Rabah Azzouz

A Concise Synthesis of Lentiginosine Derivatives Using a Pyridinium Formation via the Mitsunobu Reaction

A four-step synthesis of (-)-lentiginosine and its epimers is described starting from 2-bromopyridine. The key step consisted of a quaternarization of a fully unprotected pyridinium-polyol unit using Mitsunobu methodology. Subsequent PtO(2)-catalyzed diastereoselective hydrogenation of the pyridinium ring proceeded smoothly and led to the expected dihydroxyindolizidines with excellent yields. This stereochemically flexible strategy has been illustrated by the concise total synthesis of non-natural products derivatives such as (-)-lentiginosine and its stereoisomers in high yields.

Design of silicon-based misonidazole analogues and 18F-radiolabelling

INTRODUCTION Development of new (18)F-labeled tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is increasingly important. Herein, we described the synthesis of silicon analogues of [(18)F]fluoromisonidazole in order to develop new radiolabelled compounds for the detection of tumour hypoxic domain. Their stabilities and their in vivo biodistribution were evaluated. METHODS (18)F-labeled silicon-based misonidazole analogues were synthesized by alkylating 2-nitroimidazole with alkyloxy-(3-chloropropyl)dialkyl or diarylsilane. These intermediates were labeled with [(18)F]F(-) with a mixture of K(18)F and Kryptofix (K222) in acetonitrile as standard condition. PET imaging was performed using a dedicated small animal PET scanner. RESULTS (18)F-labeled silicon-based misonidazole analogues were easily synthesized in three steps. The hydrolytic and radiolytic stability of these new fluorosilanes depend on the steric hindrance at the silicon center. Indeed, partial uptake of dimethylfluorosilane [(18)F]2a(1-(3-(Fluorodimethylsilyl)propyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole) in tumor hypoxic area was observed but defluorination also appeared. Moreover, PET studies indicated that, owing to its high lipophilicity, the most stable dinaphtylfluorosilane [(18)F]2d is retained mainly by the lungs. CONCLUSION We have described an efficient and versatile approach for the synthesis of (18)F-labeled, silicon-based misonidazole analogues. PET imaging of one of these compounds revealed that hypoxia could be detected. Controlling the biodistribution of (18)F-labeled silicon-based misonidazole analogues will require additional studies.

Synthesis of new 18F-radiolabeled silicon-based nitroimidazole compounds

The syntheses of new nitroimidazole compounds using silicon-[(18)F]fluorine chemistry for the potential detection of tumor hypoxia are described. [(18)F]silicon-based compounds were synthesized by coupling 2-nitroimidazole with silyldinaphtyl or silylphenyldi-tert-butyl groups and labeled by fluorolysis or isotopic exchange. Dinaphtyl compounds (6, 10) were labeled in 56-71% yield with a specific activity of 45 GBq/μmol, however these compounds ([(18)F]7 and [(18)F]11) were not stable in plasma. Phenyldi-tert-butyl compounds were labeled in 70% yield with a specific activity of 3 GBq/μmol by isotopic exchange, or in 81% yield by fluorolysis of siloxanes with a specific activity of 45 GBq/μmol. The labeled compound [(18)F]18 was stable in plasma and excreted by the liver and kidneys in vivo. In conclusion, the fluorosilylphenyldi-tert-butyl (SiFA) group is more stable in plasma than fluorosilyldiphenyl moiety. Thus, compound [(18)F]18 is suitable for further in vivo assessments.

Access to highly enantioenriched donepezil-like 1,4-dihydropyridines as promising anti-Alzheimer prodrug candidates via enantioselective Tsuji allylation and organocatalytic aza-ene-type domino reactions

This work aims at exploiting both the enantioselective Tsuji allylation of allyl carbonate 6 and an organocatalytic aza-ene-type domino reaction between enal 3a and β-enaminone 4a to develop a straightforward access to all of the four possible stereoisomers of a donepezil-like 1,4-dihydropyridine 1a (er up to 99.5:0.5; overall yield up 64%), an anti-Alzheimers prodrug candidate. This strategy was extended to the preparation of other enantioenriched 1,4-dihydropyridines 1b-i (eight examples), highlighting its potential in the development of these chiral AChE inhibitors.