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A method for the synthesis of γ‐amino sulfones through visible light‐induced oxidative decarboxylation and radical reductive addition is described. Various readily available N‐protected natural amino acids react with aromatic/aliphatic vinyl sulfones to directly produce γ‐amino sulfone derivatives. This reaction is also applicable to α‐N(O)‐acids and other aliphatic carboxylic acids, resulting in the corresponding sulfone derivatives. The method operates without the need for sacrificial reducing agents or additional hydrogen atom donors. The sole by‐product is CO2 released from decarboxylation, rendering the process both atom‐ and step‐economical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimized syntheses of (E)-5-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-N-(3-(methylsulfonyl)allyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (RA-0002034, 1), a promising antiviral covalent cysteine protease inhibitor lead, were developed. The syntheses avoid the contamination of 1 with the inactive cyclic dihydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-4(5H)-one 2, which is formed by the intramolecular aza-Michael reaction of the vinyl sulfone warhead under basic conditions and slowly at pH 7.4 in phosphate buffer. The pure cysteine protease inhibitor 1 could be synthesized using either modified amide coupling conditions or through the introduction of a MOM-protecting group and was stable as a TFA or HCl salt. Although acyclic 1 demonstrated poor pharmacokinetics with high in vivo clearance in mice, inactive cyclic 2 showed improved plasma exposure. The potential use of cyclic dihydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-4(5H)-ones as prodrugs for the acyclic β-amidomethyl vinyl sulfone warhead was demonstrated by GSH capture experiments with an analog of 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photochemical catalyst‐free radical‐based synthesis of vinyl and 1,3‐dienyl sulfones is disclosed. Mechanistic investigations support that the transformations rely on a visible‐light‐promoted activation of a halogen‐bonding complex, which is formed between an alkenyl (or 1,3‐dienyl) bromide and a sodium sulfinate salt. The reactions exhibit a wide functional group tolerance (compatible with heteroatoms, electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating groups), finding application in the structural modification of biologically relevant molecules. Eventually, a continuous flow protocol was developed to upscale these transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive dyes in nylon dyeing have been associated with utilization inefficiencies despite their high color fastness. A potential solution to this issue involves combining the benefits of reactive dyes and milling acid dyes to obtain low-water-soluble reactive dyes (LWSRDs), which can stain and fix to nylon fibers under neutral conditions. To identify a suitable functional group for LWSRDs, six model dyes comprising one vinyl sulfone and five monochloro- s -triazines were prepared and reacted with glycine or hydrolyzed to simulate the fixation progress on nylon fibers. The results show that vinyl sulfone exhibited sufficient reactivity with glycine, and ∼3% hydrolysis over 90 min. Consequently, vinyl sulfone was considered a superior functional group for LWSRDs. Based on these results, four LWSRDs with monofunctional groups were synthesized and used for dyeing nylon 6 microfibers. Notably, these dyes exhibited fixation of >91% and demonstrated exceptional color fastness against washing and rubbing, exceeding grade 4. These results underscore the potential of LWSRDs as highly efficient and effective dyes for nylon, offering a solution to the limitations associated with conventional dyeing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimized syntheses of (E)-5-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-N-(3-(methylsulfonyl)allyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (RA-0002034, 1), a promising antiviral covalent cysteine protease inhibitor lead, were developed. The syntheses avoid the contamination of 1 with the inactive cyclic dihydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-4(5H)-one 2, which is formed by the intramolecular aza-Michael reaction of the vinyl sulfone warhead under basic conditions and slowly at pH 7.4 in phosphate buffer. The pure cysteine protease inhibitor 1 could be synthesized using either modified amide coupling conditions or through the introduction of a MOM-protecting group and was stable as a TFA or HCl salt. Although acyclic 1 demonstrated poor pharmacokinetics with high in vivo clearance in mice, inactive cyclic 2 showed improved plasma exposure. The potential use of cyclic dihydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-4(5H)-ones as prodrugs for the acyclic β-amidomethyl vinyl sulfone warhead was demonstrated by GSH capture experiments with an analog of 2.

