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A one-pot multi-component reaction was employed for the stereoselective synthesis of a novel set of dispiro-oxindolopyrrolizidines analogs incorporating a thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole scaffold based on the [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction approach. The desired novel dispiro-oxindolopyrrolizidines 9a–d were achieved using the 32CA reaction of new ethylene derivatives based on thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole moiety seven with thiazolidine derivatives eight and different substituted isatin compounds 5a–d (R = H, Cl, NO2, and Br). The final dispiro-oxindolopyrrolizidines cycloadducts were separated, purified, and fully characterized by means of a set of spectroscopic tools including IR, HNMR, CNMR, and MS. The Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) was applied to explain the mechanism and stereoselectivity in the of the key 32CA reaction step. The reactive pseudo(mono)radical electronic structure of the in situ generated azomethine ylides and the high polar character of the corresponding 32CA reactions account for the low computed activation Gibbs free energies and total endo stereoselectivity of this kinetically controlled exergonic reaction. The computed relative Gibbs free activation energies of competitive reaction paths and regioisomers ratio distribution of 80:20 justify the major formation of 9a via the most favorable ortho/endo reaction path.

This study discusses the synthesis and use of a new library of spirooxindole-benzimidazole compounds as inhibitors of the signal transducer and activator of p53, a protein involved in regulating cell growth and cancer prevention. The text includes the scientific details of the [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction between azomethine ylide 7a and ethylene 3a within the framework of Molecular Electron Density Theory. The mechanism of the 32CA reaction proceeds through a two-stage one-step process, with emphasis on the highly asynchronous transition state structure. The anti-cancer properties of the synthesized compounds, particularly 6a and 6d, were evaluated. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on the growth of tumor cells (MDA-MB 231 and PC-3) were quantified using IC50 values. This study highlights activation of the p53 pathway by compounds 6a and 6d, leading to upregulation of p53 expression and downregulation of cyclin D and NF-κB in treated cells. Additionally, we explored the binding affinity of spirooxindole analogs, particularly compound 6d, to MDM2, a protein involved in regulation of p53. The binding mode and position of compound 6d were compared with those of a co-crystallized standard ligand, suggesting its potential as a lead compound for further preclinical research.

Cancer represents a global challenge, and the pursuit of developing new cancer treatments that are potent, safe, less prone to drug resistance, and associated with fewer side effects poses a significant challenge in cancer research and drug discovery. Drawing inspiration from pyrrolidinyl-spirooxindole natural products, a novel series of spirooxindoles has been synthesized through a one-pot three-component reaction, involving a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. The cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and safety profile against WISH cells of the newly developed library were assessed using the MTT assay. Compounds 5l and 5o exhibited notable cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 3.4 and 4.12 μM, respectively) and MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 8.45 and 4.32 μM, respectively) compared to Erlotinib. Conversely, compounds 5a-f displayed promising cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells with IC50 values range (IC50 = 5.87–18.5 μM) with selective activity against MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. Compound 5g demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity (IC50 = 2.8 μM) among the tested compounds. Additionally, compounds 5g, 5l, and 5n were found to be safe (non-cytotoxic) against WISH cells with higher IC50 values ranging from 39.33 to 47.2 μM. Compounds 5g, 5l, and 5n underwent testing for their inhibitory effects against EGFR and CDK-2. Remarkably, they demonstrated potent EGFR inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.026, 0.067, and 0.04 μM and inhibition percentages of 92.6%, 89.8%, and 91.2%, respectively, when compared to Erlotinib (IC50 = 0.03 μM, 95.4%). Furthermore, these compounds exhibited potent CDK-2 inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.301, 0.345, and 0.557 μM and inhibition percentages of 91.9%, 89.4%, and 88.7%, respectively, in contrast to Roscovitine (IC50 = 0.556 μM, 92.1%). RT-PCR analysis was performed on both untreated and 5g-treated MCF-7 cells to confirm apoptotic cell death. Treatment with 5g increased the gene expression of pro-apoptotic genes P53, Bax, caspases 3, 8, and 9 with notable fold changes while decreasing the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations (100 ns simulation using AMBER22) were conducted to investigate the binding mode of the most potent candidates, namely, 5g, 5l, and 5n, within the active sites of EGFR and CDK-2.

Abstract Recently, cancer research protocols have introduced clinical-stage spirooxindole-based MDM2 inhibitors. However, several studies reported tumor resistance to the treatment. This directed efforts to invest in designing various combinatorial libraries of spirooxindoles. Herein, we introduce new series of spirooxindoles via hybridization of the chemically stable core spiro[3H-indole-3,2′-pyrrolidin]-2(1H)-one and the pyrazole motif inspired by lead pyrazole-based p53 activators, the MDM2 inhibitor BI-0252 and promising molecules previously reported by our group. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the chemical identity of a representative derivative. Fifteen derivatives were screened for cytotoxic activities via MTT assay against a panel of four cancer cell lines expressing wild-type p53 (A2780, A549, HepG2) and mutant p53 (MDA-MB-453). The hits were 8h against A2780 (IC50 = 10.3 µM) and HepG2 (IC50 = 18.6 µM), 8m against A549 (IC50 = 17.7 µM), and 8k against MDA-MB-453 (IC50 = 21.4 µM). Further MTT experiments showed that 8h and 8j potentiated doxorubicin activity and reduced its IC50 by at least 25% in combinations. Western blot analysis demonstrated that 8k and 8m downmodulated MDM2 in A549 cells. Their possible binding mode with MDM2 were simulated by docking analysis.

Despite the crucial role of CDK2 in tumorigenesis, few inhibitors reached clinical trials for managing lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death. Herein, we report combinatorial stereoselective synthesis of rationally designed spiroindeno[1,2-b]quinoxaline-based CDK2 inhibitors for NSCLC therapy. The design relied on merging pharmacophoric motifs and biomimetic scaffold hopping into this privileged skeleton via cost‐effective one-pot multicomponent [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. Absolute configuration was assigned by single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis and reaction mechanism was studied by Molecular Electron Density Theory. Initial MTT screening of the series against A549 cells and normal lung fibroblasts Wi-38 elected 6b as the study hit regarding potency (IC50 = 54 nM) and safety (SI = 6.64). In vitro CDK2 inhibition assay revealed that 6b (IC50 = 177 nM) was comparable to roscovitine (IC50 = 141 nM). Docking and molecular dynamic simulations suggested that 6b was stabilised into CDK2 cavity by hydrophobic interactions with key aminoacids.

