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A transition-metal-free postmodification of the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienayme (GBB) reaction for the synthesis of spiro[chromene-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin]-3'-imine was discovered. The unusual transformation represents the first example of activation and the reaction of the imidazole carbon atom. In this postcondensational modification, KOt-Bu acts as a base, which, after the isomerization of an alkyne moiety to allene, causes the next unique nucleophilic reaction of the imidazole carbon atom that results in spirocyclic structures. The proposed reaction mechanism was confirmed based on the DFT calculations.

Practical Pd-catalyzed 2-pyridones were designed to achieve chromeno[2,3-b]pyridine-2-ones. The reaction proceeds through domino nucleophilic addition and decarboxylative arylation, respectively. This methodology offers a moderately efficient approach to construct the bioactive, fused-heterocyclic skeletons via selective C-O bond formation and decarboxylative arylation in a single step with high selectivity and good yields.

In this project, a moderately efficient approach to multisubstituted N-(isoquinolin-1-yl)sulfonamide derivatives was illustrated, utilizing ortho-alkynylbenzaldoximes and zwitterionic ketenimine salts in a tandem reaction catalyzed by silver oxide. The oxophilicity of Ag2O, along with its nature as Lewis acid, pave the way for a smooth [3 + 2] cycloaddition between isoquinoline N-oxides and ketenimine species, which is a key step in this reaction. DFT calculation suggests that 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrone and ketenimine proceeds through a selective stepwise mechanism.

A novel copper-catalyzed cycloisomerization of unactivated allene-tethered O-propargyl oximes has been developed for the synthesis of hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]azepin-5(4H)-ones. This one-pot domino reaction proceeds via a [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, a [3 + 2] cycloaddition, and another [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. The methodology offers a practical and straightforward route for the rapid assembly of both ring components of the fused bicyclic motifs from acyclic precursors by simultaneously forming four new bonds (a C═O, a C═N, and two C-C bonds) in a single step.

A sequential post-transformation of Ugi four-component reaction/nucleophilic substitution was developed for the synthesis of spiro-β-lactam-pyrroloquinolines. This method involves the Ugi-4CR of 2-chloro-3-formyl quinolines

This minireview focuses on the recent advances in green synthesis of chromone derivatives which have been published over the last 5–10 years.

β-secretase 1 (BACE1) plays a pivotal role in the pathology of Alzheimer׳s disease via accumulation beta amyloid in the brain. In this context, identifying new scaffolds that block BACE1 is of great importance despite all pharmacokinetic drawbacks that peptide-like structures have. Here, we report a new core structure based on novel unusual amino acids by substituting phenyl amide group in the P1 position and small alkyl groups in the P1′ site that results in the formation of new biological active peptides in micromolar level. Three different scaffolds were designed based on docking studies to efficiently interact with critical Asp32 residue in the active site of BACE1 and incorporated in peptides synthesis by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) methodology to achieve desired compounds in good yield. The inhibitory activity of all synthesized peptides was examined by FRET-based enzymatic assay. The peptide 7 showed the best inhibitory activity with IC50 = 98.14 µM. Results of this investigation revealed that utilizing unusual amino acids as building blocks for the synthesis of peptidomimetics would be an option for the development and optimization of pharmaceutical structures. The inhibition of β-secretase 1 (BACE1) is potentially important approach to treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD). Novel series of peptides coupled to the new unusual amino acids scaffold were investigated as BACE1 inhibitors in this study. The design of these peptides was mostly affected by OM00-3. Based on observations, in good agreement between BACE-1 inhibition assessment and docking methodology, peptide 7 was the most potent compound between all and could be the basis of future studies.

An efficient approach for the synthesis of immobilized copper (triazole-5-yl)methanamine complexes onto MCM-41 (Cu@TZMA@MCM-41), as a novel recyclable nanocatalyst, is described. This nanocatalyst was used for the synthesis of pyridine-containing pseudopeptides through a sequential Ugi/nucleophilic addition/1,5-enyne cyclization reaction and elicited good-to-excellent yields. The nanocatalyst was fully characterized by SEM, EDS, TEM, BET, ICP-OES, TGA, and XRD techniques. Furthermore, the catalyst was recovered by simple filtration and could be used for at least 5 cycles without significant loss of activity.