Influenza is a global health concern with millions of infections occurring yearly. Seasonal flu vaccines are one way to combat this virus; however, they are poorly protective against influenza as the virus is constantly mutating, particularly at the immunodominant hemagglutinin (HA) head group. A more broadly acting approach involves Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigen (COBRA). COBRA HA generates a broad immune response that is capable of protecting against mutating strains. Unfortunately, protein-based vaccines are often weekly immunogenic, so to help boost the immune response, we employed the use of acetalated dextran (Ace-DEX) microparticles (MPs) two ways: one to conjugate COBRA HA to the surface and a second to encapsulate cGAMP. To conjugate the COBRA HA to the surface of the Ace-DEX MPs, a poly(L-lactide)-polyethylene glycol co-polymer with a vinyl sulfone terminal group (PLLA-PEG-VS) was used. MPs encapsulating the STING agonist cGAMP were co-delivered with the antigen to form a broadly active influenza vaccine. This vaccine approach was evaluated in vivo with a prime-boost-boost vaccination schedule and illustrated generation of a humoral and cellular response that could protect against a lethal challenge of A/California/07/2009 in BALB/c mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • EDA-involved radical reaction toward vinyl sulfones. • Visible-light-induced hydrosulfonylation of alkynes. • DIPEA served as both electron donor and hydrogen donor. • Metal-free conditions. The method toward the vinyl sulfones has been realized by visible-light-induced hydrosulfonylation of alkynes via an EDA process. DIPEA was used as both electron donor for EDA complex and hydrogen donor for hydrogen atom transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is responsible for the most endemic alphavirus infections called Chikungunya. The endemicity of Chikungunya has increased over the past two decades, and it is a pathogen with pandemic potential. There is currently no approved direct-acting antiviral to treat the disease. As part of our antiviral drug discovery program focused on alphaviruses and the non-structural protein 2 protease, we discovered that J12 and J13 can inhibit CHIKV nsP2 protease and block the replication of CHIKV in cell cultures. Both compounds are metabolically stable to human liver microsomal and S9 enzymes. J13 has excellent oral bioavailability in pharmacokinetics studies in mice and ameliorated Chikungunya symptoms in preliminary efficacy studies in mice. J13 exhibited an excellent safety profile in in vitro safety pharmacology and off-target screening assays, making J13 and its analogs good candidates for drug development against Chikungunya. [Display omitted] • NsP2 protease inhibitors with antiviral activity were investigated in this work. • Vinyl sulfone-based inhibitors were discovered to be active against Chikungunya virus. • The drug lead J13 has excellent oral bioavailability and off-target selectivity. • The drug lead, J13 , showed promising in vivo efficacy in mouse models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the mechanical forces associated with bowel movement and colonic mucosal physiology is understudied. This is partly due to the limited availability of physiologically relevant fecal models that can exert these mechanical stimuli in in vitro colon models in a simple-to-implement manner. In this report, we created a mucus-coated fecal surrogate that was magnetically propelled to produce a controllable sweeping mechanical stimulation on primary intestinal epithelial cell monolayers. The mucus layer was derived from purified porcine stomach mucins, which were first modified with reactive vinyl sulfone (VS) groups followed by reaction with a thiol crosslinker (PEG-4SH) via a Michael addition click reaction. Formation of mucus hydrogel network was achieved at the optimal mixing ratio at 2.5 % w/v mucin-VS and 0.5 % w/v PEG-4SH. The artificial mucus layer possessed similar properties as the native mucus in terms of its storage modulus (66 Pa) and barrier function (resistance to penetration by 1-μm microbeads). This soft, but mechanically resilient mucus layer was covalently linked to a stiff fecal hydrogel surrogate (based on agarose and magnetic particles, with a storage modulus of 4600 Pa). The covalent bonding between the mucus and agarose ensured its stability in the subsequent fecal sliding movement when tested at travel distances as long as 203 m. The mucus layer served as a lubricant and protected epithelial cells from the moving fecal surrogate over a 1 h time without cell damage. To demonstrate its utility, this mucus-coated fecal surrogate was used to mechanically stimulate a fully differentiated, in vitro primary colon epithelium, and the physiological stimulated response of mucin-2 (MUC2), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and serotonin (5HT) secretion was quantified. Compared with a static control, mechanical stimulation caused a significant increase in MUC2 secretion into luminal compartment (6.4 ×), a small but significant increase in IL-8 secretion (2.5 × and 3.5 × , at both luminal and basal compartments, respectively), and no detectable alteration in 5HT secretion. This mucus-coated fecal surrogate is expected to be useful in in vitro colon organ-on-chips and microphysiological systems to facilitate the investigation of feces-induced mechanical stimulation on intestinal physiology and pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, fluorescent reactive dyes have limited color shades and brilliance; thus, they are a group of colorants in the textile industry for dyeing of cotton fabric with high demand. This research has designed and synthesized two novel fluorescent reactive dyes based on fluorescein. In this respect, 4,4′-diaminostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid and 4-aminophenyl-4-β-hydroxyl ethyl sulfone sulfate ester reacted with the cyanuric chloride, separately. Then those were reacted with fluorescein and obtained two reactive dyes D1 with dual-emission wavelength and D2 with an emission spectrum. The characterizations of two dyes were carried out using the TLC, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, FTIR, elemental analysis, Ultra-violet spectra, and Fluorimeter techniques. The absorption and emission parameters of dyes in solutions were obtained. The result indicated that the parameters of D1 were more than D2. The results showed that two dyes had a positive solvatochromism effect. The synthesized dyes were applied on cotton fabric, and their color characteristics, fixation and exhaustion percentage were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved diaminomethylenemalononitrile organocatalyst, bearing a N,N‐disubstituted structure, promoted enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of α‐branched aldehydes with vinyl sulfone, affording