A new series of spirooxindoles based on benzimidazole, triazole, and isatin moieties were synthesized via a [3+2] cycloaddition reaction protocol in one step. The single X-ray crystal structure of the intermediate triazole-benzimidazole 4 was solved. The new chemical structures of these spirooxindole molecules have been achieved for the first time. The final synthesized chemical architecture has differently characterized electronic effects. An MEDT study of the key 32CA reaction between in situ generated azomethine ylide (AY) and chalcones explained the low reaction rates and the total selectivities observed. The supernucleophilic character of AY and the strong electrophilicity of chalcones favor these reactions through a highly polar two-stage one-step mechanism in which bond formation at the β-conjugated carbon of the chalcones is more advanced. The present combined experimental and theoretical study reports the synthesis of new spirooxindoles with potential biological activities and fully characterizes the molecular mechanisms for their formation through the key 32CA reaction step.

The synthesis and X-ray structure analysis of the new [PdLCl2]*0.5 CH2Cl2 complex where L is hydrazono-s-triazine di-morpholine derivative, were presented. In the neutral inner sphere of this complex, the organic ligand L is acting as a NN-bidentate chelate via the pyridine and hydrazone N-atoms. The coordination configuration of the Pd(II) is completed by two chloride ions at cis-positions. The tetra-coordinated Pd(II) showed a distorted square planar geometry. The outer sphere comprised half methylene chloride molecule per [PdLCl2] as crystal solvent. The crystal stability is dominated by a number of weak C-H…N, C-H…Cl, and C-H…O non-covalent interactions. Based on Hirshfeld analysis, the H…H, N…H, H…Cl, O…H, Pd…C, and Cl…C intermolecular interactions contributed by 45.2, 9.3, 21.5, 5.8, 2.3, and 3.4%, respectively. DFT studies revealed closed shell characters for the Pd-N and Pd-Cl coordinate bonds. The net charge of Pd is also predicted to be 0.311 e and the amount of electron density transferred from the ligand groups is 1.689 e. The Pd(II) complex exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HepG2, and A549 cells with IC50 values of 1.18, 4.74, and 5.22 μg/mL, compared to cisplatin with IC50 values of 4.1, 9.7, and 12.3 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, it exhibited poor cytotoxicity against WISH cells with much higher IC50 values (IC50 = 37.2 μg/mL). Investigating apoptosis-induction, the Pd(II) complex induced apoptotic cell death by an 11-fold change in MCF-7 cells arresting the cell phase at the G0–G1 phase. Accordingly, Pd(II) complex can be developed as a promising anti-breast cancer agent.

A new ethylene derivative was synthesized as a precursor for the [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction to access a novel spirooxindole embodied with benzimidazole with a pyridine spacer. The chalcone derivatives 3a–j is obtained with condensation of the acetyl derivative with aryl aldehydes. The one-pot multi-component reaction of the ethylene derivative, 5-Cl-isatin, and octahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid enables the construction of a highly functionalized quaternary center spirooxindole scaffold in a high chemical yield. A study using the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) explains the complete regio- and stereoselectivity of the reaction, resulting in the exclusive formation of the ortho/endo-cycloadduct under kinetic control. The low activation Gibbs free energy is the result of the supernucleophilic character of the in situ-generated azomethine ylide and the strong electrophilic character of the ethylene derivatives.

The substituted-9-bromo-9,10-dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracenes ortho 8a-12a and meta 8b-13b have been synthesized via Diels-Alder reaction under microwave conditions. The cycloadduct isomers ortho 8a-11a and meta 8b-11b, with priority to ortho 8a-11a, were obtained from the reaction of 9-bromoanthracene 1 with acrylonitrile 2, 2-chloroacrylonitrile 3, methacryloyl chloride 4 and acrylic acid 5, while ortho 12a and meta 12b, with priority to meta 12b, was obtained from the reaction of 9-bromoanthracene 1 with 1-cynao vinyl acetate 6. Interestingly, the only isomer meta 13b was obtained from the reaction of 9-bromoanthracene 1 with phenyl vinyl sulfone 7. The results proved that the steric or/and electronic nature of the dienophile substituent is/are playing significant roles in the regioselectivity and isomers ratio.

Rational design for a new spiroxindoles, combined with a benzimidazole scaffold to identify a new murine double minute two (MDM2) inhibitor was synthesized and characterized. The desired spiroxindoles were achieved via a [3+2] cycloaddition reaction approach which afforded the cycloadducts with four asymmetric centers separated in an excellent regioselective and diastereoselective compound. The separated spiroxindoles were subjected to a set of biochemical assays including an NCI cell panel assay, MTT assay, and MDM2 binding analysis by a microscale thermophoresis assay. The anticancer reactivity for the tested compounds showed IC50 (µM) in the range between 3.797–6.879 µM, and compound 7d with IC50 = 3.797 ± 0.205 µM was the most active candidate between the series. The results showed promising results that identified that compound 7a could be inhibited the MDM2 with KD = 2.38 μm. Compound 7a developed a network of interactions with the MDM2 receptor studied in silico by molecular docking.

A drug repurposing approach for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs and preclinical entity by using cheminformatics and chemical transformational method, with the objective of discovering safer novel potent inhibitors that are selective for COVID-19, is reported. We examined the action of lactoferrin against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Lactoferrin was tested not only as therapy but also as a nanocarrier. Among the different repurposed drugs approved to help control the COVID-19 pandemic, we focused on nitazoxanide in a nanodrug delivery form. Lactoferrin activity improved after it was used in combination with nitazoxanide [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 2.72, 1.34 with Selectivity Index (SI) = 25 and 32, respectively]. These results will help us enhance the activity of lactoferrin as a nanocarrier for a variety of selected drugs. In addition, the antiviral activity of the spirooxindole scaffold showed interesting results against SARS-CoV-2 as well as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV with an IC50 of 0.03 and 0.001 mM, respectively. The molecular modeling study revealed that nitazoxanide has a high similarity to arbidol. Docking outputs emphasize the importance of anilide functionality in drug activity because of its ability to form essential HB main protease and spike protein active sites. By understanding the binding mode, these data will help us design new bioactive drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2.

