In the brain of patients with chronic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) levels rise while the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels decrease. Therefore, development of new selective BuChE inhibitors is of vital importance. Here we present a series of bis(n)-lophine analogues, where two lophine derivatives are connected by a methylene chain. The bis(n)-lophine analogues were synthesized through one-pot four component reaction between pyridinecarboxaldehydes, 1,n-alkanediamines, benzil, and ammonium acetate. The reactions were performed in a microwave reactor in one step for symmetrical bis(n)-lophines, and in two steps for unsymmetrical bis(n)-lophines. The compounds are strongly selective to BuChE, since none of them inhibit AChE. All the compounds, except 7a, 7b and 7c, displayed potent inhibitory activity against BuChE at a micromolar and sub-micromolar range (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 32.25-0.03 µM). The enzyme kinetic and docking studies suggests that the inhibitor act as a dual binding site inhibitor, binding into the bottom of the gorge and in the peripheral anionic site (PAS) of BuChE cavity. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed that compounds 5b and 12b had no cytotoxic effects in kidney Vero, hepatic HepG2 and C6 astroglial cell lines.

Five new π-conjugated chromophores derived from acrylic acid and acrylonitrile were synthesized and their thermal and photophysical behaviors were analyzed. They were designed and synthesized through Knoevenagel condensations between arylacetylenebenzaldehydes and a methylene group activated from cyanoacetic and malonic acids. The characterization of the target compounds was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), absorption and emission spectroscopy techniques. Arylcinnamic acids were obtained as pure E-isomers. On the other hand, arylacrylonitrile was obtained as a mixture of E/Z-isomers and the pure E-isomer was isolated in chromatographic columns. The liquid crystal properties were investigated through differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. All chromophores displayed smectic and nematic mesophases. These materials displayed intense fluorescence under UV-Vis light excitation. The maximum absorption peaks were observed between 342-356 nm while emission varied from 428 to 460 nm in chloroform solution. Higher values for the quantum fluorescence yield were associated with acrylic acids compared to arylacrylonitriles. The solvatochromism studies of the materials showed a significant increase in the red-shift of the fluorescence spectra as the polarity of the solvent increased. In some cases, a variation in the emission wavelength from the blue to the green region of the spectrum was observed.

The restoration of acetylcholine levels in the brain by inhibition of cholinesterases is currently the most successful therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegenerative disorders. In this context, tacrine has been largely investigated as a starting scaffold for the development of promising new anticholinesterases compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease. Here we present a series of compounds containing the tacrine nucleus connected with squaric moiety by a diaminoalkylene chain. The compounds were obtained through a simple and short synthetic route and showed high inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) within nanomolar IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration). The molecular modelling study showed that these compounds act as dual-binding inhibitors of AChE, interacting with both catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) of the enzyme’s binding cavity. The investigated compounds also demonstrated outstanding selectivity for AChE than in butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). These results evince these compounds as promising agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and a fuller synthetic scope jointly with complementary biological evaluations are currently under investigation in our laboratory.

The nature of binding between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the antidepressant tianeptine and a new series of esters derivatives were studied in this paper. The interactions with BSA were investigated by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy at three different temperatures. The fluorescence quenching experiments showed that BSA interactions with tianeptine could be dynamic while to its esters a static mechanism was observed. The results showed that tianeptine quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA more efficiently than its esters due to the presence of the free acid portion. The number of binding sites determined by fluorescence spectroscopy is approximately equal to 1 indicating that there is one binding site between BSA tianeptine esters, but the presence of a second interaction site for tianeptine at higher temperatures could be not ruled out. Molecular docking calculations point out a strong affinity of tianeptine and its esters to the site IIA of protein, supporting the hypothesis of a static quenching mechanism.

Cholinesterase enzymes are important targets for the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease. Tacrine-based dual binding site cholinesterases inhibitors are potential disease-modifying anti-Alzheimer drug candidates. In the present work, we described the synthesis of a series of chiral homo- and heterodimers of bis(7)-tacrine connected by a heptylene chain as a spacer with the methyl substituent at the C-3 position of the alicyclic region of tacrine nucleus and/or a chlorine atom attached to the C-6. Friedländer cyclocondensation between (R) or (S) 3-methylcyclohexanone prepared from monoterpene pulegone and o-aminobenzoic acids in the presence of POCl3 afford 9-chloroacridines as intermediates, which were used to the synthesis of homo- and heterodimers. All compounds demonstrated to be potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at low nanomolar concentration and showed selectivity for AChE over butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Furthermore, the affinity difference between enantiomeric bis(7)-tacrine analogues series indicated some degree of stereoselectivity in the active site of AChE for chiral bis-cognitin compounds.

Este artigo mostra a síntese e caracterização do ligante isopropilmaltol obtido a partir do furfural e também um novo complexo diclorobis-(3-hidroxi-2-isopropil-4-pirona)titânio(IV) com estrutura cis. Dados de ressonância magnética nuclear de 1H, análise elementar e UV-Vis confirmam a formação do complexo. Este complexo foi estudado em reações de polimerização de etileno utilizando metilaluminoxano (MAO) como co-catalisador. A atividade catalítica deste complexo é baixa, entretanto foram obtidos polietilenos com alto peso molecular que são interessantes para diferentes aplicações.

