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Excitotoxicity in the brain is a causal factor in several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2), an astrocytic glutamate transporter involved in the clearance of80% of synaptic glutamate, is considered a therapeutically relevant target for excitotoxicity. We have previously designed GT951, an activator of EAAT2 with nanomolar efficacy but limited in vivo bioavailability. In this study, a pharmacophore-based screening and optimization resulted in the design of GTS467 and GTS511. GTS467 and GTS511 have low nanomolar efficacy in the glutamate uptake assay. Pharmacokinetic profiles (PK) of GTS511 show a6 h half-life and higher bioavailability in plasma and the brain under all three routes of administration in rats. Similarly, GTS467 has high oral bioavailability (80-85%) in the brain and plasma with a1 h half-life under all three dosing routes. These encouraging efficacy and PK profiles suggest that GTS511 and GTS467 can be further developed to treat neurological disorders caused by excitotoxicity.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent endoproteases known to exert multiple regulatory roles in tumor progression. A variety of chemical classes have been explored for targeting individual MMP isoforms. In the present study, we further developed our isatin based scaffold BB0223107 capable of binding to and inactivating MMP-2 in a zinc-independent manner (Agamennone et al., 2016). Forty four new compounds were synthesized based on the modified BB0223107. All compounds were tested in enzyme inhibition assays against MMP-2, −8 and −13. SAR studies demonstrated that 5-het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-ones (37–39) were active toward MMP-2 and MMP-13. The most potent compounds 33 and 37 displayed an IC50 of 3 µM against MMP-13 and showed a negligible activity toward MMP-8; almost all new compounds were inactive toward MMP-8. Replacement of the isatin ring with a biaryl system (compound 33) did not decrease the potency against MMP-13 but reduced the selectivity. Structure-based computational studies were carried out to rationalize the inhibitory activity data. The analysis of binding geometries confirmed that all fragments occupied the S1′ site in the three enzymes while no ligand was able to bind the catalytic zinc ion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of 3-aminoindolin-2-one-based MMP inhibitors that, based on the computer modeling study, do not coordinate the zinc ion. Thus, the het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-one derivatives emerge as a drug-like and promising chemotype that, along with the hetaryl variations, represents an alternative and thrifty tool for chemical space exploration aimed at MMP inhibitor design.

A facile one-pot approach based on a thermally induced metal- and solvent-free 5-endo-dig cyclization reaction of the amino propargylic alcohols in combination with Dess-Martin periodinane-promoted oxidative dearomatization of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole intermediates provides an efficient and robust access to 5,6-dihydro-1H-indol-2(4H)ones. Green, relatively mild and operationally simple characteristics of the synthetic sequence are the major advantages, which greatly amplify the developed methodology. The utility of obtained indolones as unified key precursors is demonstrated by the application of these products to the formal total syntheses of a whole pleiad of Erythrina- and Lycorine-type alkaloids, namely (±)-erysotramidine, (±)-erysotrine, (±)-erythravine, (±)-γ-lycorane, and abnormal erythrinanes (±)-coccoline and (±)-coccuvinine.

The principal methods for the synthesis of pyrrolizidine and indolizidine alkaloids and their unnatural analogs are described. Six main “strategic” approaches in regard to a key step forming azabicyclic skeleton are identified. Namely, these are: 1) hydrogenation of the corresponding heteroaromatic compounds; 2) various condensations of carbonyl compounds and their surrogates; 3) cycloaddition reactions; 4) sigmatropic shifts and other rearrangements; 5) transition metal-mediated cyclizations (including the ring-closing alkene metathesis); and 6) radical processes. Such important issues, as retrosynthetic analysis, chiral pool synthesis, and chiral auxiliaries, are also discussed.

A facile one-pot approach based on a thermally induced metal- and solvent-free 5-endo-dig cyclization reaction of the amino propargylic alcohols in combination with Dess-Martin periodinane-promoted oxidative dearomatization of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole intermediates provides an efficient and robust access to 5,6-dihydro-1H-indol-2(4H)ones. Green, relatively mild and operationally simple characteristics of the synthetic sequence are the major advantages, which greatly amplify the developed methodology. The utility of obtained indolones as unified key precursors is demonstrated by the application of these products to the formal total syntheses of a whole pleiad of Erythrina- and Lycorine-type alkaloids, namely (±)-erysotramidine, (±)-erysotrine, (±)-erythravine, (±)-γ-lycorane, and abnormal erythrinanes (±)-coccoline and (±)-coccuvinine.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are well-established targets for several pathologies. In particular, MMP-2 and MMP-13 play a prominent role in cancer progression. In this study, a structure-based screening campaign was applied to prioritize metalloproteinase-oriented fragments. This computational model was applied to a representative fragment set from the publically available EDASA Scientific compound library. These fragments were prioritized, and the top-ranking hits were tested in a biological assay to validate the model. Two scaffolds showed consistent activity in the assay, and the isatin-based compounds were the most interesting. These latter fragments have significant potential as tools for the design and realization of novel MMP inhibitors. In addition to their micromolar activity, the chemical synthesis affords flexible and creative access to their analogues.