A new series of thiobarbituric (thiopyrimidine trione) enamine derivatives and its analogues barbituric acid derivatives was synthesised, characterised, and screen for in vitro evaluation of α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition and anti-glycation activity. This series of compounds were found to inhibit α-glucosidase activity in a reversible mixed-type manner with IC50 between 264.07 ± 1.87 and 448.63 ± 2.46 µM. Molecular docking studies indicated that compounds of 3g, 3i, 3j, and 5 are located close to the active site of α-glucosidase, which may cover the active pocket, thereby inhibiting the binding of the substrate to the enzyme. Thiopyrimidine trione derivatives also inhibited the generation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which cause long-term complications in diabetes. While, compounds 3a–k, 5, and 6 showed significant to moderate anti-glycation activity (IC50 = 31.5 ± 0.81 to 554.76 ± 9.1 µM).

Abstract This work deals with the synthesis and characterization of the novel 5-((5-chloro-1H-indol-2-yl)methylene)-1,3-diethyl-2-thioxodihydro-pyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione π-bridge (D–A–D) donor–acceptor–donor compound. Its exo-isomer structure has been proven by XRD-single-crystal analysis for the first time. The IR, UV–Vis., MS, CHN-, 1H and 13C NMR analysis were also carried out. The DFT-optimized structural-parameters were matched with the XRD-crystallographic data. The experimental-XRD-interactions in the lattice were compared to the computed Hirshfeld analysis (HSA), MEP map and Mulliken charge population. The DFT/6-311G(d) calculations like IR/B3LYP, TD-SCF, HOMO–LUMO, GRD and GIAO-NMR have been compared to their corresponding experimental parameters. Non-linear optical (NLO) crystal theoretical-analysis was carried out then compared to urea reference. The compound thermal activity was evaluated in an open-atmosphere by TG/DTG analysis.

Derivatization of spirooxindole having triazole and ferrocene units was achieved by the [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction approach. Reacting the respective azomethine ylide (AY) intermediate generated in situ with the ethylene derivative produced novel asymmetric cycloadducts with four contiguous asymmetric carbons in an overall high chemical yield with excellent regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. X-Ray single-crystal structure analyses revealed, with no doubt, the success of the synthesis of the target compounds. The 32CA reaction of AY 5b with ferrocene ethylene 1 has been studied within MEDT. This 32CA reaction proceeds via a two-stage one-step mechanism involving a high asynchronous transition state structure, resulting from the nucleophilic attack of AY 5b on the β-conjugated position of ferrocene ethylene 1. The supernucleophilic character of AY 5b and the strong electrophilic character of ferrocene ethylene 1 account for the high polar character of this 32CA reaction. Further, Hirshfeld analyses were used to describe the molecular packing of compounds 4b, 4e, 4h and 4i.

Herein, we described the synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of the new [Pd(3)2Cl2] complex with 1,2,3-triazole-based ligand (3). In the unit cell, there are two [Pd(3)2Cl2] molecules, and the asymmetric unit comprised half of this formula due to the presence of an inversion symmetry element at the Pd(II) center. The monoclinic unit cell volume is 1327.85(6) Å3, with crystal parameters of a = 10.7712(2) Å, b = 6.8500(2) Å, and c = 18.2136(6) Å, while β = 98.851(2)°. The structure comprised two trans triazole ligand units coordinated to the Pd(II) ion via one of the N-atoms of the triazole moiety. In addition, the Pd(II) is further coordinated with two trans chloride groups, where each of the trans bonds is equidistant. The crystal structure of the [Pd(3)2Cl2] complex was compared with that for free triazole ligand 3. It was found that the coordinated ligand showed less twist around the C–N bond compared to free triazole ligand 3. The molecular packing of the latter is found controlled by short O…H, N…H, C…N, and C…C interactions in addition to the short Cl…F interhalogen and π–π interactions. H…H (23.5%), Cl…H (14.4%), N…H (14.3%), and O…H (11.2%) are the most dominant contacts. In the [Pd(3)2Cl2] complex, no significant interhalogen or π–π interactions were detected. In this case, Cl…H (31.1%), H…H (16.7%), O…H (11.6%), and F…H (9.7%) are the most dominant contacts.

A straightforward one-pot route for the synthesis of a new 4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetraazafluoranthen-3(2H)-one is reported form the direct hydrazinolysis of triketo ester and hydrazine hydrate in ethanol. 4-Phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetraazafluoranthen-3(2H)-one was subjected to aza-Michael addition and N-alkylation on reaction with a set of alkylating agents in the presence of K2CO3. Hydrazinolysis of 4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetraazafluoranthen-3(2H)-one ester to hydrazide and conversion of hydrazide to thiosemicarbazide were successful. X-Ray single crystals analysis and 1H, 13C NMR were used for unambiguous structure confirmation. The O…H, N…H, C…N and C…C in 2, and the N…H, C…N, C…C, C…O and H…H interactions in 6 are the most important in the molecular packing based on Hirshfled analysis. Moreover, the presence of short C…C and C…N contacts in both compounds revealed the presence of π–π stacking interactions.

Five new C2-symmetric chiral ligands of 2,5-bis(imidazolinyl)thiophene (L1–L3) and 2,5-bis(oxazolinyl)thiophene (L4 and L5) were synthesized from thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (1) with enantiopure amino alcohols (4a–c) in excellent optical purity and chemical yield. The utility of these new chiral ligands for Friedel–Crafts asymmetric alkylation was explored. Subsequently, the optimized tridentate ligand L5 and Cu(OTf)2 catalyst (15 mol%) in toluene for 48 h promoted Friedel–Crafts asymmetric alkylation in moderate to good yields (up to 76%) and with good enantioselectivity (up to 81% ee). The bis(oxazolinyl)thiophene ligands were more potent than bis(imidazolinyl)thiophene analogues for the asymmetric induction of the Friedel–Crafts asymmetric alkylation.

