RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SYNTHESIS OF REMDESIVIR, MOLNUPIRAVIR (EIDD-2801) AND TENOFOVIR: PROMISING MOLECULES IN THE TREATMENT OF COVID-19. The search for new treatments to contain the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of nucleoside antivirals, such as Remdesivir, Tenofovir and Molnupiravir. Over the last two years, these molecules have been intensely investigated as promising alternatives against SARS-CoV-2 virus. Considering the increasingly demand for those substances, several research groups are intensely investigating synthetic developments in order to obtain these nucleoside derivatives and their intermediates in a fast, efficient and accessible manner. In this context, this review aims to in-depth present the recent advances concerning the preparation of Remdesivir, Tenofovir and Molnupiravir. Aspects involving differences in the starting materials and reagents, as well as the advantages and limitations of each protocol would be carefully disclosed. Moreover, the use of synthetic tools, such as flow chemistry, organocatalysis and biocatalysis, would also be detailed. Finally, this review also presents aspects involving the scale-up of these transformations, including discussions about stereo- and diastereoselectivity, as well as product isolation details. In summary, an overview of the existing synthetic strategies for these active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are presented.

Abstract Antarctic harsh conditions favor the development of microbial adaptations. In this study, a molecular approach was applied to identify/refine the taxonomy of five yeasts isolated from different Antarctic samples, which were tested against ranges of temperature, UV radiations, salinity, and pH. Based on sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, strain CRM 1839 was confirmed as Naganishia sp., and strains CRM 1874, CRM 1565, CRM 2571, and CRM 2576 were identified as Goffeauzyma gilvescens, Goffeauzyma gastrica, Candida atlantica, and Camptobasidium sp., respectively, being this last one possibly a new species. Growth at different temperatures indicates that these yeasts are psychrotolerant, with the exception of Camptobasidium sp., which presents psychrophilic characteristics. G. gastrica recovered from marine sediment showed the best results of resistance to UV radiation, being able to grow even after the exposure to UVB dose of 9144 J/m² and UVC dose of 6102 J/m². C. atlantica isolated from glacier soil showed high cellular growth from 3 to 10% NaCl. The majority of the strains produced higher biomass at pH 7; nevertheless, G. gilvescens showed higher biomass production at pH 9. The studied Antarctic-derived yeasts have adaptations to extreme conditions, which makes them useful for biotechnological applications and studies of extremophiles.

4-Aminopyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine is a fundamental raw material in the synthesis of remdesivir, which demand has increased due to the tests and potential repositioning of this drug against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, three chemical steps route for the preparation of remdesivir’s nucleobase is described. Particularly, a highly chemoselective cyanation of Klein’s route and successful application of monochloramine prepared from commercial bleach as an N-amination reagent are presented.

In this paper we continue our efforts in the search for new Schiff bases as resveratrol analogues as promising antitubercular and antileishmanial agents. Compounds were evaluated in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Leishmania species. Compounds showed varying activity against promastigotes of all Leishmania species tested (concentration leading to reduction of 50% of parasite growth-IC50 values ranging from 1.60 to 15.53 µg mL-1). Majority of compounds exhibited good results against Leishmania species with IC50 values below 10.00 µg mL-1, with no cytotoxicity against macrophages. One of the analogues showed the best activity against amastigotes of L. amazonensis (IC50 = 5.73 µg mL-1). Furthermore, the compounds showed comparable or better effect than drugs commonly used in tuberculosis treatment such as Cycloserine®. The analogue that was the most active for M. tuberculosis had minimal inhibitory concentration MIC90 = 0.78 µg mL-1. The in vitro cytotoxicity on Vero cells (CC50), as well as the selectivity index (SI = CC50/MIC) were also evaluated, and showed that the synthesized analogues are not cytotoxic.

Uma levedura produtora de lipase isolada de queijo coalho e identificada como Trichosporon spp produziu 7,3 U/mL (59,3 U/µg) após 72h de cultivo. A lipase mostrou atividade ótima em pH 7,0-8,0 e temperatura ótima entre 45-50ºC. Extração pelo sistema PEG - sais de fosfato apresentou 99,8% de recuperação da atividade enzimática na fase PEG.

A lipase-producing yeast strain isolated from crude cheese and identified as Trichosporon spp produced 7.3 U/mL (59.3 U/µg) after 72h of cultivation. Lipase showed optimum activity at pH 7.0-8.0 and 45-50ºC. Extraction by the two-phase aqueous system (PEG-phosphate salts) showed an elevated recuperation (99.8%) of enzymatic activity in the PEG phase.