Timely detection of amyloid aggregations has a critical role in the treatment of degenerative nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and systemic amyloidosis. Thioflavin T (ThT) is a dye considered for the detection of amyloids. However, ThT cannot cross the blood–barrier barrier due to positive charge and low lipophilicity. In the present study, a variety of 2-benzylidene-1,3-indandione derivatives 5a–5j were synthesized as neutral fluorescence probe candidates for identification of amyloid. Among these compounds, only compound 2-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1,3-indandione 5a was selected for further examination, because its fluorescence intensity showed the significant increasing upon interaction with amyloid aggregates. The compound 5a was compared to standard and conventional probe such as ThT. The compound 5a was excited at its specified wavelength, and the fluorescence emission signal was recorded in the presence of different concentrations of the protein/peptide (amyloid aggregated and native protein). According to the obtained results, it can be seen that 2-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1,3-indandione 5a selectively and specifically bind to amyloid fibrils, such as ThT. Due to the neutrality of electrical charge and high lipophilicity coefficient of the synthesized compound 5a, it is possible for it to cross from the blood–brain barrier. Our results show that this synthetic derivative can be considered as a suitable probe to detect in vitro amyloid aggregations.

Bis(imidazolium) chlorides based on 1,2-phenylenediamine were introduced as efficient ligand precursors in the Pd-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reactions of substituted aryl halides with activated alkenes to afford the corresponding functionalized alkenes. While high to excellent yields (78–96%) were obtained with aryl bromides, moderate yields (51–59%) were achieved for aryl chlorides in this protocol.

An efficient approach for the synthesis of pyrazolopyridines containing the aminochromane motif through a base-catalyzed cyclization reaction is reported. The synthesis was carried out through a three-component reaction of (arylhydrazono)methyl-4H-chromen-4-one, malononitrile, primary amines in the presence of Et3N at room temperature. However, carrying out the reaction under the same conditions without base led to a fused chromanyl-cyanopyridine. High selectivity, high atom economy, and good to high yields in addition to mild reaction conditions are the advantages of this approach.

Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides represent the most outstanding recognition motif involved in cell adhesion that binds to the αv β3 integrin, which has been targeted for cancer therapy. Various RGD-containing peptides and peptidomimetics have been designed and synthesized to selectively inhibit this integrin. In this study, the synthesis of RGD-based peptides through the incorporation of the short bioactive peptide Phe-Ala-Lys-Leu-Phe (FAKLF) at the C and N termini of RGD has been achieved by using a solid-phase peptide synthesis approach. The peptides were purified by means of preparative RP-HPLC and their structures were confirmed through HRMS (ESI). The MTT assay revealed that the RGD and FAKLF peptides inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 3000 and 500 ng mL-1 , respectively. Interestingly, a drastic improvement was observed in the antiproliferative activity of the combined structures of the FAKLFRGD and RGDFAKLF peptides, leading to IC50 values of 200 and 136.7 ng mL-1 , respectively. Meanwhile, based on apoptosis results, the potential of peptides to induce apoptosis, in accordance with their antiproliferative activity, indicated that the RGD and FAKLF peptides, and the peptides synthesized based on their combinations induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner followed by inhibition of the proliferation of endothelial cells. Moreover, the incorporation of d-leucine increased the induction of apoptosis by these peptides.

A highly efficient and stable novel class of allenic-Ugi products through a Crabbé homologation reaction is successfully demonstrated. Then, a regio- and chemo-selective cyclization of allenic-Ugi derivatives in a 5-exo-dig fashion to access 3-pyrroline skeletons is developed. Also, computational studies were performed and explained to provide insights into the reaction mechanism. This approach displays high bond-forming efficiency and atom economy with high yields.

A new dual-responsive chiral cystine based chemosensor, Cys(cou)2, has been designed and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR, UV–vis as well as elemental analysis. This sensor exhibited an excellent response towards Fe3+ and CN− with high selectivity and sensitivity by fluorescence turn-off mechanism. The binding mode of Cys(cou)2 with Fe3+, and CN− was confirmed by ESI-MS, 1H NMR, and fluorescence titration and also quantum chemical calculation. These results showed that the stoichiometric ratio of Cys(cou)2-Fe3+ and Cys(cou)2-CN is 1:1 and 1:3 in DMSO/Tris aqueous buffer (1:1, v/v), respectively. The linear relationship of the Stern-Volmer plot illustrates the static quenching mechanism at different concentrations. The detection limit (LOD) and binding constant (Ka) for Fe3+ and CN− are 0.029 μM, 1.28 × 104 and 0.51 μM, 9.94 × 106, respectively. Moreover, Cys(cou)2 can act as a colorimetric sensor for CN− in DMSO with the color change from colorless to yellow.