Straightforward regio- and diastereoselective synthesis of bi-spirooxindole-engrafted rhodanine analogs 5a–d were achieved by one-pot multicomponent [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of stabilized azomethine ylide (AYs 3a–d) generated in situ by condensation of L-thioproline and 6-chloro-isatin with (E)-2-(5-(4-chlorobenzylidene)-2,4-dioxothiazolidin-3-yl)-N-(2-morpholinoethyl)acetamide. The bi-spirooxindole-engrafted rhodanine analogs were constructed with excellent diastereo- and regioselectivity along with high chemical yield. X-ray crystallographic investigations for hybrid 5a revealed the presence of four contiguous stereocenters related to C11, C12, C19 and C22 of the spiro structure. Hirshfeld calculations indicated the presence of many short intermolecular contacts such as Cl...C, S...S, S...H, O...H, N...H, H...C, C...C and H...H interactions. These contacts played a very important role in the crystal stability. The polar nature of the 32CA reaction was studied by analysis of the conceptual DFT reactivity indices. Theoretical study of this 32CA reaction indicated that it takes place through a non-concerted two-stage one-step mechanism associated with the nucleophilic attack of AY 3a to the electrophilic ethylene derivative.

A new series of di-spirooxindole analogs, engrafted with oxindole and cyclohexanone moieties, were synthesized. Initially, azomethine ylides were generated via reaction of the substituted isatins 3a–f (isatin, 3a, 6-chloroisatin, 3b, 5-fluoroisatin, 3c, 5-nitroisatin, 3d, 5-methoxyisatin, 3e, and 5-methylisatin, 3f, and (2S)-octahydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid 2, in situ azomethine ylides reacted with the cyclohexanone based-chalcone 1a–f to afford the target di-spirooxindole compounds 4a–n. This one-pot method provided diverse structurally complex molecules, with biologically relevant spirocycles in a good yields. All synthesized di-spirooxindole analogs, engrafted with oxindole and cyclohexanone moieties, were evaluated for their anticancer activity against four cancer cell lines, including prostate PC3, cervical HeLa, and breast (MCF-7, and MDA-MB231) cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity of these di-spirooxindole analogs was also examined against human fibroblast BJ cell lines, and they appeared to be non-cytotoxic. Compound 4b was identified as the most active member of this series against prostate cancer cell line PC3 (IC50 = 3.7 ± 1.0 µM). The cyclohexanone engrafted di-spirooxindole analogs 4a and 4l (IC50 = 7.1 ± 0.2, and 7.2 ± 0.5 µM, respectively) were active against HeLa cancer cells, whereas NO2 substituted isatin ring and meta-fluoro-substituted (2E,6E)-2,6-dibenzylidenecyclohexanone containing 4i (IC50 = 7.63 ± 0.08 µM) appeared to be a promising agent against the triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB231 cell line. To explore the plausible mechanism of anticancer activity of di-spirooxindole analogs, molecular docking studies were investigated which suggested that spirooxindole analogs potentially inhibit the activity of MDM2.

The synthesis of C2-symmetrical bis(β-enamino-pyran-2,4-dione) derivative 3 connected via 1,6-hexylene linker was reported for the first time. X-ray structures and Hirshfeld studies of the new bis- β-enamino-pyran-2,4-dione derivative 3 along with two structurally related pyran-2,4-dione derivatives 2a,b were discussed. A comparative analysis of the different intermolecular contacts affecting the crystal stability was presented. Generally, the H…H, O…H, and H…C interactions are common in all compounds and are considered the most abundant contacts. In addition, DFT calculations were used to compute the electronic properties as well as the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the studied systems. All compounds (except 3) are polar where 2a (3.540 Debye) has a higher dipole moment than 2b (2.110 Debye). The NMR chemical shifts were calculated and excellent correlations between the calculated and experimental data were obtained (R2 = 0.93–0.94).

A new compounds named 3-4′-bipyrazoles 2 and 3 were synthesized in high chemical yield from a reaction of pyran-2,4-diketone 1 with aryl hydrazines under thermal conditions in MeOH. Compound 2 was unambiguously confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. It crystalizes in a triclinic crystal system and space group P-1. Its crystal structure was found to be in good agreement with the spectral characterizations. With the aid of Hirshfeld calculations, the H…H (54.8–55.3%) and H…C (28.3–29.2%) intermolecular contacts are the most dominant, while the O…H (5.8–6.5%), N…H (3.8–4.6%) and C…C (3.0–4.9%) are less dominant. The compound has a polar nature with a net dipole moment of 6.388 Debye. The BD(2)C31-C32→BD*(2)N4-C34 (27.10 kcal/mol), LP(1)N5→BD*(2)C31-C32 (36.90 kcal/mol), BD(1)C32-C34→BD*(1)C18-C31 (6.78 kcal/mol) and LP(1)N4→BD*(1)N5-C31 (7.25 kcal/mol) are the strongest π→π*, n→π*, σ-σ* and n→σ* intramolecular charge transfer processes, respectively.

A series of new spiro-heterocycles engrafted spirooxindole/pyrrolidine/thiochromene scaffolds was synthesized by the three-component 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions in a fully controlled regio- and stereo-selective fashion. Condensation of several substituted isatin derivatives with L-proline generated the azomethine ylides which subsequently reacted with chalcones based thiochromene scaffold, and finally afforded the target spiro-compounds. This simple protocol furnished a structurally complex, biologically relevant spiro-heterocycles in good yields through a one-pot process. All synthesized chalcone-based thiochromene, along with the spirooxindole/pyrrolidine/thiochromene scaffolds, were tested for their anticancer activity against four cancer cell lines (PC3, HeLa, MCF-7, and MDA-MB231). Toxicity of these compounds was also evaluated against human fibroblast BJ cell line, and they appeared to be not cytotoxic. For the prostate cancer (PC3) cell line, the most active hybrid, among synthesized series, was compound (7f, IC50 = 8.7 ± 0.7 µM). The most potent spirooxindole/pyrrolidine/thiochromene hybrid against cervical (HeLa) cancer cells was compound (7k, IC50 = 8.4 ± 0.5 µM) having chlorine and p-trifluoromethyl substituents attached to phenyl rings. Finally, against the MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell lines, compound (7d) was the most active member of this series (IC50 = 7.36 ± 0.37, and 9.44 ± 0.32 µM, respectively).

Four different new Schiff basses tethered indolyl-triazole-3-thione hybrid were designed and synthesized. X-ray single crystal structure, tautomerism, DFT, NBO and Hirshfeld analysis were explored. X-ray crystallographic investigations with the aid of Hirshfeld calculations were used to analyze the molecular packing of the studied systems. The H···H, H···C, S···H, Br···C, O···H, C···C and N···H interactions are the most important in the molecular packing of 3. In case of 4, the S···H, N···H, S···C and C···C contacts are the most significant. The results obtained from the DFT calculations indicated that the thione tautomer is energetically lower than the thiol one by 13.9545 and 13.7464 kcal/mol for 3 and 4, respectively. Hence, the thione tautomer is the most stable one which agree with the reported X-ray structure. In addition, DFT calculations were used to compute the electronic properties while natural bond orbital calculations were used to predict the stabilization energies due to conjugation effects. Both compounds are polar where 4 (3.348 Debye) has a higher dipole moment than 3 (2.430 Debye).