adducts with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee). Mechanistic studies revealed that the diaminomethylenemalononitrile motif holds the vinyl sulfone substrate using a single hydrogen bond accompanied by multiple weak interactions, including electrostatic C−H⋅⋅⋅O interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly selective synthesis of (Z)-1-bromo-1-sulfonyl alkenes via Cs2 CO3-promoted sulfonylation of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes with sodium sulfinates is described. Notably, using excess amounts of Cs2 CO3 and sodium sulfinate in such a reaction regenerated the parent aldehyde. Interestingly, the reaction of 1-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2-nitrobenzene in the presence of sulfinates and Cs2 CO3 produced isatin. The Sonogashira cross coupling of synthesized (Z)-1-bromo-1-sulfonyl alkenes with phenylacetylene gave selectively the corresponding sulfonylalkynyl alkenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microfluidic paper-based analytical device integrating carbon dot (CDs) is fabricated and used for a fluorometric off-on assay of biothiols. Vinyl sulfone (VS) click immobilization of carbon dots (CDs) on paper was accomplished by a one-pot simplified protocol that uses divinyl sulfone (DVS) as a homobifunctional reagent. This reagent mediated both the click oxa-Michael addition to the hydroxyl groups of cellulose and ulterior covalent grafting of the resulting VS paper to NH2-functionalized CDs by means of click aza-Michael addition. The resulting cellulose nanocomposite was used to engineer an inexpensive and robust microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) that is used for a reaction-based off-on fluorometric assay of biothiols (GSH, Cys, and Hcy). The intrinsic blue fluorescence of CDs (with excitation/emission maxima at 365/450 nm) is turned off via the heavy atom effect of an introduced iodo group. Fluorescence is turned on again due to the displacement of iodine by reaction with a biothiol. The increase in fluorescence is related to the concentration over a wide range (1 to 200 μM for GSH and 5–200 μM for Cys and Hcy, respectively), and the assay exhibits a low detection limit (0.3 μM for GSH and Cys and 0.4 μM for Hcy). The method allows for rapid screening and can also be used in combination with a digital camera readout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of 2-bromoethanesulfonyl bromide to 1-bromotricyclo[4.1.0.02,7]heptane at the C1–C7 central bicyclobutane bond follows a radical mechanism to give 1:1 adduct with a bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane structure. Treatment of the adduct with triethylamine leads to the formation of vinyl sulfone as a result of 1,2-dehydrobromination, and its reaction with 2 equiv of sodium methoxide involves 1,2- and 1,3-dehydrobromination to afford 7-bromo-1-(ethenesulfonyl)tricyclo[4.1.0.02,7]heptane. The latter is capable of reacting with sodium methoxide and sodium methanesulfonate to form nucleophilic addition products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and rhodesiense, is a parasitic disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Untreated cases of HAT can be severely debilitating and fatal. Although the number of reported cases has decreased progressively over the last decade, the number of effective and easily administered medications is very limited. In this work, we report the antitrypanosomal activity of a series of potent compounds. A subset of molecules in the series are highly selective for trypanosomes and are metabolically stable. One of the compounds, (E)- N -(4-(methylamino)-4-oxobut-2-en-1-yl)-5-nitrothiophene-2-carboxamide (10), selectively inhibited the growth of T. b. brucei, T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense, have excellent oral bioavailability and was effective in treating acute infection of HAT in mouse models. Based on its excellent bioavailability, compound 10 and its analogs are candidates for lead optimization and pre-clinical investigations. [Display omitted] • New antitrypanosomal agents were investigated in this work. • A multiparameter optimization of bioactivity led to drug lead candidate 10. • The drug lead has excellent oral bioavailability. • The drug lead (10) has in vivo efficacy in mouse models of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (mSOD1) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involves injury to motor neurons (MNs), activation of glial cells and immune unbalance. However, neuroinflammation, besides its detrimental effects, also plays beneficial roles in ALS pathophysiology. Therefore, the targeting of microglia to modulate the release of inflammatory neurotoxic mediators and their exosomal dissemination, while strengthening cell neuroprotective properties, has gained growing interest. We used the N9 microglia cell line to identify phenotype diversity upon the overexpression of wild-type (WT; hSOD1WT) and mutated G93A (hSOD1G93A) protein. To investigate how each transduced cell respond to an inflammatory stimulus, N9 microglia were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA) and dipeptidyl vinyl sulfone (VS), known to exert neuroprotective properties, were tested for their immunoregulatory properties. Reduced Fizz1, IL-10 and TLR4 mRNAs were observed in both transduced cells. However, in contrast with hSOD1WT-induced decreased of inflammatory markers, microglia transduced with hSOD1G93A showed upregulation of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α/IL-1β/HMGB1/S100B/iNOS) and membrane receptors (MFG-E8/RAGE). Importantly, their derived exosomes were enriched in HMGB1 and SOD1. When inflammatory-associated miRNAs were evaluated, increased miR-146a in cells with overexpressed hSOD1WT was not recapitulated in their exosomes, whereas hSOD1G93A triggered elevated exosomal miR-155/miR-146a, but no changes in cells. LPS stimulus increased M1/M2 associated markers in the naïve microglia, including MFG-E8, miR-155 and miR-146a, whose expression was decreased in both hSOD1WT and hSOD1G93A cells treated with LPS. Treatment with GUDCA or VS led to a decrease of TNF-α, IL-1β, HMGB1, S100B and miR-155 in hSOD1G93A microglia. Only GUDCA was able to increase cellular IL-10, RAGE and TLR4, together with miR-21, while decreased exosomal miR-155 cargo. Conversely, VS reduced MMP-2/MMP-9 activation, as well as upregulated MFG-E8 and miR-146a, while producing miR-21 shuttling into exosomes. The current study supports the powerful role of overexpressed hSOD1WT in attenuating M1/M2 activation, and that of hSOD1G93A in switching microglia from the steady state into a reactive phenotype with low responsiveness to stimuli. This work further reveals GUDCA and VS as promising modulators of microglia immune response by eliciting common and compound-specific molecular mechanisms that may promote neuroregeneration.