Curcumin is a natural product with multiple biological activities and numerous potential therapeutic applications. In present study, the influence of curcumin and its degradation products (DPs) on the amyloid aggregation of Tau protein and the related PHF6 peptide were investigated. We provided experimental/theoretical evidence for suppressing effects of the compounds on the amyloid formation using far-UV CD as well as AFM, XRD and docking techniques and showed that the parent curcumin displayed stronger inhibition effect against Tau fibril aggregation. The obtained results suggest that the curcumin/DPs binding sites on the Tau molecule are likely to be the same, and provide a good structural basis to explain the efficient aggregation suppressing behavior of the curcumin, compared to the DPs. So, developing more stable curcumin nanoparticle formulations with improved curcumin bioavailability are of great importance. Curcumin's multi-functionality is also highly significant for the therapeutic application of this natural compound against various human diseases.

An efficient strategy has been developed for the synthesis of indole derivatives containing the tetrazole moiety using a AuCl3-catalyzed cyclization reaction. The precursors of the cycloadduct were easily prepared by an Ugi-azide 4-CR in methanol at room temperature. The merit of this protocol lies in its operational simplicity, readily available starting materials, high yields of product, and good functional group tolerance.

An efficient metal-free approach for the synthesis of N-coumaryl amino acids and the first one-step synthesis of 4-hydrazinocoumarin from 4-hydroxycoumarin was developed. The nucleophilic addition of amino acid methyl esters to 4-tosylcoumarins produced a series of 4-N-α-coumaryl amino acids in good to excellent yields without racemization. The antioxidant activities of the synthesized compounds were investigated using DPPH and FRAP methods. 4-Hydrazinocoumarin and N-coumaryl tyrosine had the best antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activities of the compounds against Gram-positive was stronger than Gram-negative. 4-Hydrazinocoumarin showed the best antibacterial effect.

4,4′-bipyridinium sulfonic acid chloride {[SO3H-4,4′-bipyridine-SO3H]Cl2}, as a new solid acid, was synthesized and fully characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), 1H NMR and 13C NMR as well as mass spectra. [SO3H-4,4′-bipyridine-SO3H]Cl2 was successfully applied as a new and efficient catalyst for the preparation of amidoalkyl phenols and bis amidoalkyl phenols as a new category of compounds at 110 °C under solvent-free conditions.

Background: Somatic ACE is a two-domain protein, C and N which are resulted from gene duplication. Presence of two active sites with particular properties, demonstrates functional significance of each domain. Increased levels of circulating N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), could be the result of ACE N-domain selective inhibition. Moreover, ACE C-domain specific inhibitors are able to inactivate bradykinin and inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in order to regulate blood pressure as well as reduced side effect profiles. Methods: The present study was designed to determine ACE domain specificity of the novel ACE inhibitor, onopordia which was recently isolated from Onopordon acanthium L. The ACE inhibition activity was determined using Abz-SDK (Dnp)P-OH and Abz-LFK(Dnp)-OH as ACE domain selective substrates. IC50 values of onopordia determined and compared with those of captopril as the standard. Results: IC50 values of onopordia for ACE N and C- domains were 180 µM and 244 µM respectively which demonstrated approximately similar affinity of the mentioned compound to ACE C and N-domains. A pharmacophore model was further generated based on onopordia interactions with the relevant ACE domain active sites. Conclusion: According to onopordia interactions in the ACE C and N-domain active sits, it is a potential to generate more potent and also specific inhibitor based on this new scaffold by doing accurate adjustments. Therefore, this study provides the molecular basis for further designing ACE inhibitors, which are new therapeutics in combating tissue fibrosis diseases.