Diethylamine catalyzed tandem Knoevenagel–Michael reactions have been carried out in aqueous medium as an efficient, greener and cost effective process for the simple one-pot synthesis of bis-dimedone derivatives. Reaction of substituted aromatic aldehyde (1 equiv.) and dimedone (2 equiv.), in the presence of aqueous diethylamine medium at room temperature provides bis-dimedone derivatives 3a–n in excellent yields (87–95%) within a very short reaction time (15–60 min). All the bis-dimedone derivatives were obtained in high purity and the products were fully characterized by physical and spectroscopic data. The structures of compounds 3b,c were elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Compound 3b crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 21/n with a = 10.2895(9) Å, b = 18.0995(15) Å, c = 15.8615(13) Å, α = 90°, β = 107.975(2)°, γ = 90°, V = 2809.8(4) Å3, and Z = 4. Compound 3c crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 21/n with a = 10.2816(16) Å, b = 18.080(3) Å, c = 15.637(2) Å, α = 90°, β = 107.076(4)°, γ = 90°, V = 2778.6(7) Å3, and Z = 4. The use of inexpensive, eco-friendly and readily available reagents, easy work-up, and high purity products makes the procedure a convenient and robust method for the synthesis of tandem Knoevenagel–Michael adducts.

The Friedel–Crafts reaction between substituted indoles as nucleophiles with chalcones-based benzofuran and benzothiophene scaffolds was carried out by employing a highly efficient bimetallic iron–palladium catalyst system. This catalytic approach produced the desired bis-heteroaryl products with low catalyst loading, a simple procedure, and with acceptable yield. All synthesized indole scaffolds 3a–3s were initially evaluated for their cytotoxic effect against human fibroblast BJ cell lines and appeared to be non-cytotoxic. All non-cytotoxic compounds 3a–3s were then evaluated for their anticancer activities against cervical cancer HeLa, prostate cancer PC3, and breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines, in comparison to standard drug doxorubicin, with IC50 values 1.9 ± 0.4 µM, 0.9 ± 0.14 µM and 0.79 ± 0.05 µM, respectively, and appeared to be moderate to weak anticancer agents. Fluoro-substituted chalcone moiety-containing compounds, 3b appeared to be the most active member of the series against cervical HeLa (IC50 = 8.2 ± 0.2 µM) and breast MCF-7 cancer cell line (IC50 = 12.3 ± 0.04 µM), whereas 6-fluroindol-4-bromophenyl chalcone-containing compound 3e (IC50 = 7.8 ± 0.4 µM) appeared to be more active against PC3 prostate cancer cell line.

The nitrogen containing spiro-heterocycle is one of the privileged synthetic motif that constitutes various naturally occurring molecules and displays a broad range of pharmaceutical and biological activities. A new methodology was developed for the synthesis of 2,4-diazaspiro[5.5]undecane-1,3,5,9-tetraones spiro-heterocyclic derivatives via cascade cyclization of [5+1] double Michael addition reaction of N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid with the derivatives of diaryldivinylketones in the presence of diethylamine at ambient temperature. The developed protocol is highly capable of furnishing diazaspiro[5.5]undecane derivatives 3a–m in excellent yields (up to 98%), from easily accessible symmetric and non-symmetric divinylketones 2a–m, containing aryl and heteroaryl substituents. The diazaspiro-heterocyclic structure was mainly elucidated by NMR and X-ray crystallographic techniques. The single-crystal X-ray studies revealed that, the cyclohexanone unit of spirocycles often prefers a chair conformation rather than twisted conformation. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding and CArH⋯π, π–π stacking interactions driving forces are mainly responsible for the crystal packing.

The gem-aminals of 1,2-dimorpholinoethane (1) and 1-morpholino-3-morpholinium bromide propane (2) were synthesized by reaction of two molar ratio of morpholine with the halogenating agents in the presence of basic condition (K2CO3) in acetone at room temperature (RT) overnight. The structures of the centro-symmetric compound 1 and the morpholinium salt derivative 2 were assigned unambiguous by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and compared with the 1,2-di(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethane 3 and 1,2-di(piperidin-1-yl)ethane 4. The 1,2-dimorpholinoethane molecule has a center of symmetry at the midpoint of the C-C bond of the ethyl moiety leading to two equivalent halves. It crystallized in monoclinic crystal system and P21/n space group, while the unit cell parameters are determined to be a = 6.0430(3), b = 8.0805(3), c = 11.1700(4) Å, and β = 97.475(2)° with unit cell volume of 540.80(4) Å3 and Z = 2 at 170(2) K. The less symmetric analogue 2 crystallized in the lower space group P21 with unit cell parameters of a = 6.37450(10), b = 11.1378(2), c = 9.6549(2) Å, and β = 93.358(2)°, while the unit cell volume is 684.30(2)Å3 at 120(2) K. Using Hirshfeld analysis, the molecules of 1 are mainly packed by weak N…H (4.2%), O…H (16.8%), and H…H (79.0%) interactions. In contrast, the molecules of 2 are packed by significantly short O…H (14.4%) and Br…H (11.6%) interactions in addition to the relatively long H…H (73.3%) interactions. DFT calculations predicted the molecular geometry of the studied compounds showing a good agreement with the experimental X-ray structures. Due to symmetry considerations, compounds 1, 3, and 4 are nonpolar with zero dipole moment, while the less symmetric molecule 2 has a dipole moment of 6.914 Debye. Their electronic aspects, such as natural population charges, HOMO, and LUMO energies as well as the corresponding reactivity descriptors, were also calculated and discussed.

