Abstract Background: Despite the development of new therapies for leishmaniasis, among the 200 countries or territories reporting to the WHO, 87 were identified as endemic for Tegumentary Leishmaniasis and 75 as endemic for Visceral Leishmaniasis. The identification of antileishmanial drug candidates is essential to fill the drug discovery pipeline for leishmaniasis. In the hit molecule LQB-118 selected, the first generation of pterocarpanquinones was effective and safe against experimental visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis via oral delivery. In this paper, we report the synthesis and antileishmanial activity of the second generation of pterocarpanoquinones. Methods: The second generation of pterocarpanquinones 2a-f was prepared through a palladium-catalyzed oxyarylation of dihydronaphtalen and chromens with iodolawsone, easily prepared by iodination of lawsone. The spectrum of antileishmanial activity was evaluated in promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis, L. braziliensis, and L. infantum. Toxicity was assessed in peritoneal macrophages and selective index calculated by CC50/IC50. Oxidative stress was measured by intracellular ROS levels and mitochondrial membrane potential in treated cells. Results: In this work, we answered two pertinent questions about the structure of the first-generation pterocarpanquinones: the configuration and positions of rings B (pyran) and C (furan) and the presence of oxygen in the B ring. When rings B and C are exchanged, we noted an improvement of the activity against promastigotes and amastigotes of L. amazonensis and promastigotes of L. infantum. As to the oxygen in ring B of the new generation, we observed that the oxygenated compound 2b is approximately twice as active against L. braziliensis promastigotes than its deoxy derivative 2a. Another modification that improved the activity was the addition of the methylenedioxy group. A variation in the susceptibility among species was evident in the clinically relevant form of the parasite, the intracellular amastigote. L. amazonensis was the species most susceptible to novel derivatives, whilst L. infantum was resistant to most of them. The pterocarpanoquinones (2b and 2c) that possess the oxygen atom in ring B showed induction of increased ROS production. Conclusions: The data presented indicate that the pterocarpanoquinones are promising compounds for the development of new leishmanicidal agents.

A series of 2-hydroxy-3-arylnaphthalene-1,4-diones (3-aryllawsones) were synthesized by Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling reaction of 3-iodolawsone with arylboronic acids/esters. The hydroxylated resulting products were transformed into their corresponding N,N-diethyl carbamates. The antineoplastic and antileishmanial activities of the compounds were evaluated and compared with lapachol and its carbamate, providing promising results.

A reação de Heck entre enoatos de configuração Z e E e o iodobenzeno foi estudada na presença de Pd(OAc)2. A estereoquímica nos adutos formados foi dependente da geometria do enoato (reação estereoespecífica). Os melhores rendimentos foram obtidos a partir de enoatos Z, em acetona, utilizando Ag2CO3 como base. Os principais intermediários catiônicos de paládio possivelmente envolvidos no ciclo catalítico puderam ser interceptados e caracterizados por espectrometria de massas com ionização electrospray (ESI-MS). A estereosseletividade observada pôde ser racionalizada através do mecanismo clássico da reação de Heck.

The Heck reaction between E- and Z-enoates and iodobenzene was studied in the presence of Pd(OAc)2. The stereochemistry in resulting adducts was dependent on the enoate geometry (stereospecific reaction). Best yields were obtained from Z-isomers in acetone using Ag2CO3 as base. The main cationic palladium intermediates possibly involved in the catalytic cycle could be intercepted and characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The stereoselectivity observed was rationalized through the classic mechanism of the Heck reaction.

A reação entre o iodo e a N-metil-piperazina ou a tiomorfolina em água, na presença de KI, levou a formação de complexos amina-iodo estáveis e de fácil manipulação, tal qual o complexo morfolina-iodo, previamente descrito na literatura. Entretanto, o complexo formado entre o iodo e a N,N-tetrametiletilenodiamina mostrou-se pouco estável, enquanto que nenhum complexo foi isolado quando a piperidina foi usada como base. Estes resultados mostram que a presença do segundo heteroátomo na estrutura das aminas é fundamental para a formação e estabilidade desses complexos. Neste trabalho descrevemos, pela primeira vez, o emprego dos complexos morfolina-iodo, N-metil-piperazina-iodo e tiomorfolina-iodo como agentes de iodação de vários fenóis substituídos, conduzindo a uma série de produtos iodados em rendimentos variando de bons a excelentes.

The reaction between iodo and N-methyl-piperazine or thiomorpholine in water, in the presence of KI, led to the formation of stable and easy to handle amine-iodine complexes, as the complex morpholine-iodo previously reported in the literature. However, the complex obtained using N,N-tetrametylethylenediamine proved less stable, while no complex was formed when piperidine was used as base. These results show that the presence of a second heteroatom in the structure of amines is of fundamental importance for the formation and stability of these complexes. In this work we describe, for the first time, the use of complexes morpholine-iodo, N-methyl-piperazine-iodo and thiomorpholine-iodo as iodinating reagents of several substituted phenols, leading to iodinated products in good to excellent yields.

Apresentamos a primeira síntese do (±)-3,4-diidroxi-8,9-metilenodioxipterocarpano, um isoflavonóide natural que apresenta atividade antitumoral. A etapa chave envolveu uma arilação de Heck entre o 7,8-dibenziloxicromeno e o organomercurial derivado do sesamol, seguido de reação de desbenzilação. O aduto de Heck foi também empregado na síntese do correspondente derivado cumestano, utilizando DDQ como agente oxidante.

We report the first synthesis of (±)-3,4-dihydroxy-8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan, a natural isoflavonoid that shows antitumoral activity. The key step involved the Heck reaction between the 7,8-dibenzyloxychromen and the organomercurial derived from sesamol, followed by debenzylation. The Heck adduct was also employed in the synthesis of the corresponding coumestan derivative, using DDQ as oxidant agent.

Um procedimento otimizado para a preparação de catecóis através da reação de quebra da ponte metilenodioxílica de derivados do safrol com cloreto de alumínio é descrito. Em substratos com grupos substituintes atraentes de elétrons (carboxaldeído e nitro) observou-se a formação regiosseletiva de éteres clorometílicos facilmente isoláveis. A partir desses intermediários foram sintetizados os fenóis mono O-metilados (3-hidroxi-4-metoxibenzaldeído, 2-bromo-4-metoxi-5-hidroxibenzaldeído, 2-nitro-4-metoxi-5-hidroxibenzaldeído, e 2-metoxi-4-(2-oxoprop-1-il)-5-nitrofenol). Com base nesses dados experimentais e em cálculos semi-empíricos (MNDO) de orbitais moleculares foi proposta uma racionalização mecanística para explicar as regiosseletividades observadas.

An improved procedure for the "one-pot" preparation of cathecols from methylenedioxy-ring cleavage reaction of safrole derivatives with aluminum chloride is described. In substrates substituted by conjugated electron-withdrawing groups (carboxyaldehyde or nitro groups) the regioselective formation of the easily isolable chloromethyl ether intermediates was observed. From these intermediates the syntheses of mono-O-methylated phenols (3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde, 2-bromo-4-methoxy-5-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-nitro-4-methoxy-5-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-methoxy-4-(2-oxoprop-1-yl)-5-nitrophenol) were accomplished. Based on these experimental data and semi-empirical (MNDO) molecular orbital calculations, a mechanistic rationale that explains the observed regioselectivities was also proposed.