Introduction: Vinyl sulfones are a special sulfur-containing structural unit that have attracted considerable attention, owing to their important role in serving as key structural motifs of various biologically active compounds as well as serving as versatile building blocks for organic transformations. The synthetic strategy of vinyl sulfone derivatives has been substantially upgraded over the past 30 years, and the wide application of this functional group in drug design and discovery has been promoted., Area Covered: In this review, the authors review the application of vinyl sulfones in drug discovery and select optimized compounds which might have significant impact or potential inspiration for drug design., Expert Opinion: Vinyl sulfones have been reported to target various macromolecular targets via non-covalent or covalent interactions, including multiple kinases, tubulin, cysteine protease, transcription factor, and so on. Thus, it has been significantly applied as a privileged scaffold in the design of anticancer, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agents. However, much work remains to be done to improve the drug-like properties, such as chemical and metabolic stability, ADME, and toxicity. Besides, the chemical space of vinyl sulfones needs to be expanded, including but not limited to the design of constrained endocyclic and exocyclic vinyl sulfones.

Accumulation of mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (mSOD1) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involves injury to motor neurons (MNs), activation of glial cells and immune unbalance. However, neuroinflammation, besides its detrimental effects, also plays beneficial roles in ALS pathophysiology. Therefore, the targeting of microglia to modulate the release of inflammatory neurotoxic mediators and their exosomal dissemination, while strengthening cell neuroprotective properties, has gained growing interest. We used the N9 microglia cell line to identify phenotype diversity upon the overexpression of wild-type (WT; hSOD1WT) and mutated G93A (hSOD1G93A) protein. To investigate how each transduced cell respond to an inflammatory stimulus, N9 microglia were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA) and dipeptidyl vinyl sulfone (VS), known to exert neuroprotective properties, were tested for their immunoregulatory properties. Reduced Fizz1, IL-10 and TLR4 mRNAs were observed in both transduced cells. However, in contrast with hSOD1WT-induced decreased of inflammatory markers, microglia transduced with hSOD1G93A showed upregulation of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α/IL-1β/HMGB1/S100B/iNOS) and membrane receptors (MFG-E8/RAGE). Importantly, their derived exosomes were enriched in HMGB1 and SOD1. When inflammatory-associated miRNAs were evaluated, increased miR-146a in cells with overexpressed hSOD1WT was not recapitulated in their exosomes, whereas hSOD1G93A triggered elevated exosomal miR-155/miR-146a, but no changes in cells. LPS stimulus increased M1/M2 associated markers in the naïve microglia, including MFG-E8, miR-155 and miR-146a, whose expression was decreased in both hSOD1WT and hSOD1G93A cells treated with LPS. Treatment with GUDCA or VS led to a decrease of TNF-α, IL-1β, HMGB1, S100B and miR-155 in hSOD1G93A microglia. Only GUDCA was able to increase cellular IL-10, RAGE and TLR4, together with miR-21, while decreased exosomal miR-155 cargo. Conversely, VS reduced MMP-2/MMP-9 activation, as well as upregulated MFG-E8 and miR-146a, while producing miR-21 shuttling into exosomes. The current study supports the powerful role of overexpressed hSOD1WT in attenuating M1/M2 activation, and that of hSOD1G93A in switching microglia from the steady state into a reactive phenotype with low responsiveness to stimuli. This work further reveals GUDCA and VS as promising modulators of microglia immune response by eliciting common and compound-specific molecular mechanisms that may promote neuroregeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Indole moiety has been incorporated into the structure of compound 4. • All target compounds were subjected to Osiris calculations. • 7f showed the most potent in vitro anti-proliferative activity. • 7f was identified as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor with potent vascular disrupting activity. • 7f exhibited tumor growth inhibition in H22 liver cancer xenograft mouse model. Abstract Twenty-two novel indole-vinyl sulfone derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as tubulin polymerization inhibitors. The physicochemical and drug-likeness properties of all target compounds were predicted by Osiris calculations. All compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities, among them, compound 7f exhibited the most potent activity against a panel of cancer cell lines, which was 2–7 folds more potent than our previously reported compound 4. Especially, 7f displayed about 8-fold improvement of selective index as compared with compound 4 , indicating that 7f might have lower toxicity. Besides, 7f inhibited the microtubule polymerization by binding to the colchicine site of tubulin. Further investigations showed that compound 7f effectively disrupted microtubule network, caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and induced cell apoptosis in K562 cells. Moreover, 7f reduced the cell migration and disrupted capillary-like tube formation in HUVEC cells. Importantly, the in vivo anti-tumor activity of 7f was validated in H22 liver cancer xenograft mouse model without apparent toxicity, suggesting that 7f is a promising anti-tubulin agent for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: DNA amplification of Cysteine protease of Leishmania donovani and study the interaction of cysteine protease inhibitors, antileishmanial compounds with cysteine protease receptor in various computational programs. Materials and methods: Cysteine protease DNA of Leishmania donovani was amplified by PCR. The sequence of cysteine protease has been modeled and docked with suitable inhibitors by using various servers and computational tools. The model was designed, compared and validated by DOPE and Verify 3D scores. The model and the compound interaction were studied by LibDock and other programs. Results: Cysteine protease DNA of Leishmania donovani was successfully amplified by PCR. The structural modeling was done to achieve effective enzyme inhibition, inhibitors block the binding sites of that protein. Homology modeling of cysteine protease has been done and docked with suitable inhibitors by using various servers and computational tools. The model was designed, compared and validated by DOPE and Verify 3D scores by using DSv3.5. Licochalcone-a alone showed 37 LibDock conformations with 6 different poses, were suitably docked at the site 1 with hydrogen bond formation. The study would help to design the novel drugs in respect of resistant one for the treatment of harmful visceral Leishmaniasis. Conclusion: The molecular interaction of vinyl sulfones, hydrazide derivatives, antileishmanial drugs molecules and carbohydrazide derivatives have exhibited ideal molecular interaction with cathepsin B, a cysteine protease of L. donovani, amino acids such as Cys29, Hisl88 and Asn208 has been found to be active residues. Licochalcone-a and hydrazide derivative may become future antileishmanial compounds, which needs to be tested in in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Vinyl sulfone or sulfoxide moieties were firstly introduced to the structure of chalcone compound by replacing the carbonyl group to afford a series of novel compounds as potential anti-tubulin agents. All of the target compounds were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity. Among them, compound 12m showed the most potent activity against a panel of cancer cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 0.128 to 0.606 μ M. Further mechanism studies demonstrated that compound 12m caused G2/M phase arrest, induced cell apoptosis and disrupted the intracellular microtubule network. Moreover, compound 12m reduced the cell migration and disrupted the capillary-like tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) assays. Importantly, compound 12m significantly and dose dependently inhibited tumor growth in H22 liver cancer allograft mouse model, which is more potent than control compound CA-4, suggesting that 12m deserves further research as a potential anti-tubulin agent targeting colchicine binding site on tubulin. