Damian Trzybiński

Mitochondria Targeting with Luminescent Rhenium(I) Complexes

Two new neutral fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)L] compounds (1,2), with phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and L = O2C(CH2)5CH3 or O2C(CH2)4C≡CH, were synthetized in one-pot procedures from fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)Cl] and the corresponding carboxylic acids, and were fully characterized by IR and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, 1H- and 13C-NMR, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. The compounds, which display orange luminescence, were used as probes for living cancer HeLa cell staining. Confocal microscopy revealed accumulation of both dyes in mitochondria. To investigate the mechanism of mitochondrial staining, a new non-emissive compound, fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)L], with L = O2C(CH2)3((C5H5)Fe(C5H4), i.e., containing a ferrocenyl moiety, was synthetized and characterized (3). 3 shows the same mitochondrial accumulation pattern as 1 and 2. Emission of 3 can only be possible when ferrocene-containing ligand dissociates from the metal center to produce a species containing the luminescent fac[Re(CO)3(phen)]+ core. The release of ligands from the Re center was verified in vitro through the conjugation with model proteins. These findings suggest that the mitochondria accumulation of compounds 1–3 is due to the formation of luminescent fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)]+ products, which react with cellular matrix molecules giving secondary products and are uptaken into the negatively charged mitochondrial membranes. Thus, reported compounds feature a rare dissociation-driven mechanism of action with great potential for biological applications.

(S)-2-(4-Chlorobenzoyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[e]pyrazino[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,12(11H,12aH)-dione—Synthesis and Crystallographic Studies

(S)-2-(4-Chlorobenzoyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[e]pyrazino[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,12(11H,12aH)-dione was obtained in a three-step, one-pot synthesis, starting from optically pure (S)-2-piperazine carboxylic acid dihydrochloride. Selective acylation of the β-nitrogen atom followed by condensation with isatoic anhydride and cyclization with HATU/DIPEA to a seven-member benzodiazepine ring, led to the tricyclic benzodiazepine derivative. Crystallographic studies and initial biological screening were performed for the title compound.

Azoliniums, Adducts, NHCs and Azomethine Ylides: Divergence in Wanzlick Equilibrium and Olefin Metathesis Catalyst Formation

The dimerization of a saturated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) to tricyclic piperazine in preference to the commonly observed Wanzlick dimerization is presented. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the N-fluorene substituent of the heterocycle is implicated in both ring opening of corresponding carbene dimer and tautomerization of NHC to an azomethine ylide. This has consequences for the fate of the NHC when generated from either an azolinium salt or a pentafluorophenyl adduct. The insights gained permitted the synthesis of a new indenylidene metathesis precatalyst, which exhibits exceptional selectivity and high TONS in self-metathesis of 1-octene.

Well‐Defined Chiral Copper NHC Complex in the Asymmetric Conjugated β‐Borylation and One‐Pot Metathesis‐Asymmetric β‐Borylation Reactions

Highly stereoselective conjugate β-borylation, using a new chiral NHC-based copper catalyst, has been achieved. The chiral NHC copper complex was prepared in gram scale and showed high enantioselectivity and activity (up to 10 000 turnovers at 100 ppm of catalyst loading). This method was employed in the synthesis of a chiral β-borylated ester from simple unconjugated alkenes though an unprecedented one-pot cross metathesis-asymmetric borylation sequence.

Magnetostructural Investigation of Orthogonal 1‐Aryl‐3‐Phenyl‐1,4‐Dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin‐4‐yl Derivatives

3-Phenyl-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazinyl radicals with the N(1) position substituted with naphth-2-yl (1 b), naphth-1-yl (1 c), pyren-1-yl (1 d), anthracen-9-yl (1 e), 2-trifluoromethylphenyl (1 f), 3-trifluoromethylphenyl (1 g), and 2-iodophenyl (1 h) were characterized by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility, and DFT computational methods. The substituent at N(1) is essentially orthogonal to the heterocycle plane in 1 f and 1 h, and with a high torsion angle in 1 c and 1 d. Radicals 1 c and 1 h form unusual infinite chains with crisscrossing hetero-co-facial π-π interactions, whereas radical 1 d forms analogous homo-co-facial arrangements. Infinite chains of homo-co-facial π-π dimers are found in 1 b, 1 f and 1 g; in the latter the position of the CF3 group controls the slippage of the dimers in the chain. No π-π parallel arrangements were found in 1 e. Magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrated strong antiferromagnetic interactions in 1 b (J=-264±4 cm-1 ) and 1 f (J=-134±1 cm-1 ), while weak intradimer ferromagnetic interactions were found in 1 g (J2 =+21±1 and J1 =-15±1 cm-1 ). Other derivatives exhibit typical weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in a range of -5 to -10 cm-1 .

Cymantrenyl-Nucleobases: Synthesis, Anticancer, Antitrypanosomal and Antimicrobial Activity Studies

The synthesis of four cymantrene-5-fluorouracil derivatives (1–4) and two cymantrene-adenine derivatives (5 and 6) is reported. All of the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods and the crystal structure of two derivatives (1 and 6), together with the previously described cymantrene-adenine compound C was determined by X-ray crystallography. While the compounds 1 and 6 crystallized in the triclinic P-1 space group, compound C crystallized in the monoclinic P21/m space group. The newly synthesized compounds 1–6 were tested together with the two previously described cymantrene derivatives B and C for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against seven cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MCF-7/DX, MDA-MB-231, SKOV-3, A549, HepG2m and U-87-MG), five bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-sensitive, methicillin-resistant and vancomycin-intermediate strains), Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli, including clinical isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis, as well as against the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. The most cytotoxic compounds were derivatives 2 and C for A549 and SKOV-3 cancer cell lines, respectively, with 50% growth inhibition (IC50) values of about 7 µM. The anticancer activity of the cymantrene compounds was determined to be due to their ability to induce oxidative stress and to trigger apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells. Three derivatives (1, 4 and 5) displayed promising antitrypanosomal activity, with GI50 values in the low micromolar range (3–4 µM). The introduction of the 5-fluorouracil moiety in 1 enhanced the trypanocidal activity when compared to the activity previously reported for the corresponding uracil derivative. The antibacterial activity of cymantrene compounds 1 and C was within the range of 8–64 µg/mL and seemed to be the result of induced cell shrinking.