Recent studies have reported the potential of pyrano-pyridine compounds in inhibiting cell growth and apoptosis induction in cancer cells. Here, we investigated the effect of new pyrano-pyridine derivatives on proliferation, oxidative damages, and apoptosis in K562 leukemia cells. Among different tested compounds, we found 8-(4-chlorobenzylidene)-2-amino-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydro-6-phenethyl-4H-pyrano-[3,2-c]pyridine-3-carbonitrile (4-CP.P) as the most effective compound with IC50 value of 20 μM. Gel electrophoresis, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry analyses indicated the apoptosis induction ability of 4-CP.P in K562 cells. Further analyses revealed that 4-CP.P induces significant increase in cellular reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and total thiol depletion. Interestingly, while 4-CP.P significantly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase, it reduced the catalase activity in a time-dependent manner. These data propose that 4-CP.P treatment causes free radicals accumulation that ultimately leads to oxidative stress condition and apoptosis induction. Therefore, we report the 4-CP.P as a novel, potent compound as a chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment.

A convenient, post-transformational reaction has been ­developed for the construction of highly diversified quinoline-fused triazolo-diazepinones featuring four diversification points by employing a catalyst-free Ugi four-component–nucleophilic substitution–intra­molecular click cycloaddition sequence. This approach provides a wide scope of products with good yields and high bond-forming efficiency.

Cyclopeptides can be considered as naturally biologically active compounds. Over the last several decades, many attempts have been made to synthesize complex naturally occurring cyclopeptides, and great progress has been achieved to advance the field of total synthesis. Moreover, cyclopeptides containing heterocyclic skeletons have been recently developed into powerful reactions and approaches. This review aims to highlight recent advances in the synthesis of cyclopeptides containing heterocyclic skeletons such as triazole, oxazole, thiazole, and tetrazole.

Synthesis of functionalized 2,3-dihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(1H)-one from a cascade reaction between 3-formylchromone, malononitrile, diammonium hydrogen phosphate, and aromatic aldehydes in aqueous media is described.

We were interested in the design and synthesis of novel bioisosteric analogues of leuprolide acetate containing the oxadiazole moiety at the C- or N-terminal of the peptide. An efficient approach for the synthesis of 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazoles through the reaction of hydrazide with ammonium thiocyanate and desulfurization reaction of the thiosemicarbazides using different coupling reagents was employed. These compounds are bioisosteres of the amide bond. Furthermore, the coupling of 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazoles at the C-terminal of leuprolide analogues was carried out, using a coupling reagent in the solution phase. On the other hand, the addition of a 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole to the N-terminal of the peptide sequence was carried out through the reaction of the 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole with succinic anhydride that led to the formation of a carboxylic acid moiety. Addition of the synthesized oxadiazole containing carboxylic acid to the peptide sequence was performed using a coupling reagent and on the surface of the resin. The synthesized peptides containing the oxadiazole moiety at the C- or N-terminal of the peptide sequence are peptidomimetics of leuprolide acetate. All of the synthesized peptides were purified using preparative HPLC and their structures were confirmed using HR-MS (ESI).

The tripeptide Tyr–Gly–Ser and a series of conjugations to coumarin, cinnamic and gallic acid were synthesized in salt form and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated. The N-connecting hydroxycoumarin, cinnamic and gallic acid derivatives to peptides and the use of BBr3 as a demethylating agent for peptides was reported. Their activities were investigated based on the conjugated moiety structures. Studies of their activities showed that conjugated tripeptides 7,8-dihydroxycoumarin-peptide (17), caffeic acid-peptide (22) and gallic acid-peptide (28) were found to be superior to ascorbic acid with respect to their antioxidant activity, and 12, 14, 24, and 25 exhibited the most antimicrobial activity in the series compared to amoxicillin. Additionally, the incredible florescence intensity and brightness of 17 in water and DMSO, compared to other synthesized compounds, qualified this peptide as a suitable probe in the human body.

Through functionalizing of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INAH) on to fumed silica nanoparticles, a novel fluorescent nanomaterial (fumed-Si–INAH) was synthesized and characterized using various techniques including FT-IR, SEM, and TGA. Next, interaction of the new nanofluorophore material with metal cations was studied spectrofluorimetrically. The fluorescence evaluation of fumed-Si–INAH towards a wide range of cations including Pb2+, Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ca2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Mg2+, Co2+, Na+, Hg2+, Cr3+, and K+ revealed that fumed-Si–INAH was a highly selective optical sensor for Hg2+ and Cr3+ ions in a wide range of pH in water. Thus, it was applied as a fluorescent bulk sensor for Hg2+ and Cr3+ ions. The detection limits were obtained to be 3.5 × 10−5 and 4.2 × 10−5 M for Hg2+ and Cr3+, respectively.

