7.4, was also studied. The oxidation mechanism involves the formation of the unstable dihydropyridyl radical, which was confirmed by controlled-potential electrolysis (CPE) and ESR experiments. The final product of the CPE, that is, pyridine derivative, was identified by GC-MS technique for the three derivatives. A direct reactivity of the synthesized compounds toward ABAP-derived alkylperoxyl radicals was found. The pyridine derivative was identified by GC-MS as the final product of the reaction. Results reveal that this type of 1,4-DHPs significantly reacts with the radicals, even compared with commercial 1,4-DHP drugs with a well-known antioxidant ability.

Analyses by GC-MS and GC-MS-MS of the Hantzsch synthesis products using hydroxy- and methoxy-aromatic aldehydes.

EI mass spectra of products of the dihydropyridine Hantzsch synthesis using hydroxy and methoxy aldehydes as starting materials are reported. The reaction products (C-4 hydroxy- and methoxyphenyl-1,4-dihydropyridines and chromeno[3,4,c]-pyridines) were derivatized with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoracetamide to be analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. Fragmentation pathways for 1,4-dihydropyridines and chromeno-pyridines are proposed. The study provides (mainly through MS-MS technique) useful data for the confirmation of the structure of the compounds and also is a valuable tool for further analytical purposes to follow both photostability and reactivity studies with free radicals for these types of compounds.

Voltammetric behavior of zaleplon and its differential pulse polarographic determination in capsules.

In this work both the electrochemical behavior and the analysis of the hypnotic pyrazolopyrimidine derivative zaleplon were studied. Zaleplon in ethanol-0.1M Britton Robinson buffer solution (30-70) showed 2 irreversible, well-defined cathodic responses in the pH range of 2-12 using differential pulse polarography (DPP), tast polarography, and cyclic voltammetry. From chronocoulometric studies, it was possible to conclude that one electron was transferred in each reduction peak or wave. For analytical purposes, the DPP technique working at pH 4.5 for peak I was selected, which exhibited adequate repeatability, reproducibility, and selectivity. The recovery was 99.97 +/- 1.52%, and the detection and quantitation limits were 5.13 x 10(-7)M and 1.11 x 10(-6)M, respectively. The DPP method was applied successfully to the individual assay of capsules in order to verify the content uniformity of zaleplon. Treatment of the sample is not required because the excipients do not interfere, the method is not time consuming, and it is less expensive than column liquid chromatography.

Reactivity of 1,4-dihydropyridines toward SIN-1-derived peroxynitrite.

PURPOSE: To study the reactivity of C4-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHP), with either secondary or tertiary nitrogen in the dihydropyridine ring, toward SIN-1-derived peroxynitrite in aqueous media at pH 7.4. METHODS: Reactivity was followed by changes in the absorptivity of the UV-Vis bands corresponding to 1,4-DHP. Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spin trap techniques were used to characterize the final product and the intermediates of the reaction, respectively. RESULTS: 1,4-DHPs significantly reacted toward peroxynitrite at varied rates, according to the calculated kinetic rate constants. By EPR spectroscopy, a carbon-centered radical from the 1,4-DHP was intercepted with N-tert-butylamine-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN), as the intermediate for the reaction with peroxynitrite. Likewise, the oxidized derivative (i.e., the pyridine) was identified as the final product of the reaction by GC-MS. By using the technique of deuterium kinetic isotope effect, the participation of the hydrogen of the 1-position on the 1,4-DHP ring was shown not to be the rate-limiting step of the reaction. CONCLUSIONS: The direct participation of the 1,4-DHP derivatives in the quenching of SIN-1-derived peroxynitrite has been demonstrated. Kinetic rate constant of tested 1,4-DHP toward peroxynitrite showed a direct relationship with the oxidation peak potential values; that is, compounds reacting faster were more easily oxidized.

Electrochemical and EPR characterization of 1,4-dihydropyridines. Reactivity towards alkyl radicals.

