Patrick Rollin

Original Synthesis of Linear, Branched and Cyclic Oligoglycerol Standards

A variety of authentic standards of linear, branched and cyclic oligomers of glycerol, with well-defined structures and degrees of polymerisation from 2 to 5, have been efficiently synthesised. Linear oligomers were obtained by means of a convergent approach based on regioselective opening of bis(epoxides) with solketal; branched compounds were synthesised using oxidative cleavage of the corresponding anhydrohexitols as the key step. A 6-exo-trig halocyclisation reaction involving heteroatom-tethered unsaturated alcohols permitted an efficient synthesis of the precursors of selected cyclic dimers; larger cyclic oligomers were prepared by two one-pot Williamson reactions using a ditriflate derived from diglycerol. All these methodologies permitted further scaling up.

SELECTIVE CYTOSTATIC AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF GLUCOSINOLATES HYDROLYSIS PRODUCTS ON HUMAN COLON CANCER CELLS IN VITRO

Glucosinolates hydrolysis products are attracting increasing attention since many studies have suggested that they may be involved in the anticarcinogenic property of cruciferous vegetables. In this study, we show that diindolylmethane (DIM) and sulforaphane, produced during the hydrolysis of glucobrassicin and glucoraphanin, respectively, exert a dose-dependent cytotoxicity on human colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cells. Moreover, these products are able to inhibit quiescent cells to re-enter the cell cycle. Interestingly, our results clearly show that low doses of DIM and sulforaphane, although very effective on undifferentiated intestinal HT29 cells, do not affect the viability of the differentiated CaCo2 cells. The reversibility of their effects has also been tested and is discussed.

Novel indole-type glucosinolates from woad (Isatis tinctoria L.)

Abstract Four novel indole-type glucosinolates ( 1 – 1 ′ and 2 – 2 ′ ), together with six other known glucosinolates, were isolated from the seeds of Isatis tinctoria L. and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Combining an aliphatic and an indole moiety, they represent an original family of glucosinolates, thus broadening the structural diversity of those plant metabolites.

The isothiocyanate produced from glucomoringin inhibits NF-kB and reduces myeloma growth in nude mice in vivo.

Glucosinolates (GLs), natural compounds extracted from Brassicaceae and precursors of isothiocyanates (ITCs), have been studied in the last decades mostly due to their chemopreventive activity and, more recently, for their potential use as novel chemotherapeutics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo activity of glucomoringin (GMG), an uncommon member of the GLs family, and to compare it with glucoraphanin (GRA), one of the most studied GL. We have evaluated the potency of both compounds in inducing cell death, cell cycle perturbations, apoptosis, NF-kB inhibition and GST-pi activity in human carcinoma cells with different GST-pi contents as well as in human multiple myeloma and leukaemia cell lines. GMG-derived ITC (GMG-ITC) showed to be more effective compared to GRA-derived ITC (Sulforaphane), especially in inhibiting NF-kB activity and inducing apoptosis through a caspase-dependent pathway; these effects were more pronounced in myeloma cells, in which we could also observe a long lasting growth inhibitory effect, probably due to NF-kB inhibition, which is considered essential for myeloma cell survival. Both GLs were able to induce cell death in the muM range in all tested cell lines but caused cell cycle perturbations only in myeloma cells; they were also able to modulate the GST/GSH pathway by causing a 3-fold increase in GST-pi activity in MCF7 cells. In vivo study showed that pure GMG-ITC was only slightly active in a carcinoma mice model, whereas it had significant antitumoral activity in a myeloma model, causing little toxicity.

Formation of glucoraphanin by chemoselective oxidation of natural glucoerucin: A chemoenzymatic route to sulforaphane

A new semi-synthetic way to produce glucoraphanin (2), the bio-precursor of the potential anticarcinogen sulforaphane (3), has been developed. Starting from glucoerucin (1), isolated from ripe seeds of Eruca sativa, glucoraphanin was obtained through chemoselective oxidation. Controlled myrosinase-catalysed hydrolysis of this precursor quantitatively afforded sulforaphane.

Oxazolinethiones and Oxazolidinethiones for the First Copper-Catalyzed Desulfurative Cross-Coupling Reaction and First Sonogashira Applications

Cyclic thionocarbamates, namely chiral oxazolidinethiones (OZT) and aromatic oxazolinethiones (OXT), were involved, for the first time, in Sonogashira cross-coupling. A cooperative effect of two different copper (I) species-CuI and CuTC-accounts for this new copper-catalyzed desulfurative carbon-carbon cross-coupling reaction. This cooperative reactivity could also be extended to other copper (I) catalysts.

The myrosinase-glucosinolate interaction mechanism studied using some synthetic competitive inhibitors

Using synthetic deoxy‐glucotropaeolins (6d‐GTL, 4d‐GTL, 3d‐GTL, 2d‐GTL) as substrates, myrosinase activity was studied in comparison to that determined on native glucotropaeolin (GTL) isolated from ripe Lepidium sativum seeds. When the deoxy substrates were used, in addition to an overall strong reaction rate decline, a significant decrease in the reaction rate was observed in going from 6d‐ to 2d‐GTL. This finding allows us to propose a mechanism of catalysis which appears to be similar in many respects to that established for β‐glucosidases. Finally, 2d‐GTL was shown to be the first strong competitive inhibitor of myrosinase ever reported.

Synthesis of (6z)-cis-9S,10R-epoxyheneicosene, a component of the ruby tiger moth pheromone

Abstract A 10-step synthesis of the titled pheromone and analogues from an acyclic derivative of D-Xylose is described.

Barbarea verna as a source of 2-phenylethyl glucosinolate, precursor of cancer chemopreventive phenylethyl isothiocyanate

The isolation of gram-amounts of 2-phenylethyl glucosinolate (gluconasturtiin, GST) from Barbarea verna seeds is reported for the first time. This vegetable source was of crucial importance to isolate GST with a high purity grade and in high yield. Indeed, B. verna seeds contain GST as the only glucosinolate, unlike other sources. The availability at low cost of GST will allow further studies to explain the claimed anticancer activity of its derived phenylethyl isothiocyanate.

Glucoraphasatin: Chemistry, occurrence, and biological properties

Glucoraphasatin is an atypical glucosinolate mainly found in Raphanus sativus roots and sprouts. This review focuses on the chemistry, the occurrence, and the biological properties of glucoraphasatin.