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A series of novel vinyl sulfone and sulfoxide derivatives were synthesized. • 12m showed the most potent in vitro anti-proliferative activity. • 12m was identified as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor with potent vascular disrupting activity. • 12m exhibited tumor growth inhibition in H22 liver cancer allograft mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suitably protected carbohydrates were joined together using 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazolylmethylene (1,5-DTM) linkers. The DTM linker was built by the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of a series of sugar azides with vinyl sulfonylmethylene-modified furanose or pyranose under metal free conditions. Three different biodegradable hydroxylammonium based ionic liquids were studied in water as the reaction media. The N,N -dimethyl ethanolammonium formate-water mixture was found to be the best reaction medium because the reaction time was shortened considerably to generate a dozen new 1,5-DTM-linked disaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple sulfonylation strategy involving I2 and thiosulfonates, as sulfonyl‐group precursors, is reported for the synthesis of vinyl sulfones. Sulfonyl radicals are presumed to be generated from thiosulfonates, which subsequently react with styrene or cinnamic acid derivatives to afford a variety of vinyl sulfones under the described reaction conditions. Detailed conditions, the substrate scope, and mechanistic studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,5-Regioisomeric triazole linked disaccharides have been synthesized and screened for their inhibitory properties against ribonuclease A (RNase A). The angular constraint-driven ‘crescent shaped’ inhibitors accommodated themselves into the enzyme active site. An improved enzyme inhibition was observed with increased H-bonding ability of polar functional groups in the modified disaccharides. In this series, introduction of two carboxyl groups in the furanose rings elicited the best result with an inhibition constant of 50 ± 3 µM. This is the first ever report on the use of disaccharides as RNase A inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have reported that chalcone-based compounds exhibit biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Among the published chalcone derivatives, (E)-1-(3-methoxypyridin-2-yl)-3-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (VEDA-1209), which is currently undergoing preclinical study, was selected as a starting compound for the development of new nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activators. Based on our previous knowledge, we attempted to redesign and synthesize VEDA-1209 derivatives by introducing the pyridine ring and sulfone moiety to ameliorate its Nrf2 efficacy and drug-like properties. Among the synthesized compounds, (E)-3-chloro-2-(2-((3-methoxypyridin-2-yl)sulfonyl)vinyl) pyridine (10e) was found to have approximately 16-folds higher Nrf2 activating effects than VEDA-1209 (10e : EC 50 = 37.9 nM vs VEDA-1209: EC 50 = 625 nM) in functional cell-based assay. In addition, 10e effectively improved drug-like properties such as CYP inhibition probability and metabolic stability. Finally, 10e demonstrated excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in BV-2 microglial cells and significantly restored spatial memory deficits in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory mouse models. [Display omitted] • A series of the pyridinyl vinyl sulfones were synthesized based on VEDA-1209. • 10e showed excellent Nrf2 activation efficacy in cell-based assay. • 10e greatly promoted the expression of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant enzymes. • 10e suppressed LPS-stimulated inflammatory responses in BV-2 cells. • 10e ameliorated memory deficit in LPS-induced mice by reducing reactive glial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The S-containing heterocyclic compounds benzothiopyrans or thiochromones stand out as having promising biological activities due to their structural relationship with chromones (benzopyrans), which are widely known as privileged scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. In this work, we report the synthesis of 35 thiochromone derivatives and the in vitro antileishmanial and cytotoxic activities. Compounds were tested against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania panamensis and cytotoxic activity against human monocytes (U-937 ATCC CRL-1593.2). Compounds bearing a vinyl sulfone moiety, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k, 4l and 4m, displayed the highest antileishmanial activity, with EC50 values lower than 10 μM and an index of selectivity over 100 for compounds 4j and 4l. When the double bond or the sulfone moiety was removed, the activity decreased. Our results show that thiochromones bearing a vinyl sulfone moiety are endowed with high antileishmanial activity and low cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dextran is one of the hydrophilic polymers that is used for hydrogel preparation. As any polysaccharide, it presents a high density of hydroxyl groups, which make possible several types of derivatization and crosslinking reactions. Furthermore, dextran is an excellent candidate for hydrogel fabrication with controlled cell/scaffold interactions as it is resistant to protein adsorption and cell adhesion. RGD peptide can be grafted to the dextran in order to promote selected cell adhesion and proliferation. Altogether, we have developed a novel strategy to graft the RGD peptide sequence to dextran-based hydrogel using divinyl sulfone as a linker. The resulting RGD functionalized dextran-based hydrogels were transparent, presented a smooth surface and were easy to handle. The impact of varying RGD peptide amounts, hydrogel porosity and topology upon human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion, proliferation and infiltration was investigated. Our results demonstrated that 0.1% of RGD-modified dextran within the gel was sufficient to support HUVEC cells adhesion to the hydrogel surface. Sodium chloride was added (i) to the original hydrogel mix in order to form a macroporous structure presenting interconnected pores and (ii) to the hydrogel surface to create small orifices essential for cells migration inside the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric conjugate additions of branched aldehydes to vinyl sulfones promoted by sulfonamide organocatalyst 6 or 7 have been developed, allowing facile synthesis of the corresponding adducts with all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields with up to 95% ee.

