Neurodegenerative diseases pose a substantial socioeconomic burden on society. Unfortunately, the aging world population and lack of effective cures foreshadow a negative outlook. Although a large amount of research has been dedicated to elucidating the pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases, their principal causes remain elusive. Metal ion dyshomeostasis, proteopathy, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter deficiencies are pathological features shared across multiple neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, these factors are proposed to be interrelated upon disease progression. Thus, the development of multifunctional compounds capable of simultaneously interacting with several pathological components has been suggested as a solution to undertake the complex pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we outline and discuss possible therapeutic targets in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and molecules, previously designed or discovered as pote...

Development of Multifunctional Molecules as Potential Therapeutic Candidates for Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the Last Decade

8-Hydroxyquinolines in medicinal chemistry: A structural perspective.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by multiple, intertwined pathological features, including amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, metal ion dyshomeostasis, and oxidative stress. We report a novel compound (ML) prototype of a rationally designed molecule obtained by integrating structural elements for Aβ aggregation control, metal chelation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, and antioxidant activity within a single molecule. Chemical, biochemical, ion mobility mass spectrometric, and NMR studies indicate that the compound ML targets metal-free and metal-bound Aβ (metal-Aβ) species, suppresses Aβ aggregation in vitro, and diminishes toxicity induced by Aβ and metal-treated Aβ in living cells. Comparison of ML to its structural moieties (i.e., 4-(dimethylamino)phenol (DAP) and (8-aminoquinolin-2-yl)methanol (1)) for reactivity with Aβ and metal-Aβ suggests the synergy of incorporating structural components for both metal chelation and Aβ interaction. Moreover, ML is water-soluble and potentially brain permeable, as well as regulates the formation and presence of free radicals. Overall, we demonstrate that a rational structure-based design strategy can generate a small molecule that can target and modulate multiple factors, providing a new tool to uncover and address AD complexity.

Rational Design of a Structural Framework with Potential Use to Develop Chemical Reagents that Target and Modulate Multiple Facets of Alzheimer’s Disease

Industrial organic chemistry

https://www.cell.com/chem/pdf/S2451-9294(20)30596-9.pdf

Homogeneous manganese-catalyzed hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions

Room temperature N-heterocyclic carbene manganese catalyzed selective N-alkylation of anilines with alcohols

Nonbifunctional Outer-Sphere Strategy Achieved Highly Active α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Manganese (NHC-Mn).

A bifunctional strategy for N-heterocyclic carbene-stabilized iridium complex-catalyzed N-alkylation of amines with alcohols in aqueous media

Multifunctional coumarin derivatives: monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibition, anti-β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation and metal chelation properties against Alzheimer's disease.

A sustainable and green route to access diverse functionalized ketones via dehydrogenative-dehydrative cross-coupling of primary and secondary alcohols is demonstrated. This borrowing hydrogen approach employing a pincer N-heterocyclic carbene Mn complex displays high activity and selectivity. A variety of primary and secondary alcohols are well tolerant and result in satisfactory isolated yields. Mechanistic studies suggest that this reaction proceeds via a direct outer-sphere mechanism and the dehydrogenation of the secondary alcohol substrates plays a vital role in the rate-limiting step.

Ming Huang

Papers

Room temperature N-heterocyclic carbene manganese catalyzed selective N-alkylation of anilines with alcohols

Nonbifunctional Outer-Sphere Strategy Achieved Highly Active α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Manganese (NHC-Mn).

A bifunctional strategy for N-heterocyclic carbene-stabilized iridium complex-catalyzed N-alkylation of amines with alcohols in aqueous media

Multifunctional coumarin derivatives: monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibition, anti-β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation and metal chelation properties against Alzheimer's disease.

Sustainable and Selective Alkylation of Deactivated Secondary Alcohols to Ketones by Non-bifunctional Pincer N-heterocyclic Carbene Manganese