10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.02.042
The research focuses on the design and synthesis of novel derivatives of nitroxoline as inhibitors of human cathepsin B, a cysteine protease implicated in various pathological processes, including cancer. The study aims to further define the structural requirements for cathepsin B inhibition by nitroxoline derivatives and to provide knowledge that could lead to the development of non-peptidic compounds useful against tumor progression. The researchers synthesized over 60 nitroxoline-based derivatives and evaluated their ability to inhibit both endopeptidase and exopeptidase activities of cathepsin B. They also assessed the compounds' ability to reduce extracellular and intracellular collagen IV degradation and their impact on tumor cell invasion in vitro. The study concluded that while significant improvement in in vitro cathepsin B inhibition was not achieved compared to previous results, several derivatives showed promising efficacy in tumor-cell-based assays. Key chemicals used in the synthesis process included various nitroxoline derivatives, amidoacetonitriles, aminoacetonitriles, and different substituents at positions 2, 7, and 8 of the nitroxoline core, as well as reagents for coupling reactions and nitration procedures.
10.1039/c1ob06690k
The study presents a novel and efficient method for synthesizing 1,4-disubstituted imidazoles with complete regioselectivity. The researchers developed a protocol that involves an unusual double aminomethylenation of a glycine derivative to yield a 2-azabuta-1,3-diene, which then undergoes transamination/cyclization with an amine nucleophile to form the substituted imidazole. Key chemicals used in the study include aminoacetonitrile, which serves as the starting material for the azadiene synthesis, and various amines as nucleophiles for the cyclization step. The study also explores the use of different reagents such as dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (DMF·DMA) and pyrrolidine to enhance the reaction efficiency and lower the reaction temperature. The method is notable for its insensitivity to steric and electronic variations on the amine component, allowing for the preparation of a diverse range of imidazoles.