As one of the most important and frequently used molecular imaging techniques in the clinic, positron emission tomography (PET) features high sensitivity and specificity, which generally involves the use of PET contrast agents. Despite the exceptional promise, the availability of novel PET agents could limit its application and there is a clear need to develop new PET agents to improve our understanding of targets of interest and increase the diagnostic specificity. Based on the fact that amino acid transport and protein anabolism are increased in tumor tissues, a series of 18F-labeled amino acid analog was labeled with 18F by using [18F]fluoro-4-(vinylsulfonyl)benzene as the radionuclide linker. The obtained probes were subjected to in vitro and in vivo evaluation, including stability, cell line transport channel specificity, PET/CT imaging on tumor and inflammation bearing mice, and biodistribution. Our data shows that [18F] 2a had moderate decay corrected labeling yield (>42 %) and high radiochemical purity (>99 %). When tested in vivo, the uptake of [18F] 2a was 1.5 ± 0.2%ID/g in NCI-H1975 tumors and 1.1 ± 0.2%ID/g in inflammatory tissues. In contrast, the values for [18F]FDG were 5.7 ± 0.2%ID/g and 4.8 ± 0.1%ID/g, respectively. The inflammatory lesion-to-muscle contrast is 2.4 for [18F] 2a , which is 3.0 for [18F]FDG. Clearly, [18F] 2a hold the great potential for cancer imaging. Its application in distinguishing tumor from inflammatory lesion would still need to be investigated further. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural amino acids are zwitterionic molecules and the good biocompatibility promises them potential candidates as anti-fouling materials. Here, we developed a new method to functionalize silica nanoparticles with a natural amino acid-based anti-fouling layer. Amino acids were covalently immobilized on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified silica nanoparticles using divinyl sulfone through a two-step reaction in aqueous solution at room temperature. The progress was monitored with NMR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and zeta potential measurements. A library of amino acids was screened and the nonspecific protein adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were investigated using dynamic light scattering method. The results showed that cysteine, lysine and arginine functionalized silica nanoparticles can effectively resist protein adsorption due to the zwitterionic structure. Among them, lysine functionalized silica nanoparticles had the best anti-fouling performance, which showed hydrodynamic diameter increases of only 10% after incubated in BSA solution and 20% after incubated in FBS solution for 24 h. The neat aqueous modification process can conveniently create a thin zwitterionic layer on silica particles, and it has a great potential in biomolecule immobilization and biofunctional surface preparation. Statement of Significance Zwitterionic polymer is an outstanding class of anti-fouling material; but the difficulty in synthesis is challenging its spread utilization. In this study, we developed a new method to create an amino acid-based zwitterionic layer on APTES functionalized silica nanoparticles through a two-step reaction in aqueous solution at room temperature. The surface chemistry was monitored with NMR, XPS, TEM and zeta potential measurements. With this method, a library of amino acid conjugated-silica nanoparticles was synthesized and their anti-fouling performance was evaluated using dynamic light scattering method. The results showed that the cysteine, lysine and arginine conjugated nanoparticles all can effectively resist nonspecific protein adsorption. Among them, lysine conjugated nanoparticles show the best anti-fouling performance, which showed hydrodynamic diameter increases of only 10% after incubated in BSA solution and 20% after incubated in FBS solution for 24 hours. These results indicates that the anti-fouling silica nanoparticles are of great potential in many biomedical applications, especially biosensing and diagnose imaging. The modification reactions in aqueous solution at room temperature are easily conducted in laboratory, indicating high potential in the functionalization of silica particles/surfaces with other biomolecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantiomerically pure 2-substituted-2,5-dihydro-3-(aryl) sulfonyl/sulfinyl furans have been prepared from the easily accessible carbohydrate derivatives. The orientation of the substituents attached at the C-2 position of furans is sufficient to control the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles to the vinyl sulfone/sulfoxide-modified tetrahydrofurans, irrespective of the size of the group. The orientation of the substituents at the C-2 center also suppresses the influence of sulfoxides on the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles. The strategy leads to the creation of appendage diversity, affording a plethora of enantiomerically pure trisubstituted furanics for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal decomposition of 1-tert-butylperoxy-1,2-benziodoxol-3(1H)-one in cyclic ethers and acetals at 50 °C generates α-oxy carbon-centered radicals, which undergo an addition reaction with vinyl sulfones and unsaturated esters.