Esters with imidazo [1,5-c] quinazoline-3,5-dione ring spectral characterization and quantum-mechanical modeling

Abstract1-phenyl-2H,6H-imidazo[1,5-c]quinazoline-3,5-dione reacts with ethyl bromoacetate under mild conditions to give 2-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-1-phenyl-6H-imidazo[1,5-c]quinazoline-3,5-dione (MEPIQ) and next 2,6-bis(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-1-phenylimidazo[1,5-c]quinazoline-3,5-dione (BEPIQ). The products were isolated at high yield and identified on the basis of IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, UV spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Diester (BEPIQ) can be presented by 16 possible pair of enantiomers. Only one pair of them is the most stable and crystallizes which is shown crystallographic research. Based on quantum-mechanical modeling, with the use of DFT method, which conformers of mono- and diester and why they were formed was explained. It was calculated that 99.93% of the monoester (MEPIQ) is formed at position No. 2 and one pair of the monoester conformers, from six possible, has the largest share (51.63%). These results afforded to limit the number of diester conformers to eight. Unfortunately, the quantum-mechanical calculations performed that their shares are similar. Further quantum-mechanical modeling showed that conformers are able to undergo mutual transformations. As a result only one pair of diester conformers forms crystals. These conformers have substituents in trans position and these substituents are located parallel to imidazoquinazoline ring. This allows for the denser packing of the molecules in the unit cell.

Structure, formation, thermodynamics and interactions in 9-carboxy-10-methylacridinium-based molecular systems

9-Carboxy-10-methylacridinium chloride and trifluoromethanesulfonate, the parent compounds for a wide range of chemiluminogenic salts of practical importance, were synthesized and thoroughly investigated to address problems concerning structural and thermodynamical issues of these cognitively interesting molecular systems. Under various conditions of crystallization, the title salts disclosed three types of crystals: one built from the monomeric form of cations and two containing homoconjugated cations. The title compounds made the first described derivatives of acridine, expressing homoconjugated cationic forms, both in crystalline solid and gaseous phases. The monocrystals were characterized, employing X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic methods such as MALDI-TOF MS, ESI-QTOF MS, NMR and UV-Vis. X-ray crystallography studies revealed the occurrence of the three different molecular architectures, in which not only the counter ions and stoichiometry are different, but also the space group and number of molecules in the unit cell. The energetics and intermolecular interactions occurring within the crystals were explored, applying crystal lattice energy calculations and Hirshfeld surface analysis. In order to elucidate the thermodynamics and origin of the experimentally revealed forms, computations based on the density functional theory were performed, assuming vapour and liquid phases.

N-(4-Bromobenzyl)-2-(5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzo[d]imid-azol-2-yl)benzeneamine

N-(4-Bromobenzyl)-2-(5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)benzeneamine was obtained by condensation of N-(4-bromobenzyl)-3,1-benzoxazine-2,4-dione (N-(4-bromobenzyl)isatoic anhydride) with 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylenediamine in refluxing acetic acid. This is a rare example of condensation of N-substituted 3,1-benzoxazine-2,4-dione with 1,2-phenylenediamine, which resulted in the formation of a benzimidazole derivative with a moderate yield. Crystallographic studies and initial biological screening were performed for the obtained product.

Novel (S )-1,3,4,12a-tetrahydropyrazino[2,1- c ][1,4]benzodiazepine-6,12(2 H ,11 H )-dione derivatives: Selective inhibition of MV-4-11 biphenotypic B myelomonocytic leukemia cells’ growth is accompanied by reactive oxygen species overproduction and apoptosis

A series of optically pure (R)- and (S)-1,3,4,12a-tetrahydropyrazino[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-6,12(2H,11H)-dione derivatives was designed and synthesized as novel anthramycin analogues in a three-step, one-pot procedure, and tested for their antiproliferative activity on nine following cell lines: MV-4-11, UMUC-3, MDA-MB-231, MCF7, LoVo, HT-29, A-549, A2780 and BALB/3T3. The key structural features responsible for exhibition of cytotoxic effect were determined: the (S)-configuration of chiral center and the presence of hydrophobic 4-biphenyl substituent in the side chain. Introduction of bromine atom into the 8 position (8g) or substitution of dilactam ring with benzyl group (8m) further improved the activity and selectivity of investigated compounds. Among others, compound 8g exhibited selective cytotoxic effect against MV-4-11 (IC50 = 8.7 μM) and HT-29 (IC50 = 17.8 μM) cell lines, while 8m showed noticeable anticancer activity against MV-4-11 (IC50 = 10.8 μM) and LoVo (IC50 = 11.0 μM) cell lines. The cell cycle arrest in G1/S checkpoint and apoptosis associated with overproduction of reactive oxygen species was also observed for 8e and 8m.