Mourad Chioua

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Molecular Modeling of Donepezil and N-[(5-(Benzyloxy)-1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-N-methylprop-2-yn-1-amine Hybrids as New Multipotent Cholinesterase/Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

A new family of multitarget molecules able to interact with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), as well as with monoamino oxidase (MAO) A and B, has been synthesized. Novel compounds (3-9) have been designed using a conjunctive approach that combines the benzylpiperidine moiety of the AChE inhibitor donepezil (1) and the indolyl propargylamino moiety of the MAO inhibitor N-[(5-benzyloxy-1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-N-methylprop-2-yn-1-amine (2), connected through an oligomethylene linker. The most promising hybrid (5) is a potent inhibitor of both MAO-A (IC50=5.2±1.1 nM) and MAO-B (IC50=43±8.0 nM) and is a moderately potent inhibitor of AChE (IC50=0.35±0.01 μM) and BuChE (IC50=0.46±0.06 μM). Moreover, molecular modeling and kinetic studies support the dual binding site to AChE, which explains the inhibitory effect exerted on Aβ aggregation. Overall, the results suggest that the new compounds are promising multitarget drug candidates with potential impact for Alzheimers disease therapy.

Synthesis, Pharmacological Assessment, and Molecular Modeling of Acetylcholinesterase/Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitors: Effect against Amyloid-β-Induced Neurotoxicity

The synthesis, molecular modeling, and pharmacological analysis of phenoxyalkylamino-4-phenylnicotinates (2-7), phenoxyalkoxybenzylidenemalononitriles (12, 13), pyridonepezils (14-18), and quinolinodonepezils (19-21) are described. Pyridonepezils 15-18 were found to be selective and moderately potent regarding the inhibition of hAChE, whereas quinolinodonepezils 19-21 were found to be poor inhibitors of hAChE. The most potent and selective hAChE inhibitor was ethyl 6-(4-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)butylamino)-5-cyano-2-methyl-4-phenylnicotinate (18) [IC(50) (hAChE) = 0.25 ± 0.02 μM]. Pyridonepezils 15-18 and quinolinodonepezils 20-21 are more potent selective inhibitors of EeAChE than hAChE. The most potent and selective EeAChE inhibitor was ethyl 6-(2-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)ethylamino)-5-cyano-2-methyl-4-phenylnicotinate (16) [IC(50) (EeAChE) = 0.0167 ± 0.0002 μM], which exhibits the same inhibitory potency as donepezil against hAChE. Compounds 2, 7, 13, 17, 18, 35, and 36 significantly prevented the decrease in cell viability caused by Aβ(1-42). All compounds were effective in preventing the enhancement of AChE activity induced by Aβ(1-42). Compounds 2-7 caused a significant reduction whereas pyridonepezils 17 and 18, and compound 16 also showed some activity. The pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinolines 36 and 38 also prevented the upregulation of AChE induced by Aβ(1-42). Compounds 2, 7, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 36 may act as antagonists of voltage sensitive calcium channels, since they significantly prevented the Ca(2+) influx evoked by KCl depolarization. Docking studies show that compounds 16 and 18 adopted different orientations and conformations inside the active-site gorges of hAChE and hBuChE. The structural and energetic features of the 16-AChE and 18-AChE complexes compared to the 16-BuChE and 18-BuChE complexes account for a higher affinity of the ligand toward AChE. The present data indicate that compounds 2, 7, 17, 18, and 36 may represent attractive multipotent molecules for the potential treatment of Alzheimers disease.

Microwave Irradiation–Assisted Amination of 2-Chloropyridine Derivatives with Amide Solvents

Abstract A simple, quick, and high-yielding microwave-assisted synthesis of 2-(N,N-dimethyl)amine- and 2-aminopyridine derivatives is reported here for the first time in the reaction of 2-chloro substituted pyridines with amide solvents such as dimethylformamide or formamide, without transition-metal catalysts.

On the regioselectivity in the reaction of aliphatic ketones and aromatic nitriles. Regiospecific synthesis of alkylarylpyrimidines

Abstract The reaction of aliphatic ketones with aliphatic or aromatic nitriles in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride has been shown to be a very useful method for the preparation of alkyl- and aryl-pirimidines. The reaction shows a high degree of regioselectivity that depends on the characteristics of the residues attached at the carbonyl group. The results from different branched symmetric and asymmetric ketones are shown. Molecular mechanics calculations permit an explanation and predict the results obtained. Regiospecific synthesis of alkyl aryl pyrimidines is described.

