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Michael E. Pierce

Other affiliations: Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bio: Michael E. Pierce is an academic researcher from DuPont. The author has contributed to research in topics: Tetrazole & Alkylation. The author has an hindex of 14, co-authored 33 publications receiving 1420 citations. Previous affiliations of Michael E. Pierce include Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new series of nonpeptide angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonists has been prepared, and it has been found that the acidic group at the 2'-position of the biphenyl is essential.
Abstract: A new series of nonpeptide angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonists has been prepared. These N-(biphenylyl-methyl)imidazoles, e.g. 2-butyl-1-[(2'-carboxybiphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-4-chloro-5- (hydroxymethyl)imidazole, differ from the previously reported N-(benzamidobenzyl)imidazoles and related compounds in that they produce a potent antihypertensive effect upon oral administration; the earlier series generally were active only when administered intravenously. It has been found that the acidic group at the 2'-position of the biphenyl is essential. Only ortho-substituted acids possess both high affinity for the AII receptor and good oral antihypertensive potency. The carboxylic acid group has been replaced with a variety of acidic isosteres, and the tetrazole ring has been found to be the most effective. The tetrazole derivative, DuP 753, is currently in development for the treatment of hypertension.

454 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a tetrazole synthesis with a sterically hindered o-tetrazole group was described. But the synthesis was performed by three different routes, one of them employing a new tetrazoles synthesis.
Abstract: 5-[4'-Methyl-1,1'-biphenyl-2-yl]-1H-tetrazole (6), which contains a sterically hindered o-tetrazole group, was synthesized by three different routes, one of them employing a new tetrazole synthesis. Subsequent acid hydrolysis of the trityl protecting group of 5 yielded biphenylyltetrazole 6. The second synthesis involved the nitrosation of an N-(2-cyanoethyl)-protected biphenylamidrazone. The third method involves the novel transformation of an N-(2-cyanoethyl)-substituted amide into the corresponding N-(2-cyanoethyl)-protected tetrazole in one step using triphenylphosphine, diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD), and azidotrimethylsilane. Subsequent base hydrolysis of the cyanoethyl group yielded 6 as before. Examples are also provided of the application of this new reaction to other N-(2-cyanoethyl)-protected carboxamides

305 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a highly enantioselective and practical synthesis of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz (1) is described, which proceeds in 62% overall yield in seven steps from 4-chloroaniline (6) in excellent chemical and optical purity.
Abstract: A highly enantioselective and practical synthesis of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz (1) is described. The synthesis proceeds in 62% overall yield in seven steps from 4-chloroaniline (6) to give efavirenz (1) in excellent chemical and optical purity. A novel, enantioselective addition of Li-cyclopropyl acetylide (4a) to p-methoxybenzyl-protected ketoaniline 3a mediated by (1R,2S)-N-pyrrolidinylnorephedrine lithium alkoxide (5a) establishes the stereogenic center in the target with a remarkable level of stereocontrol.

224 citations

Patent
19 May 1988
TL;DR: Tetrazole intermediates useful to prepare antihypertensive compounds described in coassigned application U.S. Ser. No. 884,920, filed July 11, 1986, are described, these tetrazoles have the formula: ##STR1## wherein X1 and X2 are as described in the specification as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Tetrazole intermediates useful to prepare antihypertensive compounds described in coassigned application U.S. Ser. No. 884,920, filed July 11, 1986, are described, these tetrazoles have the formula: ##STR1## wherein X1 and X2 are as described in the specification.

136 citations


Cited by
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TL;DR: From the data presented, the utility of natural products as sources of novel structures, but not necessarily the final drug entity, is still alive and well, and in the area of cancer, the percentage of small molecule, new chemical entities that are nonsynthetic has remained at 62% averaged over the whole time frame.
Abstract: This review is an updated and expanded version of a paper that was published in this journal in 1997. The time frame has been extended in both directions to include the 22 years from 1981 to 2002, and a new secondary subdivision related to the natural product source but applied to formally synthetic compounds has been introduced, using the concept of a “natural product mimic” or “NM” to join the original primary divisions. From the data presented, the utility of natural products as sources of novel structures, but not necessarily the final drug entity, is still alive and well. Thus, in the area of cancer, the percentage of small molecule, new chemical entities that are nonsynthetic has remained at 62% averaged over the whole time frame. In other areas, the influence of natural product structures is quite marked, particularly in the antihypertensive area, where of the 74 formally synthetic drugs, 48 can be traced to natural product structures/mimics. Similarly, with the 10 antimigraine drugs, seven are bas...