An efficient approach for the synthesis of pyranoquinolines through the indium-catalyzed activation of alkynes is reported. Intramolecular hydroamidation of alkynes can proceed through alkyne activation by indium(III) and then 6-exo-dig cyclization, leading to a fused pyran ring with high selectivity, high atom economy, and good to excellent yields. The cyclization was accomplished through the oxygen, not the nitrogen, of the amide functional group.

Unexpected synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazines has been accomplished through three-component reaction of cyclohexyl isocyanide, hydrazide derivatives and cyclic ketones in the presence of a catalytic amount of SBA−Pr-SO3H as an efficient catalyst. A range of spirooxadiazine derivatives were synthesized in high yields in a concise way. The same three-component reaction in the presence of other acidic catalysts led to the synthesis of hydrazino amides. The formation of 1,3,4-oxadiazines is related to the pore size and structure of SBA−Pr-SO3H which spatial orientation of intermediate onto it leads to the formation of the oxadiazine ring.

An efficient synthesis of quinazolinone sulfonamide derivatives through four-component reaction is reported. The four-component reaction is based on the reaction of isatoic anhydride, hydrazine hydrate, saccharin, and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of nano-catalyst SBA-Pr-SO3H. Saccharin was used as a novel source of sulfonamide moiety in this reaction.

Context: Curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has been extensively studied for its broad-spectrum anticancer effects. The potential benefits are, however, limited due to its poor water solubility and rapid degradation which result in low bioavailability on administration. Objectives: This study encapsulates curcumin in nanoliposomes including an integrin-homing peptide combined with a C end R neuropilin-1 targeting motif for targeted delivery and receptor-mediated internalization, respectively. Materials and methods: The linear GHHNGR (Glycine–Histidine–Histidine–Asparagine–Glycine–Arginine) was synthesized through F-moc chemistry on 2-chlorotrityl chloride resin and conjugated to oleic acid. The lipoyl-peptide units were then co-assembled with lecithin and 0–75 mole % Tween-80 into liposomes. Curcumin was passively entrapped using a film hydration technique and its degradation profile was examined within seven consecutive days. The cytotoxic effects of the curcumin-loaded liposomes were studied on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468, during 24 h exposure in MTT assay. Results: The maximum curcumin entrapment (15.5% W/W) and minimum degradation (

A diversity-oriented access to isoxazolino and isoxazolo benzazepines is elaborated via a post-Ugi heteroannulation involving intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrile oxides with alkenes and alkynes. This sequence offers an interesting multicomponent entry to a library of isoxazolino and isoxazolo benzazepines under mild reaction conditions in good to excellent yields.

The synthesis of modified RGD peptides and their conjugation to the pyrazine skeleton at their N-terminus are described. To modify and alter the RGD sequence, short bioactive peptides such as FALKF and NGRG were added to the RGD N-terminus. Moreover, the in vitro investigation of these modified peptides, by a cell adhesion assay using the melanoma cell lines M21 expressing alpha(v)beta(3) and M21L lacking alpha(v) expression, was made and interestingly peptide 4 containing the pyrazine moiety with the linear RGDFAKLF sequence gave the best IC50 value with M21 and all the peptides were unable to bind to M21L, demonstrating the selective recognition to alpha(v)beta(3). The results showed pyrazine plays an essential role in the activity of the peptides. From these results, we can suggest that these peptides can affect cancer cells by abrogation of cell adhesion (cell migration).

SBA-Pr-SO3H was found as a nanocatalyst for the cyclocondensation of isatoic anhydride, aromatic aldehydes and γ-amino acids (gabapentin and baclofen) to access novel 2-aryl-4-quinazolinone γ-amino acid derivatives in solvent-free reaction conditions in good to high yields. Compared to the classical approaches, this process is a simple, highly yielding, time saving, and environmentally friendly method.