On the mechanism of reaction between ketones and nitriles. Unexpected results from benzyl nitriles

Abstract Benzyl nitriles bearing electron donating groups react with ketones in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride to form naphthalene amines and related compounds. In contrast, the same benzyl nitriles substituted with electron withdrawing groups form the corresponding 2,4-dibenzyl substituted pyrimidines. A mechanism is proposed that explains the divergence in reaction paths leading to these products.

One-pot synthesis of new heterocycles: 2,4-disubstituted 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-d]pyrimidines

The reaction of 1-benzosuberone with nitriles in the presence of triflic anhydride affords in good yields 2,4-diaryl substituted 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-d]pyrimidines, a new class of heterocycle.

Synthesis of Novel Quinazoline Derivatives via Pyrimidine ortho-Quinodimethane

The [4+2] cycloaddition between 2,4-diphenylpyrimidine ortho-quinodimethane and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate leads to 2,4-diphenylquinazoline-6,7-dicarboxylate (6). 2,4-Diphenylfuro[3,4-g]quinazoline-6,8-dione (7) is also obtained by basic hydrolysis of compound 6, followed by the closure of the resulting diacid in acetic anhydride.

New (benz)imidazolopyridino tacrines as nonhepatotoxic, cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer disease

AIM Due to the multifactorial nature of Alzheimers disease, there is an urgent search for new more efficient, multitarget-directed drugs. RESULTS This paper describes the synthesis, antioxidant and in vitro biological evaluation of ten (benz)imidazopyridino tacrines (7-16), showing less toxicity than tacrine at high doses, and potent cholinesterase inhibitory capacity, in the low micromolar range. Among them, compound 10 is a nonhepatotoxic tacrine at 1000 mM, showing moderate, but totally selective electric eel acetylcholinesterase inhibition, whereas molecule 16 is twofold less toxic than tacrine at 1000 μM, showing moderate and almost equipotent inhibition for electric eel acetylcholinesterase and equine butyrylcholinesterase. CONCLUSION (Benz)imidazopyridino tacrines (7-16) have been identified as a new and promising type of tacrines for the potential treatment of Alzheimers disease.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of benzochromenopyrimidinones as cholinesterase inhibitors and potent antioxidant, non-hepatotoxic agents for Alzheimer’s disease

We report herein the straightforward two-step synthesis and biological assessment of novel racemic benzochromenopyrimidinones as non-hepatotoxic, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidative properties. Among them, compound 3Bb displayed a mixed-type inhibition of human acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 1.28 ± 0.03 μM), good antioxidant activity, and also proved to be non-hepatotoxic on human HepG2 cell line.

N-Benzylpiperidine Derivatives as α7 Nicotinic Receptor Antagonists

A series of multitarget directed propargylamines, as well as other differently susbstituted piperidines have been screened as potential modulators of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Most of them showed antagonist actions on α7 nAChRs. Especially, compounds 13, 26, and 38 displayed submicromolar IC50 values on homomeric α7 nAChRs, whereas they were less effective on heteromeric α3β4 and α4β2 nAChRs (up to 20-fold higher IC50 values in the case of 13). Antagonism was concentration dependent and noncompetitive, suggesting that these compounds behave as negative allosteric modulators of nAChRs. Upon the study of a series of less complex derivatives, the N-benzylpiperidine motif, common to these compounds, was found to be the main pharmacophoric group. Thus, 2-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)-ethylamine (48) showed an inhibitory potency comparable to the one of the previous compounds and also a clear preference for α7 nAChRs. In a neuroblastoma cell line, representative compounds 13 and 48 also inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, cytosolic Ca(2+) signals mediated by nAChRs. Finally, compounds 38 and 13 inhibited 5-HT3A serotonin receptors whereas they had no effect on α1 glycine receptors. Given the multifactorial nature of many pathologies in which nAChRs are involved, these piperidine antagonists could have a therapeutic potential in cases where cholinergic activity has to be negatively modulated.