This report describes a new synthesis of isopropylmaltol from furfural. This organic compound was used as ligand to obtain a new complex, the dichlorobis-(3-hydroxy-2-isopropyl-4-pyrone) titanium(IV). 1H nuclear magnetic ressonance, elemental analysis and UV-Vis analysis confirm the complex formation. This complex was investigated in ethylene polymerization using methylaluminoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst. The catalytic activity was low, however, there were obtained very high molecular weight polyethylenes, which are interesting for various special applications.

Nesse trabalho estudou-se a reação de ciclodesidratação entre antranilonitrila e várias cetonas na presença de diferentes ácidos de Lewis não reportados na literatura, para a obtenção de 9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahidroacridinas. As reações de ciclodesidratação foram realizadas em condições térmicas empregando-se diferentes solventes e também na ausência de solvente, seguidas de hidrólise alcalina, levando à obtenção dos produtos em bons a excelentes rendimentos após isolamento.

The scope of Lewis acid-promoted cyclodehydratation reactions between anthranilonitrile and several ketones, to afford tacrine and its derivatives, was expanded to include the use of various metal chloride salts not reported in the literature. The ability of the Lewis acids to effectively promote the cyclodehydratation between anthranilonitrile and cyclohexanone as the ketone was found to be the following order: InCl3 > AlCl3 ~ BF3.Et2O > FeCl3 > BiCl3 ~ SbCl3 ~ SnCl2.2H2O. The reactions were performed under both solvent and solvent-free conditions in good to excellent yields. Other Lewis acids screened, such as RuCl3, CeCl3, NiCl2, CoCl2.2H2O and CsCl were not effective.

Este trabalho descreve a preparação enantiosseletiva da (R)-(+)-isocarvona, (S)-(-)-5-isopropenilcicloex-2-enona e (S)-(-)-3-isopropenilcicloexanona, a partir do (S)-(-)-perilaldeído. Estes compostos podem ser usados como blocos de construção importantes para a síntese orgânica.

This work describes the enantioselective preparation of (R)-(+)-isocarvone, (S)-(-)-5-isopropenylcyclohex-2-enone and (S)-(-)-3-isopropenylcyclohexanone starting from (S)-(-)-perillaldehyde. These compounds hold the prospect of serving as useful chiral building blocks or intermediates in organic synthesis.

Tricloreto de índio na presença de hipoclorito de sódio promove a cloração alílica de olefinas terminais em meio bifásico (diclorometano/água) com bons rendimentos. Para estabelecer um procedimento geral, escolheu-se a carvona como composto modelo e otimizou-se a estequiometria, temperatura, e tempo de conversão para o respectivo cloreto alílico. Tratando-se beta-pineno com tricloreto de índio/hipoclorito de sódio obteve-se seletivamente o cloreto perílico, um precursor importante para a obtenção de derivados de limoneno oxigenados no carbono C-7.

Indium trichloride promotes the chlorination of terminal olefins in the presence of sodium hypochlorite with good results. Carvone was chosen as a model compound to examine some of the general features of this reaction, such as stoichiometry, temperature, reaction time and product conversion. Treatment of beta-pinene with sodium hypochlorite in the presence of indium trichloride resulted in a facile rearrangement to selectively yield perillyl chloride, which is an important precursor for C-7 oxygenated limonenes.

Este trabalho refere-se à síntese enantiosseletiva da dienona (5R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-1(8),3-dien-2-one. Este intermediário, pode ser reconhecido como um bloco de construção versátil para a síntese de uma grande variedade de compostos com esqueleto biciclo[3.3.0]octano. A estratégia sintética empregada aqui faz uso da reatividade invertida de um precursor cianoidrina TMS-éter, como equivalente de ânion acila, para promover uma reação de alquilação intramolecular. A síntese formal do (-)-kelsoeno foi realizada pela preparação do intermediário avançado (1R,5S,8R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-3-en-2-one, a partir da hidrogenação seletiva do composto intitulado (5R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-1(8),3-dien-2-one.

This paper describes the conversion of the readily available (-)-limonene oxide to the new (5R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-1(8),3-dien-2-one. This compound holds the prospect of serving as a useful chiral building block or intermediate to prepare a variety of compounds having a bicyclo[3.3.0]octane framework. The synthetic strategy made use of the umpolung reactivity of cyanohydrin TMS ether, as an acyl anion equivalent, in order to promote intramolecular alkylation. The formal synthesis of (-)-kelsoene was achieved by preparing a known advanced intermediate (1R,5S,8R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-3-en-2-one via selective hydrogenation of the named compound (5R)-4,8-dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-1(8),3-dien-2-one.

A isoprenilação de aldeídos e cetonas foi realizada através da inserção seletiva de índio sobre uma mistura de 2-bromometil-1,3-butadieno e seus isômeros vinílicos, com bons rendimentos. Uma síntese rápida do (±)-ipsenol, feromônio de agregação do besouro Ips paraconfusus, demonstra a utilidade deste método em síntese orgânica.

Isoprenylation of aldehydes and ketones was directly performed by selective indium insertion on a mixture of 2-bromomethyl-1,3-butadiene and its vinylic isomers in good yields. A short synthesis of (±)-ipsenol, an aggregation pheromone of the Ips paraconfusus bark beetle, demonstrates the utility of this method in organic synthesis.