Michal Uher

Antileukemic activity of 4-pyranone derivatives

In a search for new compounds possessing antitumor activity, we examined the effects of a group of oxygen containing heterocyclic derivatives on L1210 murine leukemia cell growth. Several 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyranone derivatives were tested in a growth assay employing a human leukemia K562 cells line. IC50 was extrapolated from the growth inhibition curves at compound concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 microM. The halogen derivatives of 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyranone inhibited L1210 cell growth in suspension culture after 96 hr incubation in the following order: 5-hydroxy-2-iodomethyl-4-pyranone (IC50 3.15 microM) > 6-bromo-2-bromomethyl-5-hydroxy-4-pyranone (IC50 3.40 microM) > 6-bromo-5-hydroxy-2-hydroxy-methyl-4-pyranone (IC50 3.75 microM) > 2-bromomethyl-5-hydroxy-4-pyranone (IC50 4.30 microM) > 5-benzyloxy-2-chloromethyl-4-pyranone (IC50 5 microM) > 6-bromo-2-chloromethyl-4-pyranone (IC50 13.50 microM) > 6-chloro-2-chloromethyl-5-hydroxy-4-pyranone (IC50 18 microM) > 2-chloromethyl-5-hydroxy-4-pyranone (IC50 20 microM). The compound, 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyranone has no effect on L1210 cell growth. These results suggest that 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyranone derivatives might represent a new class of compounds with antileukemic activity.

Re-examination of Nucleophilic Substitutionin Chlorokojic Acid

Summary. Chlorokojic acid was reacted with S2O32−, NO3−, N3−, I−, and SCN−. Only the three latter nucleophiles substituted the chlorine atom in the 2-CH2Cl group of kojic acid. In none of the products nucleophilic substitution at position 6 of the 4-pyrone could be found. Regular substituion of chlorokojic acid with I− (iodokojic acid), N3− (azidokojic acid), and SCN− (thiocyanato and isothiocyanato kojic acids) was accompanied by formation of allomaltol. Reaction pathways for the formation of allomaltol and 6-substituted allomaltol derivatives are proposed. The latter has been formerly discovered in the reaction of chlorokojic acid with secondary amines.

Synthesis and Cleavage of Pyridone-4 Aminophosphonic Acids

Some new pyridone aminophosphonic acids were synthesized from pyridone aldimines and tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphite. It was found that the obtained aminophosphonic acids 2 were cleaved in mineral acid solutions to form the corresponding amines 3 and phosphoric acid. Preliminary kinetic measurements were performed.