The S-containing heterocyclic compounds benzothiopyrans or thiochromones stand out as having promising biological activities due to their structural relationship with chromones (benzopyrans), which are widely known as privileged scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. In this work, we report the synthesis of 35 thiochromone derivatives and the in vitro antileishmanial and cytotoxic activities. Compounds were tested against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania panamensis and cytotoxic activity against human monocytes (U-937 ATCC CRL-1593.2). Compounds bearing a vinyl sulfone moiety, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k, 4l and 4m, displayed the highest antileishmanial activity, with EC50 values lower than 10 μM and an index of selectivity over 100 for compounds 4j and 4l. When the double bond or the sulfone moiety was removed, the activity decreased. Our results show that thiochromones bearing a vinyl sulfone moiety are endowed with high antileishmanial activity and low cytotoxicity.

Fast in situ forming thermosensitive hydrogels consisted of vinyl sulfone bearing p(HPMAm-lac 1–2 )-PEG-p(HPMAm-lac 1–2 ) triblock copolymers and thiol modified hyaluronic acid were prepared via a dual cross-linking strategy based on thermal gelation at 37 °C and simultaneous Michael addition cross-linking between vinyl sulfone and thiol moieties. The formation of a chemical network was varied within a time period of 9–60 min by controlling the degree of vinyl sulfone derivatization, the triblock copolymer concentration and the degree of thiolation. The extent of thiol substitution on the polysaccharidic hyaluronan chain markedly affected the physical and mechanical properties, as well as the swelling and degradation behavior of the resulting networks, as confirmed by rheology, water uptake experiments and degradation tests. In addition, the developed hydrogels showed a good cytocompatibility in vitro during a timeframe of 21 days both for mouse bone marrow stromal cell and for NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. The developed hydrogels showed potential as promising injectable biomaterials with tunable gelation kinetics, adjustable mechanical properties, swelling and degradation times. These biomaterials could find application both as a regenerative cell matrix and as controlled drug delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autotaxin (ATX) is an enzyme discovered in the conditioned medium of cultured melanoma cells and identified as a protein that strongly stimulates motility. This unique ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase facilitates the removal of a choline headgroup from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to yield lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is a potent lipid stimulator of tumorigenesis. Thus, ATX has received renewed attention because it has a prominent role in malignant progression with significant translational potential. Specifically, we sought to develop active site-targeted irreversible inhibitors as anti-cancer agents. Herein we describe the synthesis and biological activity of an LPC-mimetic electrophilic affinity label that targets the active site of ATX, which has a critical threonine residue that acts as a nucleophile in the lysophospholipase D reaction to liberate choline. We synthesized a set of quaternary ammonium derivative-containing vinyl sulfone analogs of LPC that function as irreversible inhibitors of ATX and inactivate the enzyme. The analogs were tested in cell viability assays using multiple cancer cell lines. The IC 50 values ranged from 6.74 to 0.39 μM, consistent with a K i of 3.50 μM for inhibition of ATX by the C 16 H 33 vinyl sulfone analog CVS-16 ( 10b ). A phenyl vinyl sulfone control compound, PVS-16, lacking the choline-like quaternary ammonium mimicking head group moiety, had little effect on cell viability and did not inhibit ATX. Most importantly, CVS-16 ( 10b ) significantly inhibited melanoma progression in an in vivo tumor model by preventing angiogenesis. Taken together, this suggests that CVS-16 ( 10b ) is a potent and irreversible ATX inhibitor with significant biological activity both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new mild, high yielding oxidative cleavage method allows access to a critical lactone aplyronine A analog precursor. Enhanced termini selectivity is achieved, granting access to a previously unavailable C28–C34 C-32-desmethyl actin binding tail fragment via vinyl sulfone polypropionate methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first broad catalytic dihydroxylation of enantiopure cyclic vinyl sulfones followed by oxidative cleavage of the resulting acyloin provides linear termini-differentiated polyketide fragments. This mild vinyl sulfone cleavage provides an effective alternative to the current ozonolysis protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general method for synthesis of vinyl sulfoxides, using sulfinyl chlorides and olefins as starting materials and DBU as an HCl scavenger, has been developed. Vinyl sulfoxides were obtained from the ZnCl2 catalysed addition of sulfinyl chlorides to olefins followed by the elimination with DBU. However, the direct reaction of sulfinyl chlorides with olefins in the presence of DBU, usually leads to generation of vinyl sulfones. The sulfonyl radicals generated from the DBU-mediated disproportionation of the sulfinyl radicals undergo addition-elimination reaction with olefins to give vinyl sulfones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantiomerically pure 2-substituted-2,5-dihydro-3-(aryl) sulfonyl/sulfinyl furans have been prepared from the easily accessible carbohydrate derivatives. The orientation of the substituents attached at the C-2 position of furans is sufficient to control the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles to the vinyl sulfone/sulfoxide-modified tetrahydrofurans, irrespective of the size of the group. The orientation of the substituents at the C-2 center also suppresses the influence of sulfoxides on the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles. The strategy leads to the creation of appendage diversity, affording a plethora of enantiomerically pure trisubstituted furanics for the first time.