A series of new oxindole-based spiro-heterocycles bearing the benzo[b]thiophene motif were synthesized via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction and their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity was evaluated. All the synthesized compounds exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against AChE, while IIc was found to be the most active analog with an IC50 value of 20,840 µM·L−1. Its molecular structure was a 5-chloro-substituted oxindole bearing benzo[b]thiophene and octahydroindole moieties. Based on molecular docking studies, IIc was strongly bound to the catalytic and peripheral anionic sites of the protein through hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and π-stacking interactions with Asp74, Trp86, Tyr124, Ser125, Glu202, Ser203, Trp236, Trp286, Phe297, Tyr337, and Tyr341. These interactions also indicated that the multiplicity of the IIc aromatic core significantly favored its activity.

(E)-1-(1H-Benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-3-(dimethylamino)prop-2-en-1-one 2 was synthesized by one-pot synthesis protocol of 2-acetyl benzo[d]imidazole with dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (DMF-DMA) in xylene at 140 °C for 8 h. Reaction of enaminone derivative 1 with acetylacetone in the presence of AcOH/NH4OAc under reflux afforded the cyclized pyridino-benzo[d]imidazole derivative 3. The latter compound was converted into the corresponding β-enaminone 4 with DMF-DMA. The single crystal X-ray diffraction technique eventually confirmed the assigned chemical structure of the N-alkyl-β-enaminone 2 and pyridino-benzo[d]imidazole derivative 3. N-alkyl-β-enaminone 2 crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/n with unit cell parameters of a = 9.8953(3) Å, b = 5.7545(2) Å, c = 21.7891(7) Å, and β =100.627(2)°, and with one molecule per asymmetric unit. On the other hand, compound 3 crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system and space group P212121 with unit cell parameters of a = 6.82950(10) Å, b = 8.00540(10) Å, c = 22.4779(2) Å, and also with one molecule per asymmetric unit. Based on Hirshfeld analysis, the H...H (51.3%), O...H (10.0%), N...H (10.3%), and C...H (27.6%) contacts in 2 and the H...H (46.8%), O...H (9.9%), N...H (13.0%), and C...H (21.6%) in addition to the C…C (6.7%) interactions in 3 are the most important towards crystal stability via molecular packing. The main difference is the presence of π–π interaction among the molecular units of 3 but not in 2. The calculated 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts showed good agreements with experimental data. Electronic properties and reactivity parameters of both compounds are also calculated and compared.

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction is one of the most rapid, and efficient protocols to access, and construct highly divergent heterocycle chiral auxiliaries. Free catalyst synthesis of spirooxindole scaffold incorporating sulphone moiety via one pot–three component reaction of 6-chloro-isatin, L-proline, and the phenylvinylsulphone as dienophile is presented. The new regioisomer and diastereomer was isolated by precipitation without the tedious purification step, and then characterized via NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Using Hirshfeld analysis, the analysis of molecular packing was performed. It depended mainly on strong O…H and N…H interactions, and weak H…H, C…H, and Cl…H interactions as well. DFT calculations were used to optimize the experimental X-ray structure, which was found well matched with the calculated one. Reactivity descriptors based on the energies of the highest occupied (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied (LUMO) molecular orbitals were calculated. Additionally, the donor–acceptor interactions which stabilized the system via σ–σ*, π→π*, n→σ* and n→π* electron delocalization processes were also computed using NBO calculations. The net interaction energies are 49.96, 235.38, 179.66 and 107.06 kJ/mol, respectively. Additionally, the calculated NMR chemical shifts correlated well with the experimental data (R2=0.99).

N-(Anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-N-methyl-2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethanamine 3 has been synthesized via the aza-Michael addition approach by reaction of the corresponding amine with the vinyl sulfone derivative under microwave conditions. The structure of the aza-Michael product 3 is elucidated by X-ray crystallography. The study of molecular packing by employing the Hirshfeld analysis indicates that the percentages of O…H, C…H and H…H contacts are 16.8%, 34.1% and 48.6%, respectively, where the O...H hydrogen bonds have the characteristics of short and strong contacts while the C...H contacts are considered weak. Density functional theory (DFT) investigations show that the aza-Michael product 3 is polar with a net dipole moment of 5.2315 debye.

Urease is a therapeutic target associated with several important diseases and health problems. Based on our previous work on the inhibition of glucosidase and other enzymes and exploiting the privileged structure assigned to the (thio)barbiturate (pyrimidine) scaffold, here we tested the capacity of two (thio)barbiturate-based compound collections to inhibit urease. Several compounds showed more activity than acetohydroxamic acid as a standard tested compound. In addition, by means of a conformational study and using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) method, we identified energetically low-lying conformers. Finally, we undertook a docking study to explore the binding mechanism of these new pyrimidine derivatives as urease inhibitors.

Here we report on the crystal structure of three enamine/imine TBA derivatives (1–3). Since the derivatives can take the form of enamine or imine tautomers, theoretical calculations were made to confirm that the former predominates due to higher stability (thermodynamic calculations). The enamines’ form was further corroborated by high activation energy (ΔG≠; which is >60 kcal/mol in all the cases), thus requiring a large amount of energy to pass the barrier (kinetics calculations). Furthermore, 1–3 were found to show high static hyperpolarizability (βtot), thereby making them potential candidates as nonlinear materials for electro-optical devices and crystal engineering.

We herein report a new small library of Schiff-base compounds that encompasses s-triazine and (2 or 4)-hydroxylbenzylidene derivatives. These compounds were synthesized through a hydrazone linkage connecting both the s-triazine and hydroxybenzylidene derivatives. The synthetic strategy adopted allowed the synthesis of the target compounds with excellent yields and purities as observed from their NMR (1H and 13C) and elemental analysis. Furthermore, 4f, 5b, and 5f were further confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction technique. The preliminary antiproliferative activities for the synthesized compounds were tested against two different cancer cell lines including breast cancer (MCF-7) and colon cancer (HCT-116). From the eighteen compounds, which have been examined, only two derivatives having piperidine moiety showed more selectivity against the two cell lines MCF-7 and HCT-116, while the others showed very weak activity. The position of the hydroxyl group in the benzylidine ring and the substituent on the s-triazine moiety has great effect on the activity of the prepared compounds. The IC50 values for the two derivatives 4a and 5a evaluated against breast cancer cells, very close to those for the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin, are 27 µM (13.3 µg/mL), 17 µM (8.4 µg/mL), and 20 µM (6 µg/mL) for 4a, 5a, and cisplatin, respectively. These results propose the preliminary antiproliferative activity of these two derivatives may deserve further consideration for development of new derivatives as potent anticancer agents.

