Nicolas Kolocouris

Novel 3-(2-adamantyl)pyrrolidines with potent activity against influenza A virus-identification of aminoadamantane derivatives bearing two pharmacophoric amine groups.

The 3-(2-adamantyl)pyrrolidines 8a-g, 14 were synthesized and evaluated for activity against influenza A virus. The parent N-H compound 14 was several times more active than amantadine against H(2)N(2) and H(3)N(2) influenza A virus. The combined use of NMR spectroscopy and computational chemistry showed that the conformation around the pyrrolidine-adamantyl carbon-carbon bond is trans and the pyrrolidine heterocycle has an envelope conformation with C-2 out of the plane of the other ring atoms. N-Dialkylaminoethyl substitution of compound 14 resulted in the potent diamine analogues 8e,f,g. Interestingly, their lactam amine precursors were also active. Compounds 8e,f,g are the first adamantane derivatives, bearing two amine groups, reported to be active against influenza A virus.

Design, Synthesis, and Trypanocidal Activity of New Aminoadamantane Derivatives

To develop functionalized adamantanes for treating African trypanosomiasis, we report on the synthesis of new 1-alkyl-2-aminoadamantanes 1a- i, 1-alkyltricyclo[3.3.1.1 (3,7)]decan-2-guanylhydrazones 2a- g, and their congeneric thiosemicarbazones 3a, b. The potency of these compounds against Trypanosoma brucei was compared to that of amantadine and rimantadine and found to be substantially higher. The most active analogues, 1c, 1d, 2c, 2g, and 3b, illustrate the synergistic effect of the lipophilic character of the C1 side chain and the C2 functionality on trypanocidal activity.

New 2-(1-adamantylcarbonyl)pyridine and 1-acetyladamantane thiosemicarbazones-thiocarbonohydrazones: Cell growth inhibitory, antiviral and antimicrobial activity evaluation

The new thiosemicarbazones and thiocarbonohydrazones derived from 2-(1-adamantylcarbonyl)pyridine and 1-acetyladamantane were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effect on tumor cell proliferation and their antiviral and antimicrobial activity. Thiosemicarbazone inhibited tumor cell proliferation (GI50s range: 2.4-100 microM and mean GI50 43.9 microM against various human leukemic cell lines) while thiosemicarbazone and thiocarbonohydrazone 5d exhibited significant inhibition of tumor cell proliferation (GI50s range 2.3-23.6 microM and mean GI50 7.2 microM for and GI50s range 2.4-32.4 microM and mean GI50 12.8microM for ). These GI50 values are comparable to that of 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone an important lead in TSCs family. The compounds did not afford specific activity against any of the viruses tested when examined at non-toxic concentrations. A weak activity was found for thiocarbonohydrazones against Gram-(+) bacteria (MIC(50) 117.3 and 133 microM, respectively). Using a combination of molecular mechanics calculations and NOE spectroscopy it was shown that the parent compounds and have opposite configuration around C=N bond. Whether this difference in structure can be correlated with the biological activity will be investigated in future studies.

Are the 2-isomers of the drug rimantadine active anti-influenza A agents?

There is a lack of information in the medical chemistry literature concerning the anti-influenza A activity of the drug rimantadines 2-isomer (2-rimantadine). We now present results showing that, although 2-adamantanamine (2-amantadine) 3 is only moderately active, some 2-rimantadine analogues are effective anti-influenza A virus agents in vitro. The 2-rimantadine analogues and their spirocyclobutane and spirocyclopentane congeners were synthesized through interesting routes. The 2-rimantadine analogues were 2–4 times more potent than rimantadine 2 against influenza virus A H2N2 strain; their spirocyclobutane congeners proved equally active to rimanta-dine 2. Two compounds exhibited a similar activity and one of the compounds was was fourfold more potent than rimantadine 2 against H3N2 strain.

