Thierry Milcent

Novel fluorinated pseudopeptides as proteasome inhibitors

We have designed novel small inhibitors of rabbit 20S proteasome using a trifluoromethyl-beta-hydrazino acid scaffold. Structural variations influenced their inhibition of the three types of active sites. Proteasome inhibition at the micromolar level was selective, calpain I and cathepsin B were not inhibited.

α- and β-hydrazino acid-based pseudopeptides inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of the eukaryotic 20S proteasome

We describe the synthesis of a library of new pseudopeptides and their inhibitory activity of the rabbit 20S proteasome chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L) activity. We replaced a natural α-amino acid by an α- or a β-hydrazino acid and obtained inhibitors of proteasome up to a submicromolar range (0.7 μM for molecule 24b). Structural variations influenced the inhibition of the ChT-L activity. Models of inhibitor/20S proteasome complexes corroborated the inhibition efficacies obtained by kinetic studies.

Synthesis of new triazole-based trifluoromethyl scaffolds.

Summary Trifluoromethyl propargylamines react with various azide derivatives to afford 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles through a Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The reaction is catalyzed by a Cu(I) species in acetonitrile, and the corresponding products are obtained in good yields. This process thus offers an entry to new trifluoromethyl peptidomimetics as interesting scaffolds.

Carbonylhydrazide-Based Molecular Tongs Inhibit Wild-Type and Mutated HIV-1 Protease Dimerization

We have designed and synthesized new molecular tongs based on a rigid naphthalene scaffold and evaluated their antidimer activity on HIV-1 protease (PR). We inserted carbonylhydrazide and oligohydrazide (azatide) fragments into their peptidomimetic arms to reduce hydrophobicity and increase metabolic stability. These fragments are designed to disrupt the protein-protein interactions by reproducing the hydrogen bond pattern found in the antiparallel β-sheet formed between the N- and C-ends of the two monomers in the native PR. Kinetic analyses and fluorescent probe binding studies showed that several molecular tongs can inhibit PR dimerization. The best nonpeptidic molecular tongs to date were obtained with an inhibition constant K(id) of 50 nM for PR and 80 nM for the multimutated protease ANAM-11. The PR inhibition was selective, the aspartic proteases renin and pepsin were not inhibited.

Trifluoromethyl nitrones: from fluoral to optically active hydroxylamines

Trifluoromethyl nitrones were obtained in high yields by condensation of various hydroxylamines with trifluoroacetaldehyde hydrate. The nucleophilic diastereoselective additions of organometallic reagents to these nitrones afforded the corresponding optically active trifluoroethyl hydroxylamines in good yields.

Regioselective Halogenation of Arenes and Heterocycles in Hexafluoroisopropanol

Regioselective halogenation of arenes and heterocycles with N-halosuccinimides in fluorinated alcohols is disclosed. Under mild condition reactions, a wide diversity of halogenated arenes are obtained in good yields with high regioselectivity. Additionally, the versatility of the method is demonstrated by the development of one-pot sequential halogenation and halogenation-Suzuki cross-coupling reactions.

Electrophilic amination of fluoroalkyl groups on azodicarboxylate derivatives.

The formation of an NCF3 bond or an NCF2R bond still remains scarce. An efficient direct electrophilic amination of fluoroalkyl groups was developed. Difluoroenoxysilanes reacted easily on azodicarboxylate derivatives. These results led to a novel family of NCF3 and NCF2 hydrazine derivatives.