This work reports the electrochemical oxidation of a series of three synthesized 4-substituted-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives in different electrolytic media. Also, an EPR characterization of intermediates and the reactivity of derivatives towards ABAP-derived alkyl radicals are reported. Dynamic, differential pulse and cyclic voltammetry studies on a glassy carbon electrode showed an irreversible single-peak due to the oxidation of the 1,4-dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) ring via 2-electrons to the corresponding pyridine derivative. Levich plots were linear in different media, indicating that the oxidation process is diffusion-controlled. Calculated diffusion coefficients did not exhibit significant differences between the derivatives in the same medium. The oxidation mechanism follows the general pathway (electron, H+, electron, H+) with formation of an unstable pyridinium radical. One-electron oxidation intermediate was confirmed with controlled potential electrolysis (CPE) and EPR experiments. On applying N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) and 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as the spin trap, these unstable radical intermediates from the oxidation of 1,4-DHP derivatives were intercepted. The final product of the CPE, i.e. pyridine derivative, was identified by GC-MS technique. Direct reactivity of the synthesized compounds towards alkyl radicals was demonstrated by UV-Vis. spectroscopy and GC-MS technique. Results indicate that these derivatives significantly react with the radicals, even compared with a well-known antioxidant drug such as nisoldipine.

Trypanosoma cruzi: effect and mode of action of nitroimidazole and nitrofuran derivatives.

With the aim of determining the actual target(s) of nitro-group bearing compounds considered as possible leads for the development of drugs against Chagas' disease, we studied in parallel nitrofurans and nitroimidazoles. We investigated nine representative compounds for the following properties: efficacy on different Trypanosoma cruzi strains, redox cyclers, inhibition of respiration, production of corresponding nitroso derivatives and intracellular thiol scavengers. Our results indicate that nifurtimox and related compounds act as redox cyclers, whereas the most active in the series, the 5-nitroimidazole megazol essentially acts as thiol scavenger particularly for trypanothione, the cofactor for trypanothione reductase, an essential enzyme in the detoxification process.

Differential pulse voltammetric assay of lercanidipine in tablets.

Lercanidipine in ethanol-0.04M Britton-Robinson buffer (20 + 80) gives an irreversible anodic response on a glassy carbon electrode in a broad pH range (2-12) that depends on pH. This signal can be attributed to oxidation of the 1,4-dihydropyridine ring to give the corresponding pyridine derivative. For analytical purposes, differential pulse voltammetry at pH 4 was selected. Under these conditions, good values of both within- and interday reproducibility were obtained, with coefficient of variation (CV) values of 1.56 and 1.70%, respectively, for 10 successive runs. For quantitation, the calibration curve method was used for lercanidipine concentrations ranging from 1 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-4) M. The detection and quantitation limits were 1.39 x 10(-5) and 1.49 x 10(-5), respectively. A liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection was used for comparison. The voltammetric method showed good selectivity with respect to both excipients and degradation products. The recovery study exhibited a CV of 0.94% and an average recovery of 98.3%, and it was not necessary to treat the sample before the analysis. The method was successfully applied to the individual tablet assay of lercanidipine in commercial tablets.

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometric study of non-commercial C-4-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines and their oxidized derivatives.

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the calcium-channel antagonists C-4-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines, and their corresponding N-ethyl derivatives, is presented. Also, the electrochemical oxidation and the reactivity of the compounds with alkyl radicals derived from 2,2'-azobis-(2-amidinopropane) were monitored by GC/MS. Mass spectral fragmentation patterns for the C-4-substituted 1,4-dihydropy-ridine parent drugs were significantly different from those of their oxidation products, generated either by electrochemical oxidation or by reaction with alkyl radicals. However, for N-ethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine compounds it was not possible to detect the final products (pyridinium salts) using these experimental conditions.

Inhibitory effect of vanillin-like compounds on respiration and growth of adenocarcinoma TA3 and its multiresistant variant TA3-MTX-R.

The effects of some imine and amine derivatives of vanillin on the respiration rate of mouse mammary adenocarcinoma TA3 line, its multiresistant variant TA3-MTX-R line and mouse hepatocytes, together with their respective mitochondrial fractions, are described. These derivatives inhibit respiration in both tumour cell lines more effectively than vanillin in the absence or presence of the uncoupler CCCP. Since both types of derivatives block the electron flow, mainly through the NADH-CoQ span, they behave as oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors. Thus, they prevent ATP synthesis and alter cellular processes requiring energy, which would lead to cellular death. Amine derivatives of vanillin present a similar effect on both tumour cell lines, being amine C the most efficient inhibitor. Moreover, mouse hepatocytes are about 4-fold less sensitive to amine C than tumour cells. These amine derivatives are better inhibitors than the corresponding imines; probably because they should interact better with the respiratory chain reaction site.