A stereoselective catalyst-free one-pot pseudo six-component reaction of isatoic anhydride, hydrazine hydrate, cyclic ketones, isocyanides and trimethylsilyl azide to yield a series of tetrazolo-spiroquinazolinone is described. The protocol offers the advantages of mild reaction conditions, one-pot operational simplicity, modest-good yields, easy work-up procedure, and environmental benignity.

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 functionalized with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (HQS-SBA-15) was used as a new recyclable nanocatalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 2-thiohydantoin derivatives under solvent-free conditions. The catalyst exhibited excellent recyclability at least for 3 times with a high catalytic activity.

We demonstrate in vitro cross-seeding of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the presence of Aβ25-35 and their cytotoxic effects on microglial cells. To investigate the cross-seeding of BSA in the presence of Aβ25-35 fibrils, we examined how Aβ25-35 fibrils can function as seeds to trigger and accelerate BSA fibrillogenesis using ThT, intrinsic fluorescence, ANS fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, the effects of these fibrils on microglial viability were measured using MTT and Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Although Aβ25-35 is toxic against microglia, it acted as seed and affected the aggregation pathway and accelerated the fibrillogenesis of BSA in vitro, resulted in an enhanced cytotoxic effect in comparison with Aβ25-35 or BSA alone. These observations thought to be helpful to understand the molecular mechanism of enhanced toxicity due to the coexistence of the aggregation prone proteins/peptides,. then cross-seeding effect on microglial cells that may involve in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).

A simple and efficient synthesis of quinazolinone pseudo-peptide derivatives based on a new 3-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-4-oxoquinazoline-2-carboxylic acid via Ugi four-component reaction has been developed. This reaction was conducted under mild conditions with a broad scope of substrates.

Ghullam Reza Barbari,1 Farid Dorkoosh,1 Mohsen Amini,2 Nika Bahari Javan,1 Mohammad Sharifzadeh,3 Fateme Atyabi,1 Saeed Balalaie,4 Niyousha Rafiee Tehrani,5 Morteza Rafiee Tehrani1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Chemistry, Khajeh Nasir Toosi University, Tehran, Iran; 5School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Background: Despite years of experience and rigorous research, injectable insulin is the sole trusted treatment method to control the blood glucose level in diabetes type 1 patients, but injection of insulin is painful and poses a lot of stress to the patients, especially children, therefore, development of a non-injectable formulation of insulin is a major breakthrough in the history of medicine and pharmaceutical sciences. Methods: In this study, a novel peptide grafted derivative of chitosan (CPP-g- chitosan) is synthesized and its potential for oral delivery of proteins and peptides is evaluated. Drug-loaded nanoparticles were developed from this derivative using ionic gelation method with application of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a cross-linking agent. Human insulin was used as the model protein drug and release kinetic was studied at gastrointestinal pH. Finally the developed nanoparticles were filled into very tiny enteric protective capsules and its effects on blood glucose level are evaluated in laboratory animals. Results: Presence of the positively charged cell-penetrating peptide moiety in the structure of chitosan polymer had slight inhibitory effects on the release of insulin from the nanoparticles in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) comparing to native chitosan. The nanoparticles were positively charged in gastrointestinal pH with size ranging from 180 nm to 326 nm. The polypeptide grafted to chitosan is a novel analog of Penetratin, presenting both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristics altering the release behavior of the nanoparticles and significantly increase the absorption of insulin into the rat epithelium comparing to nanoparticles from simple chitosan. In-vivo results in diabetic rat proved that this nanoparticulate system can significantly lower the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats and remain effective for a duration of 9–11 hours. Conclusion: The results indicate that nanoparticles developed from this new peptide conjugated derivative of chitosan are very promising for oral delivery of proteins and peptides. Keywords: peptide grafted, oral delivery, cell-penetrating peptide, penetratin

Four series of novel compounds based on 4-aminopyridine, glatiramer acetate, pyrone, and coumarin backbones were sufficiently synthesized and identified by spectroscopic methods. CYP enzyme inhibition assays of five predominate human P450 isozymes indicate that all compounds, except for 4-hydrazide pyridine 1c, seem to be less toxic than 4-aminopyridine. Further investigation of the compounds using molecular docking experiments revealed different, the same, or stronger binding modes for most of the synthesized compounds, with both polar and hydrophobic interactions with the 1WDA and 1J95 receptors compared to benzoyl l-arginine amide and 4-aminopyridine, respectively. These results introduce the synthesized compounds as K+ channel blockers that could be considered for in vivo CNS disease studies.

