Oxidation of cationic 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives as model compounds for putative gene delivery agents

Abstract: A new synthetic approach to cationic pyridine derivatives is described here. Two different strategies for the synthesis of 1,1′-{[3,5-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-4-phenylpyridine-2,6-diyl]dimethylene}bispyridinium salts have been developed. The key step of the first strategy relies on electrochemical and chemical oxidation of cationic 1,4-dihydropyridines; the second one involves nucleophilic substitution of pyridine dibromo derivatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]