Przemysław Kalicki

Asymmetric direct aldol reactions catalyzed by chiral amine macrocycle–metal(II) complexes under solvent-free conditions

Solvent-free asymmetric aldol reactions between cyclohexanone and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde using chiral amine macrocycle–metal(II) complexes as catalysts in a ball mill afforded the anti-aldol product as the major isomer with up to 93% ee.

Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Dendrimers with Amphiphilic Surface and Their Interactions with Phospholipids — Insights from Mass Spectrometry

A series of new peptide dendrimers with amphiphilic surface, designed around a dendronized ornithine (Orn) core were synthesized and characterized by ESI-MS, 1H-, 13C- NMR, and CD spectrometry. An improved antimicrobial potency against S. aureus and E. coli was detected as a result of an increased charge, higher branching and variable lipophilicity of the residues located at the C-terminus. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values indicated that the selected dendrimers were not sensitive to the physiological concentration of Na+ and K+ ions (100 mM), but expressed reduced potency at 10 mM concentration of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions. Circular dichroism (CD) curves measured under various conditions revealed structure and solvent-dependent curve evolution. ESI-MS studies of gas-phase interactions between selected dendrimers and both anionic (DMPG) and neutral (DMPC) phospholipids revealed the presence of variously charged dendrimer/phospholipid aggregates with 1:1 to 1:5 stoichiometry. The collision-induced fragmentation (CID) of the most abundant [dendrimer/phospholipid]2+ ions of the 1:1 stoichiometry demonstrated that the studied dendrimers formed stronger complexes with anionic DMPG. Both phospholipids have higher affinity towards dendrimers with a more compact structure. Higher differences in CID energy necessary for dissociation of 50% of the complex formed by dendrimers with DMPG vs. DMPC (∆CID50) correlate with a lower hemotoxicity. Mass spectrometry results suggest that for a particular group of compounds the ∆CID50 might be one of the important factors explaining selectivity of antimicrobial peptides and their branched analogs targeting the bacterial membrane. Both circular dichroism and mass spectrometry studies demonstrated that dendrimers of Nα- and Nε-series possess a different conformation in solution and different affinity to model phospholipids, what might influence their specific microbicidal mechanism.

New approaches to the synthesis of sildenafil analogues and their enzyme inhibitory activity

In the search for new biologically active chemotypes, several sildenafil analogs were prepared and characterized. The presence of the pyrazolo[4,3-e][1,2,4]triazine core is thought to be of interest for the enzyme inhibitory activity of these compounds. The designed derivatives incorporating the sildenafil scaffold were assayed as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and for their cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and K562 cell lines. The X-ray analysis of one of these model compounds was performed and its crystal structure is described/compared to that of sildenafil.

Determination of the relative configuration of tropinone and granatanone aldols by using TBDMS ethers.

Summary The relative configurations of tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) ethers of all four diastereomers of the aldols of tropinone (8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-one), as well as of granatanone (9-methyl-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one), were determined from NMR data, and from the observed interconversion of the diastereomers (exo,anti to endo,syn and exo,syn to endo,anti). The exo forms invert to endo isomers in the presence of silica gel. The relative configuration of a new isomer of tropinone aldol accessible synthetically through the direct solventless reaction of tropinone and benzaldehyde in the presence of water was determined as exo,syn by comparison of NMR data of the aldol isomers, in particular vicinal coupling constants and shifts corresponding to the side-chain CH group, with data of related TBDMS derivatives and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Synthetic Approaches for Sulfur Derivatives Containing 1,2,4-Triazine Moiety: Their Activity for in Vitro Screening towards Two Human Cancer Cell Lines

A series of sulfur 1,2,4-triazine derivatives were prepared and evaluated as anticancer compounds for two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) with some of them acting as low micromolar inhibitors. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the inhibition of [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, and collagen synthesis inhibition demonstrated that these products exhibit cytotoxic effects on these breast cancer cell lines in vitro. The most effective were disulfide and sulfenamide compounds with two valence sulfur atoms. A structure-activity relationship study was performed using X-ray analysis and theoretical calculations at an ab initio density functional theory (DFT) level.