Targeted therapy using specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) conjugated to chemotherapeutic agents or toxins has become one of the top priorities in cancer therapy. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are emerging as a promising strategy for cancer-targeted therapy. In this study, trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal anti-HER2 antibody, was reduced by dithiothreitol and conjugated to the microtubule-disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) through a valine-citrulline peptide linker (trastuzumab-MC-Val-Cit-PABC-MMAE [trastuzumab-vcMMAE]). After conjugation, ADCs were characterized by using UV-vis, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and flow cytometry. The antitumor activity of the ADC was evaluated in breast cancer cells in vitro. In addition, ADCs were further characterized using purification by the protein A chromatography, followed by assessment using apoptosis and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography was used to determine drug-to-antibody ratio species of ADCs produced. Our finding showed that approximately 5.12 drug molecules were conjugated to each mAb. H2L2, H2L, HL, H2, H, and L forms of ADCs were detected in nonreducing SDS-PAGE. The binding of trastuzumab-vcMMAE to HER2-positive cells was comparable with that of the parental mAb. The MTT assay showed that our ADCs induced significant cell death in HER2-positive cells, but not in HER2-negative cells. The ADCs produced was a mixture of species, unconjugated trastuzumab (14.147%), as well as trastuzumab conjugated with two (44.868%), four (16.886%), six (13.238%), and eight (10.861%) molecules of MMAE. These results indicated that MMAE-conjugated trastuzumab significantly increases the cytotoxic activity of trastuzumab, demonstrating high affinity, specificity, and antitumor activity in vitro. Trastuzumab-vcMMAE is an effective and selective agent for the treatment of HER2-positive breast tumors.

Reaction of chromonyl Meldrum’s acid and N-substituted 2-aminobenzamides was studied in the presence of acidic and basic catalysts. The use of methanesulfonic acid as a catalyst in this reaction led to the synthesis of chromonyl quinazolinones through employing Meldrum’s acid as a carbon leaving group. However, in the presence of basic catalyst, this reaction gave functionalized 2-pyridones.

A highly efficient domino Michael/cyclization reaction was developed for the synthesis of cyclopentanols and cyclopentenes with four and three stereogenic centers that were generated in one-pot reaction conditions with high diastereoselectivity. The reactions proceeded through a one-pot three-component reaction of β-nitrostyrenes, malononitrile and phenacyl bromide derivatives in basic media at room temperature.

A concise and efficient route for the diastereoselective synthesis of new and interesting α-hydrazino tetrazoles has been developed through a pseudo five-component domino reaction using the isocyanide-based one-pot multicomponent reaction. The products were obtained by a facile Ugi-azide pseudo five-component reaction of cyclic ketones, hydrazine hydrate, trimethylsilyl azide, and corresponding isocyanides without any catalyst in good yields and with high bond forming efficiency at room temperature.

A TFA-catalyzed Pictet–Spengler reaction of synthesized tryptophan propargyl ester with aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes resulted in cis-tetrahydro-β-carbolines with remarkably high stereocontrol under kinetically controlled conditions. In another approach, a diastereomeric mixture of tetrahydro-β-carboline hydrazides was synthesized. The tetrahydro-β-carboline hydrazides were prepared through the reaction of tryptophan hydrazide with carbonyl compounds via Pictet–Spengler reaction.

A novel series of functionalized heterocyclic compounds containing the chromone skeleton was achieved by a mild K2CO3 (20 %)-catalyzed one-pot three-component reaction of 3-formylchromone, malononitrile, and active methylene compounds or pyrones in aqueous media. Good to high yields, easy workup, and also environmentally friendly character are advantages for this approach.

In this study, we developed an efficient synthesis of α-hydrazino tetrazolocalix[4]arene derivatives in good yields under mild conditions via an Ugi-azide multicomponent reaction. Metal ion binding properties of one of the α-hydrazino tetrazolocalix[4]arenes (7a) as the model compound were also investigated, revealing that compound 7a exhibits the highest binding affinity towards Ni(II).