2,985 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this Perspective, some contemporary themes exploring the role of isosteres in drug design are sampled, with an emphasis placed on tactical applications designed to solve the kinds of problems that impinge on compound optimization and the long-term success of drug candidates.
Abstract: The concept of isosterism between relatively simple chemical entities was originally contemplated by James Moir in 1909, a notion further refined by H. G. Grimm’s hydride displacement law and captured more effectively in the ideas advanced by Irving Langmuir based on experimental observations. Langmuir coined the term “isostere” and, 18 years in advance of its actual isolation and characterization, predicted that the physical properties of the then unknown ketene would resemble those of diazomethane. The emergence of bioisosteres as structurally distinct compounds recognized similarly by biological systems has its origins in a series of studies published byHans Erlenmeyer in the 1930s, who extended earlier work conducted by Karl Landsteiner. Erlenmeyer showed that antibodies were unable to discriminate between phenyl and thienyl rings or O, NH, and CH2 in the context of artificial antigens derived by reacting diazonium ions with proteins, a process that derivatized the ortho position of tyrosine, as summarized in Figure 1 The term “bioisostere” was introduced by Harris Friedman in 1950 who defined it as compounds eliciting a similar biological effect while recognizing that compounds may be isosteric but not necessarily bioisosteric. This notion anticipates that the application of bioisosterism will depend on context, relying much less on physicochemical properties as the underlying principle for biochemical mimicry. Bioisosteres are typically less than exact structural mimetics and are often more alike in biological rather than physical properties. Thus, an effective bioisostere for one biochemical application may not translate to another setting, necessitating the careful selection and tailoring of an isostere for a specific circumstance. Consequently, the design of bioisosteres frequently introduces structural changes that can be beneficial or deleterious depending on the context, with size, shape, electronic distribution, polarizability, dipole, polarity, lipophilicity, and pKa potentially playing key contributing roles in molecular recognition and mimicry. In the contemporary practice of medicinal chemistry, the development and application of bioisosteres have been adopted as a fundamental tactical approach useful to address a number of aspects associated with the design and development of drug candidates. The established utility of bioisosteres is broad in nature, extending to improving potency, enhancing selectivity, altering physical properties, reducing or redirecting metabolism, eliminating or modifying toxicophores, and acquiring novel intellectual property. In this Perspective, some contemporary themes exploring the role of isosteres in drug design are sampled, with an emphasis placed on tactical applications designed to solve the kinds of problems that impinge on compound optimization and the long-term success of drug candidates. Interesting concepts that may have been poorly effective in the context examined are captured, since the ideas may have merit in alternative circumstances. A comprehensive cataloging of bioisosteres is beyond the scope of what will be provided, although a synopsis of relevant isosteres of a particular functionality is summarized in a succinct fashion in several sections. Isosterism has also found productive application in the design and optimization of organocatalysts, and there are several examples in which functional mimicry established initially in a medicinal chemistry setting has been adopted by this community.

2,049 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this Review, the fundamental characteristics of azide chemistry and current developments are presented and the focus will be placed on cycloadditions (Huisgen reaction), aza ylide chemistry, and the synthesis of heterocycles.
Abstract: Since the discovery of organic azides by Peter Griess more than 140 years ago, numerous syntheses of these energy-rich molecules have been developed. In more recent times in particular, completely new perspectives have been developed for their use in peptide chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, and heterocyclic synthesis. Organic azides have assumed an important position at the interface between chemistry, biology, medicine, and materials science. In this Review, the fundamental characteristics of azide chemistry and current developments are presented. The focus will be placed on cycloadditions (Huisgen reaction), aza ylide chemistry, and the synthesis of heterocycles. Further reactions such as the aza-Wittig reaction, the Sundberg rearrangement, the Staudinger ligation, the Boyer and Boyer-Aube rearrangements, the Curtius rearrangement, the Schmidt rearrangement, and the Hemetsberger rearrangement bear witness to the versatility of modern azide chemistry.

1,766 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The addition of sodium azide to nitriles to give 1H-tetrazoles is shown to proceed readily in water with zinc salts as catalysts.
Abstract: The addition of sodium azide to nitriles to give 1H-tetrazoles is shown to proceed readily in water with zinc salts as catalysts. The scope of the reaction is quite broad; a variety of aromatic nitriles, activated and unactivated alkyl nitriles, substituted vinyl nitriles, thiocyanates, and cyanamides have all been shown to be viable substrates for this reaction.

899 citations