One-pot synthesis of three enaminones, (E)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-morpholinoprop-2-en-1-one 1, (E)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one 2, and (E)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one 3 were achieved. The synthetic protocol via three components reaction of p-chloroacetophenone with DMFDMA (N,N-dimethylformamid-dimethylacetal) and the corresponding secondary amines (morpholine/N-methylpiperazine/pyrrolidine) in dioxane under heating for 2.5–4 h at 102 °C yielded the requisite enaminones. This protocol has the advantage of no separation of intermediate, no need for column purification with quantitative yield for the target compounds. The chemical features of the β-enaminones 1–3 were assigned by NMR. β-Enaminones 1, and 2 were assigned by single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The intermolecular interactions in the crystal structures were analyzed quantitatively using Hirshfeld analysis. The Cl…H and O…H hydrogen bonds are common in both compounds while the C-H…π and N…H contacts are more significant in 2 than 1. DFT studies were investigated to show the electronic and spectroscopic properties (NMR and UV-Vis) of the studied systems.

A one-pot, single-step, and an atom-economical process towards the synthesis of highly functionalized spirooxindoles analogues was efficiently conducted to produce a satisfactory chemical yields (70−93%) with excellent relative diastereo-, and regio-selectivity. An in vitro antiproliferative assay was carried out on different cancer cell lines to evaluate the biological activity of the synthesized tetrahydro-1’H-spiro[indoline-3,5’-pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazol]-2-one 5a−n. The prepared hybrids were then tested in vitro for their antiproliferative effects against three cancer cell lines, namely, HepG2 (liver cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and HCT-116 (colon cancer). The spirooxindole analogue 5g exhibited a broad activity against HepG2, MCF-7, and HCT-116 cell lines of liver, breast, and colorectal cancers when compared to cisplatin. Modeling studies including shape similarity, lipophilicity scores, and physicochemical parameters were calculated. The results of this study indicated that spirooxindole analogue 5g retained a good physiochemical parameters with acceptable lipophilicity scores.

Described herein is a one-pot protocol for the synthesis of a substituted spiropyrrolidine scaffold tethered benzo[b]thiophene analogue from (E)-3-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-1-(4-fluoro- phenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one. The described protocol has the advantage of the high purity of the cyclized adduct and high chemical yield. To assign the chemical structure, different spectrophotometric tools have been applied, including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, FTIR, and the X-ray single crystal technique. The X-ray structure showed that the studied compound exist in two disordered parts with equal partial occupancies. The energies of the two conformers were found to be very similar and not exceed 1 kcal/mol, which justifies their coexistence in the crystal with equal percentage. The molecular packing in the crystal was analyzed using Hirshfeld topology analysis. The packing described as two dimensional hydrogen bond network extended along the ac-plane in both conformers but the intermolecular interactions included in each conformer are not similar. The synthesized spiropyrrolidine scaffold tethered benzo[b]thiophene analogue was examined against cholinesterase inhibitory activity and show moderate activity compared to standard drug galantamine.

The synthesis of the new diethyl ammonium salt of diethylammonium(E)-5-(1,5-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-3-oxopent-4-en-1-yl)-1,3-diethyl-4,6-dioxo-2-thioxohexaydropyrimidin-5-ide 3 via a regioselective Michael addition of N,N-diethylthiobarbituric acid 1 to dienone 2 is described. In 3, the carboanion of the thiobarbituric moiety is stabilized by the strong intramolecular electron delocalization with the adjacent carbonyl groups and so the reaction proceeds without any cyclization. The molecular structure investigations of 3 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as DFT computations. The theoretically calculated (DFT/B3LYP) geometry agrees well with the crystallographic data. The effect of fluorine replacement by chlorine atoms on the molecular structure aspects were investigated using DFT methods. Calculated electronic spectra showed a bathochromic shift of the π-π* transition when fluorine is replaced by chlorine. Charge decomposition analyses were performed to study possible interaction between the different fragments in the studied systems. Molecular docking simulations examining the inhibitory nature of the compound show an anti-diabetic activity with Pa (probability of activity) value of 0.229.

The synthesis of 2,6-bis(hydroxy(phenyl)methyl)cyclohexanone 1 is described. The molecular structure of the title compound 1 was confirmed by NMR, FT-IR, MS, CHN microanalysis, and X-ray crystallography. The molecular structure was also investigated by a set of computational studies and found to be in good agreement with the experimental data obtained from the various spectrophotometric techniques. The antimicrobial activity and molecular docking of the synthesized compound was investigated.

This paper describes an efficient and regioselective method for the synthesis of novel fluorinated spiro-heterocycles in excellent yield by cascade [5+1] double Michael addition reactions. The compounds 7,11-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-2,4-dimethyl- 2,4-diazaspiro[5.5] undecane-1,3,5,9-tetraone (3a) and 2,4-dimethyl-7,11-bis (4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,4-diazaspiro[5.5]undecane-1,3,5,9-tetraone (3b) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and NMR techniques. The optimized geometrical parameters, infrared vibrational frequencies and NMR chemical shifts of the studied compounds have also been calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) method, using Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr functional and the 6-311G(d,p) basis set. There is good agreement between the experimentally determined structural parameters, vibrational frequencies and NMR chemical shifts of the studied compounds and those predicted theoretically. The calculated natural atomic charges using NBO method showed higher polarity of 3a compared to 3b.The calculated electronic spectra are also discussed based on the TD-DFT calculations.

The one-pot fashion of three multi-component reaction provides the desired hydroacridinone-based hydrazino-s-triazine scaffold 4. Compound 4 was crystallized in an orthorhombic crystal system and Pbca space group with a = 11.6271(2) Å, b = 18.2018(4) Å, c = 32.4721(6) Å, and α = β = γ = 90° with one formula unit per asymmetric unit and eight molecules per unit cell. Additionally, structural features, Hirshfeld surfaces, and DFT studies were also investigated. Its packing in the crystal is controlled by H…H (63.4%), O…H (12.7%), Cl…H (7.2%), N…H (4.7%), and C…H (10.2%) contacts, where the O…H and Cl…H contacts were found the strongest. In vitro urease inhibition evaluation showed that the hydroacridinone-based hydrazino-s-triazine is more active (IC50 = 17.9 ± 0.47 µM) than the standard acetohydroxamic acid (IC50 = 20.3 ± 0.43 µM).

