Discovery of a Highly Selective Cell-Active Inhibitor of the Histone Lysine Demethylases KDM2/7.

Histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are of critical importance in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, yet there are few selective, cell-permeable inhibitors or suitable tool compounds for these enzymes. We describe the discovery of a new class of inhibitor that is highly potent towards the histone lysine demethylases KDM2A/7A. A modular synthetic approach was used to explore the chemical space and accelerate the investigation of key structure-activity relationships, leading to the development of a small molecule with around 75-fold selectivity towards KDM2A/7A versus other KDMs, as well as cellular activity at low micromolar concentrations.

Cation-Controlled Enantioselective and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Indolines: An Autoinductive Phase-Transfer Initiated 5-endo-trig Process.

A catalytic enantioselective approach to the synthesis of indolines bearing two asymmetric centers, one of which is all-carbon and quaternary, is described. This reaction proceeds with high levels of diastereoselectivity (>20:1) and high levels of enantioselectivity (up to 99.5:0.5 er) in the presence of CsOH·H2O and a quinine-derived ammonium salt. The reaction most likely proceeds via a delocalized 2-aza-pentadienyl anion that cyclizes either by a suprafacial electrocyclic mechanism, or through a kinetically controlled 5-endo-trig Mannich process. Density functional theory calculations are used to probe these two mechanistic pathways and lead to the conclusion that a nonpericyclic mechanism is most probable. The base-catalyzed interconversion of diastereoisomeric indolines in the presence of certain quaternary ammonium catalysts is observed; this may be rationalized as a cycloreversion-cyclization process. Mechanistic investigations have demonstrated that the reaction is initiated via a Makosza-like interfacial process, and kinetic analysis has shown that the reaction possesses a significant induction period consistent with autoinduction. A zwitterionic quinine-derived entity generated by deprotonation of an ammonium salt with the anionic reaction product is identified as a key catalytic species and the role that protonation plays in the enantioselective process outlined. We also propose that the reaction subsequently occurs entirely within the organic phase. Consequently, the reaction may be better described as a phase-transfer-initiated rather than a phase-transfer-catalyzed process; this observation may have implications for mechanistic pathways followed by other phase-transfer-mediated reactions.

Asymmetric fluorocyclizations of alkenes.

CONSPECTUS: The vicinal fluorofunctionalization of alkenes is an attractive transformation that converts feedstock olefins into valuable cyclic fluorinated molecules for application in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, medical, and material sectors. The challenges associated with asymmetric fluorocyclizations induced by F(+) reagents are distinct from other types of halocyclizations. Processes initiated by the addition of an F(+) reagent onto an alkene do not involve the reversible formation of bridged fluoronium ions but generate acyclic ß-fluorocationic intermediates. This mechanistic feature implies that fluorocyclizations are not stereospecific. A discontinuity exists between the importance of this class of fluorocyclization and the activation modes currently available to implement successful catalysis. Progress toward fluorocyclization has been achieved by investing in neutral and cationic [NF] reagent development. The body of work on asymmetric fluorination using chiral cationic [NF](+) reagents prepared by fluorine transfer from the dicationic [NF](2+) reagent Selectfluor to quinuclidines, inspired the development of asymmetric F(+)-induced fluorocyclizations catalyzed by cinchona alkaloids; for catalysis, the use of N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide, which is less reactive than Selectfluor, ensures that the achiral F(+) source remains unreactive toward the alkene. These organocatalyzed enantioselective fluorocyclizations can be applied to indoles to install the fluorine on a quaternary benzylic stereogenic carbon center and to afford fluorinated analogues of natural products featuring the hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole or the tetrahydro-2H-furo[2,3-b]indole skeleton. In an alternative approach, the poor solubility of dicationic Selectfluor bis(tetrafluoroborate) in nonpolar solvent was exploited with anionic phase transfer catalysis as the operating activation mode. Exchange of the tetrafluoroborate ions of Selectfluor with bulky lipophilic chiral anions (e.g., TRIP and derivatives) brings into solution the resulting chiral Selectfluor reagent, now capable of asymmetric fluorocyclization. This strategy is best applied to a subset of substrates bearing a nucleophilic pendent group (benzamide is best) capable of hydrogen bonding for association with the chiral phosphate catalyst. These contributions focused on fluoroheterocyclization involving either O- or N-nucleophiles. As for other halocyclizations, alkenes armed with π C-nucleophiles represent the most demanding class of substrates for asymmetric F(+)-induced electrophilic fluorination-cyclization. Successful implementation required the design of new chiral Selectfluor reagents featuring stereogenicity on the DABCO core. These reagents, accessible from chiral vicinal diamines, allowed the synthesis of unusual chiral fluorine-containing tetracyclic compounds, some composed of carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine exclusively. The challenges associated with F(+)-induced fluorocarbocyclizations prompted methodologists to consider chemistry where the Csp(3)-F bond formation event follows a catalyst-controlled cyclization. An exciting development built on in the area of transition metal π-cyclization of polyenes leading to cationic metal-alkyl intermediates. When intercepted by oxidative fluorodemetalation with a F(+) source, the resulting products are complex polycyclic structures emerging from an overall catalytic cascade fluorocarbocyclization. Complementing F(+)-based reactions, examples of fluorocyclizations with fluoride in the presence of an oxidant were reported. Despite some exciting developments, the field of asymmetric fluorocyclizations is in its infancy and undoubtedly requires new activation modes, catalysts, as well as F(+) and F(-) reagents to progress into general retrosynthetic approach toward enantioenriched fluorocycles. Numerous opportunities emerge, not least the use of a latent fluorine source as a means to minimize background fluorination.

A cation-directed two-component cascade approach to enantioenriched pyrroloindolines.

A cascade approach to complex pyrroloindolines bearing all-carbon quaternary stereocentres has been developed. This two-component process uses a chiral ammonium salt to control diastereo- and enantioselectivity in the addition of isocyanides to functionalized alkenes to afford pyrroloindolines with up to three stereocentres. A mechanistic proposal involving intramolecular hydrogen bond activation of the isocyanide is described.