Convenient and efficient N-methylation of secondary amines under solvent-free ball milling conditions.

In the present work, we report the development of a rapid, efficient, and solvent-free procedure for the N-methylation of secondary amines under mechanochemical conditions. After optimization of the milling parameters, a vibrational ball mill was used to synthesize 26 tertiary N-methylated amine derivatives in a short time of 20 min (30 Hz frequency) and high yields ranging from 78 to 95%. An exception was compounds having a hydroxyl group in their structure, for which a decrease in reaction efficiency was observed. During our research, we investigated alternate reaction selectivity occurring in compounds able to form ring closure products that are 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazine derivatives instead of N-methylated products. The liquid-assisted grinding technique has been applied using formalin as a methylating agent and sodium triacetoxyborohydride as a reducing agent in a reductive amination reaction.

Effects Induced by the Temperature and Chemical Environment on the Fluorescence of Water-Soluble Gold Nanoparticles Functionalized with a Perylene-Derivative Dye.

We developed a fluorescent molecular probe based on gold nanoparticles functionalized with N,N'-bis(2-(1-piperazino)ethyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimide dihydrochloride, and these probes exhibit potential for applications in microscopic thermometry. The intensity of fluorescence was affected by changes in temperature. Chemical environments, such as different buffers with the same pH, also resulted in different fluorescence intensities. Due to the fluorescence intensity changes exhibited by modified gold nanoparticles, these materials are promising candidates for future technologies involving microscopic temperature measurements.

Mixed-Charge Nanocarriers Allow for Selective Targeting of Mitochondria by Otherwise Nonselective Dyes.

Targeted delivery of molecular cargos to specific organelles is of paramount importance for developing precise and effective therapeutics and imaging probes. This work describes a disulfide-based delivery method in which mixed-charged nanoparticles traveling through the endolysosomal tract deliver noncovalently bound dye molecules selectively into mitochondria. This system comprises three elements: (1) The nanoparticles deliver their payloads by a kiss-and-go mechanism - that is, they drop off their dye cargos proximate to mitochondria but do not localize therein; (2) the dye molecules are by themselves nonspecific to any cellular structures but become so with the help of mixed-charge nanocarriers; and (3) the dye is engineered in such a way as to remain in mitochondria for a long time, up to days, allowing for observing dynamic remodeling of mitochondrial networks and long-term tracking of mitochondria even in dividing cells. The selectivity of delivery and long-lasting staining derive from the ability to engineer charge-imbalanced, mixed [+/-] on-particle monolayers and from the structural features of the cargo. Regarding the former, the balance of [+] and [-] ligands can be adjusted to limit cytotoxicity and control the number of dye molecules adsorbed onto the particles' surfaces. Regarding the latter, comparative studies with multiple dye derivatives we synthesized rationalize the importance of polar groups, long alkyl chains, and disulfide moieties in the assembly of fluorescent nanoconstructs and long-lasting staining of mitochondria. Overall, this strategy could be useful for delivering hydrophilic and/or anionic small-molecule drugs difficult to target to mitochondria by classical approaches.

Convenient Synthesis of Functionalized Unsymmetrical Vinyl Disulfides and Their Inverse Electron-Demand Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction.

The simple, convenient, and efficient methods for the preparation of unsymmetrical vinyl disulfides with additional functional groups under mild conditions with moderate to high yields were designed. The developed methods include the reaction of S-vinyl phosphorodithioate with thiotosylates or S-vinyl thiotosylate with thiols. The designed methods allow for the synthesis of unsymmetrical vinyl disulfides with additional functionalities such as hydroxy, carboxy, protected amino, or ester groups. Vinyl disulfides reacted with the generated transient o-iminothioquinones in an inverse electron-demand [4+2] cycloaddition to produce benzo[b][1,4]thiazine derivatives.

Convenient and Efficient Synthesis of Functionalized 2-Sulfenylindoles.