Synthesis, photophysics and electrochemistry of novel, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic derivatives

A series of new π-conjugated donor (thienyl – T) and acceptor (A) oligomers were prepared by Stille coupling reaction. The T–A oligomers consisting of thiophene/bithiophene as donors and 1,2,4-triazine as an acceptor were prepared to investigate their photophysical and electrochemical properties. These compounds were spectroscopically confirmed to be highly conjugated. These UV-vis data show that the number and position of the thiophene considerably affect the width of the HOMO–LUMO gap and the rigidity of the conjugated system. Compounds A2TA, A3TA, A4TA show photoluminescence in a range 466–543 nm.

Rearrangement of 2,3-Epoxy Alcohol Dimethylthiocarbamate Derivatives. Synthesis of 2,3-Epithio Alcohol Derivatives under Mild Conditions

Transformation of representative 2,3-epoxy alcohols, including 3-trimethylsilyl- and 3-triphenylsilylglycidols, into the corresponding 2,3-epithio alcohol dimethylthiocarbamate derivatives under mild alkaline conditions is reported.

Unusual effects in variable temperature powder NMR spectra of the methyl group protons in 9,10-dimethyltriptycene-d12

Variable temperature (1)H wide line NMR spectra of polycrystalline 9,10-dimethyltriptycene-d12 deuterated in the aromatic positions were studied. The spectra show different patterns in an unrepeatable dependence on the way of preparation of the powdered samples. Simultaneously, no anomalies were seen in the MAS and CPMAS proton-decoupled room-temperature (13)C spectra as well as in powder X-ray diffraction patterns. The effects observed in the (1)H spectra are tentatively explained in terms of a phenomenological model. For one of the examined samples it afforded a consistent interpretation of the entire series of temperature dependent spectra in terms of structural non uniformity of the solid material studied. Quantum character of the stochastic dynamics of the methyl groups in the investigated compound was confirmed, although these dynamics are close to the classical limit where the familiar random jump model applies.

Nonclassical dynamics of the methyl group in 1,1,1-triphenylethane. Evidence from powder 1H NMR spectra

According to the damped quantum rotation (DQR) theory, hindered rotation of methyl groups, evidenced in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) line shapes, is a nonclassical process. It comprises a number of quantum-rate processes measured by two different quantum-rate constants. The classical jump model employing only one rate constant is reproduced if these quantum constants happen to be equal. The values of their ratio, or the nonclassicallity coefficient, determined hitherto from NMR spectra of single crystals and solutions range from about 1.20 to 1.30 in the latter case to above 5.0 in the former, with the value of 1 corresponding to the jump model. Presently, first systematic investigations of the DQR effects in wide-line NMR spectra of a powder sample are reported. For 1,1,1-triphenylethane deuterated in the aromatic positions, the relevant line-shape effects were monitored in the range 99-121 K. The values of the nonclassicality coefficient dropping from 2.7 to 1.7 were evaluated in line shape fits to the experimental powder spectra from the range 99-108 K. At these temperatures, the fits with the conventional line-shape model are visibly inferior to the DQR fits. Using a theoretical model reported earlier, a semiquantitative interpretation of the DQR parameters evaluated from the spectra is given. It is shown that the DQR effects as such can be detected in wide-line NMR spectra of powdered samples, which are relatively facile to measure. However, a fully quantitative picture of these effects can only be obtained from the much more demanding experiments on single crystals.

1,4-Bis(1,3-dioxo-2-indenylidene)cyclohexane: polymorphism, gas phase oxidation and enol form mediated radical formation in the solid state

Crystallization of 1,4-bis(1,3-dioxo-2-indenylidene)cyclohexane from toluene and dichloromethane solutions afforded yellow photochromic and orange non-photochromic crystals, respectively. In situRaman spectroscopy of the photochromic form revealed the presence of an enol form. Both forms undergo sublimation assisted dehydrogenation under aerobic conditions.