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The catalytic reduction of nitrate by molybdo-enzymes plays a central role in the global biological cycle of nitrogen. However, the use of nitrates as oxidants in synthetic organic chemistry is very limited and typically requires very strong acidic and other extreme reaction conditions. We have developed a highly chemoselective and efficient catalytic process for the sulfoxidation of thioethers and arylthioethers containing boronic acid or boronic ester functional groups, using nitrate salts as oxidants. This homogeneous catalytic reaction was carried out in acetonitrile, where die MoO2Cl2(OPPh3)2 complex 1 or a mixture of complex 1 with Cu(NO3)2 were used as catalysts. We examined the reaction mechanism using ¹H, 15N, and 31P NMR techniques and 18O-labeled sodium nitrate (NaN18 O3) and show that the thioethers are oxidized by nitrate, generating nitrite. Our work adds to the existing chemical transformations available for organoboron compounds, providing straightforward accessibility to a variety of new substrates that could be suitable for Suzuki cross-coupling chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Approximately 80–90% of prostate cancers are androgen dependent at initial diagnosis. The androgen receptor (AR) is present in most advanced prostate cancer specimens and is believed to have a critical role in its development. Today, treatment of prostate cancer is done by inhibition of AR using antiandrogens such as flutamide (pro-drug of hydroxyflutamide), nilutamide, and bicalutamide. However, there is currently no noninvasive imaging modalities to detect, guide, and monitor specific treatment of AR-positive prostate cancer. (R)-3-Bromo-N-(4-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-2-methyl-propanamide [ 18 F]-1 and N-(4-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamide [ 18 F]-2, derivatives of hydroxyflutamide, were synthesized as a fluorine-containing imaging agent candidates. A three-step fluorine-18 radiosynthesis route was developed, and the compounds were successfully labeled with a 10±3% decay corrected radiochemical yield, 95% radiochemical purity, and a specific activity of 1500±200Ci/mmol end of bombardment (n =10). These labeled biprobes not only may enable for the future quantitative molecular imaging of AR-positive prostate cancer using positron emission tomography but may also allow for image-guided treatment of prostate cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The development of a new platform for the direct and selective detection of nitrates is described. Two thioether-based chemosensors and the corresponding sulfoxides and sulfones were prepared, and their photophysical properties were evaluated. Upon selective sulfoxidation of these thioethers with nitrates via an oxygen-transfer reaction promoted by a bioinspired Mo-Cu system, significant fluorescence shifts were measured. A selective response of these systems, discriminating between nitrate salts and H(2)O(2), was also shown., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

Androgen receptors are present in most advanced prostate cancer specimens, having a critical role in development of this type of cancer. For correct prognosis of patient conditions and treatment monitoring, noninvasive imaging techniques have great advantages over surgical procedures. We developed synthetic methodologies for preparation of novel androgen receptor-targeting agents in an attempt to build a versatile platform for prostate cancer imaging and treatment. The structure of these compounds comprises of a lanthanoid metal ion, gadolinium-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (Gd-DOTA)-based binding fragment and, connected to it by a flexible linker, bicalutamide-derived nonsteroidal antiandrogen moiety. A representative gadolinium complex 15 was evaluated as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent in C57/bl6 male mouse bearing orthotopic TRAMP C2 prostate tumor.