The crystal structures of five new chalcones derived from N-ethyl-3-acetylindole with different substituents were investigated: (E)-3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (3a); (E)-3-(3-bromophenyl)-1-(1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (3b); (E)-1-(1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (3c); (E)-1-(1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-mesitylprop-2-en-1-one (3d); and (E)-1-(1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-(furan-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (3e). The molecular packing of the studied compounds is controlled mainly by C−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds, C−H⋅⋅⋅π interactions, and π···π stacking interactions, which were quantitatively analyzed using Hirshfeld topology analysis. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the order of polarity (3b ˂ 3d ˂ 3e ˂ 3a ˂ 3c) was determined. Several chemical reactivity indices such as the ionization potential (I), electron affinity (A), chemical potential (μ), hardness (η), electrophilicity (ω) and nucleophilicity (N) indices were calculated, and these properties are discussed and compared. In addition, the antiproliferative activity of the five new chalcones was studied.

Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by specified synthetic compounds during the digestion of starch helps control post-prandial hyperglycemia and could represent a potential therapy for type II diabetes mellitus. A new series of spiroheterocyclic compounds bearing oxindole/benzofuran/pyrrolidine/thiazolidine motifs were synthesized via a 1,3-dipolar cyclo-addition reaction approach. The specific compounds were obtained by reactions of chalcones having a benzo[b]furan scaffold (compounds 2a−f), with a substituted isatin (compounds 3a−c) and heterocyclic amino acids (compounds 4a,b). The target spiroindolone analogues 5a−r were evaluated for their potential inhibitory activities against the enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Preliminary results indicated that some of the target compounds exhibit promising α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Among the tested spiroindolone analogues, the cycloadduct 5r was found to be the most active (IC50 = 22.61 ± 0.54 μM and 14.05 ± 1.03 μM) as α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, with selectivity indexes of 0.62 and 1.60, respectively. Docking studies were carried out to confirm the binding interaction between the enzyme active site and the spiroindolone analogues.

An efficient and practical method for the synthesis of 2,6-diaryl-4-oxo-N,N′-di(pyridin-2-yl)cyclohexane-1,1-dicarboxamide is described in this present study, which occurs through a double Michael addition reaction between diamide and various dibenzalacetones. The reaction was carried out in dichloromethane (DCM) in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU). The anticancer activities of the synthesized compounds were evaluated in several cancer cell lines, including MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, SAS, PC-3, HCT-116, HuH-7 and HepG2 cells. From these experiments, we determined that MDA-MB-231 was the most sensitive cancer cell line to the compounds 3c, 3e, 3d, 3j and 3l, which exhibited variable anticancer activities (3l [IC50 = 5 ± 0.25 µM] > 3e [IC50 = 5 ± 0.5 µM] > 3c [IC50 = 7 ± 1.12 µM] > 3d [IC50 = 18 ± 0.87 µM] > 3j [IC50 = 45 ± 3 µM]). Of these, 3l (substituted p-trifluoromethylphenyl and chloropyridine) showed good potency (IC50 = 6 ± 0.78 µM) against HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells and exhibited high toxicity against HuH-7 liver cancer cells (IC50 = 4.5 ± 0.3 µM). These values were three times higher than the values reported for cisplatin (IC50 of 8 ± 0.76 and 14.7 ± 0.5 µM against HCT-116 and HuH-7 cells, respectively). The highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was detected for the 3d, 3i and 3j compounds. The details of the binding mode of the active compounds were clarified by molecular docking studies.

5-[(3-Fluorophenyl)(2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohex-1-en-1-yl)-methyl]-6-hydroxy-1,3-di-methylpyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione 3 was synthesized via a multicomponent reaction. The Aldol–Michael addition reactions of N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid, cyclohexane-1,3-dione, and 3-fluorobenzaldehyde in aqueous solution gave the product in high yield. The molecular structure of the compound was confirmed by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. The title compound (C19H19FN2O5·H2O) crystallizes in the Monoclinic form, P21/c, a = 7.8630 (5) Å, b = 20.0308 (13) Å, c = 11.3987 (8) Å, β = 104.274 (3)°, V = 1739.9 (2)° Å3, Z = 4, Rint = 0.117, wR(F2) = 0.124, T = 100 K.

A series of new bis(heterocycles) featuring thieno[2,3-b]thiophene rings was synthesized in a combinatorial manner. Intramolecular cyclization of enaminone derivatives with appropriate N-nucleophiles afforded the target compounds. All compounds were characterized by 1H-, 13C-NMR, GCMS, IR, and UV-Vis spectrometry. These compounds represent a new class of sulfur- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles that should also be of interest as new materials.

Cyclization of hydrazones derived from 2-acetyl-1-naphthol and 1-acetyl-2-naphthol with triphosgene gave naphtho[1,2-e]-1,3-oxazines, naphtho[2,1-e]-1,3-oxazines or their spiro dimers depending on the molar ratio of triphosgene used for the cyclization.

A series of barbiturates derivatives synthesized and screened for different set of bioassays are described. The molecular structures of compounds 5a, 5d, and 5f were solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The results of bioassay show that compounds 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4g are potent antioxidants in comparison to the tested standards, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and N-acetylcysteine. Compounds 4a–4e (IC50=101.8±0.8–124.4±4.4 μM) and 4g (IC50=104.1±1.9 μM) were more potent antioxidants than the standard (BHT, IC50=128.8±2.1 μM). The enzyme inhibition potential of these compounds was also evaluated, in vitro, against thymidine phosphorylase, α-glucosidase, and β-glucuronidase enzymes. Compounds 4c, 4h, 4o, 4p, 4q, 5f, and 5m were found to be potent α-glucosidase inhibitors and showed more activity than the standard drug acarbose, whereas compounds 4v, and 5h were found to be potent thymidine phosphorylase inhibitors, more active than the standard drug, 7-deazaxanthine. All barbiturates derivatives (4a–4x, 4z, and 5a–5m) were found to be noncytotoxic against human prostate (PC-3), Henrietta Lacks cervical (HeLa) and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines, and 3T3 normal fibroblast cell line, except 4y which was cytotoxic against all the cell lines.

In the molecule of the title compound, C13H14O4, the benzene ring forms dihedral angles of 18.60 (7) and 81.36 (8)° with the two arms of the malonate moiety. The crystal structure features C—H...O interactions, which form chains running parallel to the b axis.