Abstract: The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of diazomethylsulfone anion, generated in situ from α-diazo-β-ketosulfone, with vinyl sulfone proceeds in a regioselective manner to provide sulfonylpyrazoles. Similar reaction of diazomethylphosphonate anion, derived from Bestmann–Ohira reagent, with vinyl sulfone leads to phosphonylpyrazoles. The sulfonyl group of vinyl sulfone undergoes chemoselective elimination in these reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Enantiomerically pure 2-hydroxymethylene substituted-2,5-dihydro-3-(arylsulfonyl)- and 2-hydroxymethylene substituted-2,5-dihydro-3-(arylsulfinyl)-furans have been prepared from easily accessible carbohydrate derivatives for the first time. The strategy for accessing both these sulfones and sulfoxides is more efficient than the methods reported so far for the synthesis of this type of compounds. Hydroxymethylene group is sufficient to impose diastereoselectivity on the addition of a wide range of nucleophiles to vinyl sulfone-modified tetrahydrofurans. The benzyl protected hydroxymethylene group also suppresses the influence of chirally pure sulfoxides as two diastereomeric vinyl sulfoxide-modified tetrahydrofurans afforded the Michael adducts with same configurations at C-3 and C-4; this has been established by oxidizing the adducts, which were found to be identical to the products obtained by adding the same nucleophiles to the corresponding vinyl sulfones. These highly reactive Michael acceptors may be considered as a new addition to the arsenals of synthetic chemists interested in the functionalization of tetrahydrofurans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diaminomethylenemalononitrile organocatalyst 5 promotes the asymmetric conjugate addition of branched aldehydes to vinyl sulfone to afford the corresponding adducts with all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields with up to 91% ee. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Organocatalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of a-substituted nitrophosphonates to phenyl vinyl sulfone catalyzed by cinchona alkaloid-derived tertiary amine-thioureas afforded a,a- disubstituted nitrophosphonates in very good yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient method for readily preparing 4,5-disubstituted 2 H-1,2,3-triazoles was found. Under ambient conditions, a catalyst free cycloaddition between substituted vinyl sulfones and sodium azide could be completed in a very short time. In this cycloaddition process, sulfonyl group acts as a leaving group, while its ester group was retained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phenyl α-bromovinyl sulfone reacts with glycine ester Schiff bases regioselectively in the presence of catalytic amounts of AgOAc and DBU yielding polysubstituted pyrrolidine cycloadducts. Utilization of excess DBU induces subsequent facile aromatization of the cycloadducts and affords 5-arylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acid esters in 39–85% yields in a single step. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A metal-free, vinyl sulfone-based synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted- 1,2,3-triazoles is reported for the first time. These triazoles are easily formed in a regioselective fashion by heating under reflux a mixture of a substituted vinyl sulfone and an organic azide 'on water'. This powerful and practical route has the potential to be exploited for the synthesis of complex 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3- triazoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Floor-wash from dye finishing plant is a major source of color and wastewater volume for dyes industries. Batch electrocoagulation (EC) of simulated floor-wash containing Reactive Black 5 (RB5) was studied as a possible pretreatment option. More than 90% of initial 25mg/L of RB5 was removed at current densities of 4.5, 6, and 7.5mA/cm2 in the presence of Na2SO4 and NaCl as supporting electrolytes; in less than one hour. Identical k obs (pseudo first-order reaction rate constant) values were obtained at initial pH of 3.74 for both electrolytes. However, at initial pH of 6.6, k obs values decreased in the presence of Na2SO4 and remained same for NaCl as compared to that at pH 3.74. Highest extent of decolorization and k obs values were obtained at initial pH 9.0 for both electrolytes. Under identical conditions, specific energy consumption (SEC) was almost half in the presence of NaCl (∼29kWh/kgRB5) than that of Na2SO4. Vinyl sulfone (VS) was detected as one of the products of EC indicating reduction of azo bonds as a preliminary step of decolorization. Mechanism of decolorization with respect to various experimental conditions was delineated. Generation and accumulation of VS was dependent on initial pH and type of electrolyte. Results of this study revealed that EC in the presence of sodium chloride can be efficiently used as a primary treatment for decolorization of floor-wash containing RB5. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The reaction of cyclobutylmagnesium carbenoids, which were generated from 1-chlorocyclobutyl p-tolyl sulfoxides with EtMgCl via the sulfoxide–magnesium exchange reaction at low temperature, with carbanions derived from vinyl sulfones with n-BuLi or LDA resulted in the formation of allylidenecyclobutanes in moderate to good yields. The actual reactive species of the sulfones in this reaction were proved to be the lithium α-sulfonyl carbanion of allyl sulfones derived from the vinyl sulfones by double bond migration with the bases used. Mono- and di-substituted allylidenecyclobutanes can be obtained by using a variety of vinyl sulfones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this article we describe an expanded structure–activity relationship study for vinyl sulfones as caspase-3 inhibitors, a topic virtually unexplored in the existing literature. Most remarkably, and to our surprise, tripeptidyl vinyl sulfones were not active for caspase-3, opposite to other examples described in literature for peptidyl vinyl sulfones as potent cysteine protease inhibitors of clan CA. Moreover, the caspase-3 inhibitory activity of vinyl sulfones using an in vitro assay was then confirmed using a yeast cell-based assay. The results show that Fmoc-protected vinyl sulfones containing only the Asp moiety are inhibitors of a caspase-3-dependent pathway and the IC50 values obtained in the yeast assay are in the same order of magnitude of that obtained with the caspase-3 inhibitor tetrapeptidyl chloromethyl ketone, Ac-DEVD-CMK. This observation is consistent with appropriate cell permeability properties displayed by the vinyl sulfone inhibitors, as reflected by log P values ranging from 1.1 to 3.4. Overall, these results suggest that vinyl sulfones containing Asp at P1 should be considered for further optimization as caspase inhibitors and modulators of caspase-3-dependent pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]