A simple, efficient, and practical sulfenylation at the C2 position of N-tosylindoles under mild conditions was developed. The designed transformation is based on the reaction of N-tosylindoles with BuLi and S-alkyl, and S-aryl phosphorodithioates or thiotosylates to produce 2-sulfenylindoles in moderate to high yields. The presence of additional hydroxy, carboxy, or amino functionalities did not disturb the formation of products.

Multi-sulfonated ligands on gold nanoparticles as virucidal antiviral for Dengue virus.

Dengue virus (DENV) causes 390 million infections per year. Infections can be asymptomatic or range from mild fever to severe haemorrhagic fever and shock syndrome. Currently, no effective antivirals or safe universal vaccine is available. In the present work we tested different gold nanoparticles (AuNP) coated with ligands ω-terminated with sugars bearing multiple sulfonate groups. We aimed to identify compounds with antiviral properties due to irreversible (virucidal) rather than reversible (virustatic) inhibition. The ligands varied in length, in number of sulfonated groups as well as their spatial orientation induced by the sugar head groups. We identified two candidates, a glucose- and a lactose-based ligand showing a low EC50 (effective concentration that inhibit 50% of the viral activity) for DENV-2 inhibition, moderate toxicity and a virucidal effect in hepatocytes with titre reduction of Median Tissue Culture Infectious Dose log10TCID50 2.5 and 3.1. Molecular docking simulations complemented the experimental findings suggesting a molecular rationale behind the binding between sulfonated head groups and DENV-2 envelope protein.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Fluorinated 3-Phenylcoumarin-7-O-Sulfamate Derivatives as Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitors.

In the present work, we report the initial results of our study on a series of 3-phenylcoumarin sulfamate-based compounds containing C-F bonds as novel inhibitors of steroid sulfatase. The new compounds are potent steroid sulfatase inhibitors, possessing more than 10 times higher inhibitory potency than coumarin-7-O-sulfamate. In the course of our investigation, compounds 2b and 2c demonstrated the highest inhibitory effect on the enzymatic steroid sulfatase assay; both had IC50 values of 0.27 µm (the IC50 value of coumarin-7-O-sulfamate is 3.5 µm, used as a reference).

Versatile and efficient synthesis of omega-functionalized asymmetric disulfides via sulfenyl bromide adducts.

Various types of asymmetric disulfides can be synthesized under mild conditions and in excellent yields by a method involving dialkoxylthiophosphoranesulfenyl halide precursors. This straightforward, rapid procedure is used to prepare a series of disulfides bearing neutral, acidic, and basic terminal groups as well as groups commonly used in biospecific self-assembled monolayers.

Synthesis and reactivity of O-acyl selenophosphates.

The synthesis of several new O-acyl selenophosphates were investigated. The stability and reactivity of the products were studied and related to their structure.

High-performance liquid chromatography of di- and trisubstituted aromatic positional isomers on 1,3-alternate 25,27-dipropoxy-26,28-bis-[3-propyloxy]-calix[4]arene-bonded silica gel stationary phase.

A new 1,3-alternate 25,27-dipropoxy-26,28-bis-[3-propyloxy]-calix[4]arene-bonded silica gel stationary phase (1,3-Alt CalixPr) has been prepared and used for the separation of di- and trisubstituted aromatic positional isomers by HPLC. The effect of organic modifier content, pH and column temperature on retention and selectivity of the benzene derivatives were studied. The retention mechanism was also discussed. The results indicated that the stationary phase behaves like a reversed-phase packing. However inclusion, hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding and pi-pi interactions seem to be involved in separation process.

Acyclic congener of cucurbituril: synthesis and recognition properties.

The cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) family of macrocycles occupies a prominent role in molecular recognition and self-assembly studies despite the current inability to access specific cucurbit[n]uril homologues, derivatives, and analogues by straightforward tailor-made synthetic procedures. In this paper, we explore an approach that circumvents the challenges posed by the tailor-made synthesis of macrocyclic CB[n] by preparing 1, which functions as an acyclic CB[6] congener. The o-xylylene connections to the glycoluril rings preorganize 1 into the (a,a,a,a)-1 conformation required for binding and reduce its tendency to undergo self-association. We surveyed the binding properties of 1 toward 16 amines (K(a)

Methylene-bridged glycoluril dimers: synthetic methods.

Methylene-bridged glycoluril dimers are the fundamental building blocks of cucurbituril (CB[6]), its homologues (CB[n]), and its derivatives. This paper describes three complementary methods for the synthesis of C- and S-shaped methylene-bridged glycoluril dimers (29-34 and 37-44). For this purpose, we prepared glycoluril derivatives (1a-d) bearing diverse functionalities on their convex face. These glycoluril derivatives were alkylated under basic conditions (DMSO, t-BuOK) with 1,2-bis(halomethyl)aromatics 6-15 to yield 4a-d and 16-24, which contain a single aromatic o-xylylene ring and potentially nucleophilic ureidyl NH groups. Glycoluril derivatives bearing potentially electrophilic cyclic ether groups (5a-f) and 25-28 were prepared by various methods including condensation reactions in refluxing TFA containing paraformaldehyde. The condensation reactions of 4a-d and 16-24 with paraformaldehyde under anhydrous acidic conditions (PTSA, ClCH(2)CH(2)Cl, reflux) give, in most cases, the C-shaped and S-shaped methylene-bridged glycoluril in good to excellent yields. In many cases, the C-shaped compound is formed preferentially with high diastereoselectivity. Cyclic ethers 5a,d-f and 25-26 undergo highly diastereoselective dimerization reactions to yield methylene-bridged glycoluril dimers with the formal extrusion of formaldehyde. Last, it is possible to perform selective heterodimerization reactions using both cyclic ethers and glycoluril derivatives bearing ureidyl NH groups. These reactions deliver the desired C- and S-shaped heterodimers with low to moderate diastereoselectivities. This heterodimerization route is the method of choice in cases where the homodimerization reactions fail. The formation of side products (+/-)-35b and (+/-)-35d helps clarify the electronic requirements for a successful CB[n] synthesis. The X-ray structures of 30C, 38C, and 38S allow for a discussion of the structural features of this class of compounds.

Diastereoselective formation of glycoluril dimers: isomerization mechanism and implications for cucurbit[n]uril synthesis.

Cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) is a macrocyclic compound, prepared in one pot from glycoluril and formaldehyde, whose molecular recognition properties have made it the object of intense study. Studies of the mechanism of CB[n] formation, which might provide insights that allow the tailor-made synthesis of CB[n] homologues and derivatives, have been hampered by the complex structure of CB[n]. By reducing the complexity of the reaction to the formation of S-shaped (12S-18S) and C-shaped (12C-18C) methylene bridged glycoluril dimers, we have been able to probe the fundamental steps of the mechanism of CB[n] synthesis to a level that has not been possible previously. For example, we present strong evidence that the mechanism of CB[n] synthesis proceeds via the intermediacy of both S-shaped and C-shaped dimers. The first experimental determination of the relative free energies of the S-shaped and C-shaped dimers indicates a thermodynamic preference (1.55-3.25 kcal mol(-)(1)) for the C-shaped diastereomer. This thermodynamic preference is not because of self-association, solvation, or template effects. Furthermore, labeling experiments have allowed us to elucidate the mechanism of this acid-catalyzed equilibrium between the S-shaped and C-shaped diastereomers. The equilibration is an intramolecular process that proceeds with high diastereoselectivity and retention of configuration. On the basis of the broad implications of these results for CB[n] synthesis, we suggest new synthetic strategies that may allow for the improved preparation of CB[n] (n > 8) and CB[n] derivatives from functionalized glycolurils.