Ettore Castiglioni

Chiral aromatase and dual aromatase−steroid sulfatase inhibitors from the letrozole template:synthesis, absolute configuration, and in vitro activity

To explore aromatase inhibition and to broaden the structural diversity of dual aromatase-sulfatase inhibitors (DASIs), we introduced the steroid sulfatase (STS) inhibitory pharmacophore to letrozole. Letrozole derivatives were prepared bearing bis-sulfamates or mono-sulfamates with or without adjacent substituents. The most potent of the achiral and racemic aromatase inhibitor was 40 (IC 50 = 3.0 nM). Its phenolic precursor 39 was separated by chiral HPLC, and the absolute configuration of each enantiomer was determined using vibrational and electronic circular dichroism in tandem with calculations of the predicted spectra. Of the two enantiomers, ( R)-phenol ( 39a) was the most potent aromatase inhibitor (IC 50 = 0.6 nM, comparable to letrozole), whereas the ( S)-sulfamate, ( 40b) inhibited STS most potently (IC 50 = 553 nM). These results suggest that a new structural class of DASI for potential treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer has been identified, and this is the first report of STS inhibition by an enantiopure nonsteroidal compound.

Experimental aspects of solid state circular dichroism

The interest of circular dichroism in the solid state is stimulated by several needs, such as the desire to get solvent free spectra, the insolubility of the sample or the intrinsic process in which the sample itself is prepared or manipulated. We approach the argument on the basis of the sampling technique, since each different case calls for specific care in getting proper results.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence: A Review of Experimental and Theoretical Aspects

We review the present status of experiments and calculations for circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) of simple organic molecules and of stimuli-responsive organic molecules. Together with the historical report of the main instrumental approaches, a few crucial points about experiments are tackled, with the aim of defining measurement protocols, in view of the wide availability of commercial apparatuses in the near future. The calculations aimed at interpreting the CPL spectra, mostly based on time-dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) calculations, which started around 2010, are reviewed, limiting the discussion to small to mid-sized molecules. Some applications of CPL spectra of organic molecules-based systems are presented, with a focus especially on two fields: material science and biology. Chirality 28:696-707, 2016.

Reliable assay of extreme enantiomeric purity values by a new circular dichroism based HPLC detection system

A new sensitive, selective, and versatile circular dichroism (CD)-based HPLC detection system was used for the validation of the enantiomeric purity assay in the quality control of chiral drugs upon nonchiral stationary phases. The precision and the accuracy of the method were checked for selected samples showing values of the anisotropy factor on the order of 10(-1) to 10(-4). Very high accuracy has been obtained also in the case of extreme enantiomeric purity values (</=1% or >/=99% e.p.) and of a low anisotropy factor (g = 2 x 10(-4)) compound. The high selectivity of this detection system allows a selective monitoring of analytes in complex mixtures and makes the baseline stable.

Experimental and calculated CPL spectra and related spectroscopic data of camphor and other simple chiral bicyclic ketones.

UV, circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra were recorded for a set of four related [2.2.1] bicyclic compounds ((1S,4S)-and (1R,4R)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, namely (1S)- and (1R)-camphor (), (1S,4R)-4,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-2-one, (1S)-dehydro-epicamphor (), (1S,4S)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,5-dione, (1S)-5-oxocamphor (), (1S,4R)- and (1R,4S)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dione, (1S)- and (1R)-camphorquinone ()) and a set of three related [2.2.2] bicyclic compounds (1S,4S)-bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2,5-dione (saturated diketone ()), (1R,4R)-bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-en-2,5-dione (unsaturated diketone ()), ((1S,4S)-bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-en-5(S)-ol-2-one (which we refer to as unsaturated hydroxy-ketone ()). For the latter three compounds also mid-IR vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra were recorded and are presented. Time-Dependent Density Functional (TD-DFT) calculations provide a satisfactory interpretation of both absorption and emission chiroptical spectra and permit insight into ground and excited state electronic properties. We discuss the applicability of the octant rule or of other approximated models to rationalize the observed sign of the CPL.

Revisiting with updated hardware an old spectroscopic technique: circularly polarized luminescence.

Among the various chiroptical spectroscopic techniques available today, circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) plays a minor role and is still used by a limited number of specialists. The cost of the few commercial instruments available and the complexity of homemade apparatuses have strongly limited the widespread application of this technique. New technological approaches, such as the use of light-emitting diode (LED) sources, may significantly simplify the required instrumentation and encourage new potential users. Calibration procedure and the quantitative determination of CPL and total luminescence intensity as well as the corresponding g ratio are described.

Inherently Chiral Macrocyclic Oligothiophenes: Easily Accessible Electrosensitive Cavities with Outstanding Enantioselection Performances

Linear conjugated oligothiophenes of variable length and different substitution pattern are ubiquitous in technologically advanced optoelectronic devices, though limitations in application derive from insolubility, scarce processability and chain-end effects. This study describes an easy access to chiral cyclic oligothiophenes constituted by 12 and 18 fully conjugated thiophene units. Chemical oxidation of an “inherently chiral” sexithiophene monomer, synthesized in two steps from commercially available materials, induces the formation of an elliptical dimer and a triangular trimer endowed with electrosensitive cavities of different tunable sizes. Combination of chirality with electroactivity makes these molecules unique in the current oligothiophenes literature. These macrocycles, which are stable and soluble in most organic solvents, show outstanding chiroptical properties, high circularly polarized luminescence effects and an exceptional enantiorecognition ability.

Vibrational circular dichroism in the near infrared: instrumental developments and applications.

Near infrared vibrational circular dichroism spectra in the region of 1300 to 800 nm were recorded for 12 enantiomeric pairs of molecules with a home-made dispersive apparatus. With respect to earlier measurements, a better signal-to-noise ratio was obtained, thus allowing a more precise determination of molecular parameters. A detailed examination of the spectra between 1300 and 1100 nm allowed us to correlate the data of the different molecules, based on local properties of given molecular moieties. The relevance of this correlation in configurational and/or conformational studies is discussed.

Chiroptical spectroscopic techniques based on fluorescence

Among the various chiroptical spectroscopic methods circular dichroism (CD), optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), Raman optical activity (ROA), the methods based on fluorescence have so far played a marginal role. Fluorescence detected circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) were both introduced many years ago with important, but not so frequent, applications. In particular, CPL, which requires specialist hardware, has been restricted by the limited number of users. Recent interest, which has increased in the field of material science particularly, where the emission properties are more attractive and important than the absorption ones, has motivated new application fields and may change the situation in the future.

NIR‐VCD, vibrational circular dichroism in the near‐infrared: Experiments, theory and calculations

The first well documented experiments of Near Infrared Vibrational Circular Dichroism (NIR-VCD) were performed around 1975. We review the thirty year history of NIR-VCD, encompassing both instrumental development and theoretical/computational methods that allow interpretation of experimental spectra, harvesting useful structural information therefrom. We hope to stimulate interest in this still scarcely explored spectroscopy of chiral molecules.