Design and synthesis of 1,2-annulated adamantane piperidines with anti-influenza virus activity

1-2 Annulated adamantane piperidines 4, 6, 16, 17, 19, 23 and 25 were synthesized and evaluated for anti-influenza A virus activity. The stereoelectronic requirements for optimal antiviral potency were investigated. Piperidine 23 proved to be the most active of the compounds tested against influenza A virus, being 3.5-fold more active than amantadine, equipotent to rimantadine and 15-fold more potent than ribavirin. It is noteworthy that piperidine 23 displayed one of the highest selectivity indexes (SI>732) among aminoadamantanes or other cage structure amines tested till now.

Design and synthesis of bioactive 1,2-annulated adamantane derivatives

Adamantanopyrrolidines 8, 9 and 10, adamantanopyrrolidines 16 and 18, adamantanoxazolone 20, adamantanopyrazolone 23, adamantanopyrazolothione 24 and adamantanocyclopentanamine 32 were synthesized and tested for anti-influenza A virus and trypanocidal activity. The stereoelectronic requirements for optimal antiviral and trypanocidal potency were investigated. Pyrrolidine 16 proved to be the most active of the compounds tested against influenza A virus, being 4-fold more active than amantadine, equipotent to rimantadine and 19-fold more potent than ribavirin. Oxazolone 20 showed significant trypanocidal activity against bloodstream forms of the African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, being approximately 3 times more potent than rimantadine and almost 50-fold more active than amantadine.

Design and synthesis of bioactive adamantanaminoalcohols and adamantanamines.

Adamantanamines 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 28, 30, 32, 35, 36, 37, 40, 46 and 48 were synthesized and tested for anti-influenza A virus and trypanocidal activity. The stereoelectronic requirements for optimal antiviral and trypanocidal potency were investigated. The effect of introducing a hydroxyl group close to the amino group on this class of compounds was examined for the first time. Aminoalcohol 24 proved to be the most active of the compounds tested against influenza A virus, being 6-fold more active than amantadine, equipotent to rimantadine and 26-fold more potent than ribavirin. Aminoalcohols 36 and 37 were found to have considerable activity against bloodstream forms of the African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, being almost 10 times more potent than rimantadine.

Synthesis of 2-(2-adamantyl)piperidines and structure anti-influenza virus A activity relationship study using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling.

The 2-(2-adamantyl)piperidines 13 and 15a-c were synthesized and evaluated for anti-influenza virus A and B activity. The parent N-H compound 13 was 3-4 times more active than amantadine and rimantadine against H2N2 influenza A. N-alkylation of 13 resulted in derivatives 15a-c that were devoid of biological activity. This dramatic reduction in biological activity may be attributed to the different conformational properties between N-H and N-alkyl piperidines, as deduced from the combination of computational chemistry and NMR spectroscopy.

Design and synthesis of new adamantyl-substituted antileishmanial ether phospholipids.

A series of new 2-[3-(2-alkyloxy-ethyl)-adamantan-1-yl]-ethoxy substituted ether phospholipids was synthesized and their antileishmanial activity was evaluated against Leishmania infantum amastigotes. The majority of the new analogues were significantly less cytotoxic than miltefosine while, antiparasitic activity depended on the length of the 2-alkyloxy substituent. The most potent compounds were {2-[[[3-(2-hexyloxy-ethyl)-adamant-1-yl]-ethoxy]hydroxyphosphinyloxy]ethyl}-Nu,Nu,Nu-trimethyl-ammonium inner salt (5b) and {2-[[[3-(2-octyloxy-ethyl)-adamant-1-yl]-ethoxy]hydroxyphosphinyloxy]ethyl}-Nu,Nu,Nu-trimethyl-ammonium inner salt (5c).

Synthesis and anti-HIV activity of some new aminoadamantane heterocycles

A new class of aminoadamantane heterocycles has been synthesized and examined for anti-HIV activity. Three compounds proved to be active against the replication of HIV-1 in MT-4 cells with an EC50 ranging from 3.6 to 75.2 μM. No activity was noted with any of the compounds against HIV-2.