Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) are one-pot reactions employing more than two starting materials, e.g. 3, 4, … 7, where most of the atoms of the starting materials are incorporated in the final product.1 Several descriptive tags are regularly attached to MCRs (Fig. 1): they are atom economic, e.g. the majority if not all of the atoms of the starting materials are incorporated in the product; they are efficient, e.g. they efficiently yield the product since the product is formed in one-step instead of multiple sequential steps; they are convergent, e.g. several starting materials combine in one reaction to form the product; they exhibit a very high bond-forming-index (BFI), e.g. several non-hydrogen atom bonds are formed in one synthetic transformation.2 Therefore MCRs are often a useful alternative to sequential multistep synthesis.






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Figure 1


Above: multistep syntheses can be divergent (sequential) or convergent; below: in analogy MCR reactions are convergent and one or two component reactions are divergent or less convergent.

Chemistry and Biology Of Multicomponent Reactions

Tubulin dynamics is a promising target for new chemotherapeutic agents. The colchicine binding site is one of the most important pockets for potential tubulin polymerization destabilizers. Colchicine binding site inhibitors (CBSI) exert their biological effects by inhibiting tubulin assembly and suppressing microtubule formation. A large number of molecules interacting with the colchicine binding site have been designed and synthesized with significant structural diversity. CBSIs have been modified as to chemical structure as well as pharmacokinetic properties, and tested in order to find a highly potent, low toxicity agent for treatment of cancers. CBSIs are believed to act by a common mechanism via binding to the colchicine site on tubulin. The present review is a synopsis of compounds that have been reported in the past decade that have provided an increase in our understanding of the actions of CBSIs.

/pdf/an-overview-of-tubulin-inhibitors-that-interact-with-the-2ey8czqj5q.pdf

An Overview of Tubulin Inhibitors That Interact with the Colchicine Binding Site

A simple, straightforward, and highly efficient multicomponent one-pot synthesis of a pharmaceutically interesting diverse kind of functionalized 2-amino-3-cyano-4H-pyrans and pyran-annulated heterocycles has been developed based on a low-cost and environmentally benign commercially available urea as a novel organo-catalyst. The reaction occurs via tandem Knoevenagel–cyclocondensation of aldehydes, malononitrile, and C–H-activated acidic compounds in aqueous ethanol at room temperature. Following this protocol, it was possible to synthesize 2-amino-3-cyano-pyrano[3,2-c]chromen-5(4H)-ones (4aa–4al), 2-amino-3-cyano-pyrano[4,3-b]pyran-5(4H)-ones (4ba–4be), 2-amino-3-cyano-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromen-5(6H)-one (4ca–4cr), 1H-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(3H,5H)-diones (4da–4dd), 2-amino-3-cyano-5,10-dioxo-5,10-dihydro-4H-benzo[g]chromenes (4ea–4ec), 2-amino-3-cyano-4H-pyrans (4fa–4fh), and 1,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles (4ga–4gb). The salient features of the present protocol are mild reaction conditions, excellen...

Facile and One-Pot Access to Diverse and Densely Functionalized 2-Amino-3-cyano-4H-pyrans and Pyran-Annulated Heterocyclic Scaffolds via an Eco-Friendly Multicomponent Reaction at Room Temperature Using Urea as a Novel Organo-Catalyst

Synthesis of 4H-chromene, coumarin, 12H-chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives and some of their antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activities.

Recently, we have reported the induction of apoptosis by 2-amino-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-cyano-7-(dimethylamino)-4H-chromene (3-NC) in HepG2, T47D and HCT116 cells with low nano molar IC50 values. In this study, anti-proliferative effects of modified 4-aryle-4H-chromenes derivatives; 2-amino-4-(3-bromophenyl)-3-cyano-7-(dimethylamino)-4H-chromene (3-BC), 2-amino-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-cyano-7-(dimethylamino)-4H-chromene (3-TFC) and 2-amino-4-(4,5-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3-cyano-7-(dimethylamino)-4H-chromene (4, 5-MC) were investigated in three human cancer cell lines. Compared to 3-NC none of the compounds displayed better anti-proliferative effect, although 3-BC appeared somewhat similar. Therefore 3-NC was selected for further studies. Treatment of HepG2, T47D and HCT116 cells with this compound induced apoptosis as visualized by fluorescence microscopic study of Hoechst 33258 stained cells. Induction of apoptosis was quantified by Annexin V/PI staining using flow cytometry. Western blot analysis also revealed that 3-NC down-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 and up-regulated pro-apoptotic protein Bax, in all of the cell lines. Nonetheless, HepG2 cell line was the most responsive to 3-NC as Bax and Bcl2 showed the most dramatic up and down regulation. Our previous finding that 3-NC down regulates Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) and the present observation that Bax is upregulated and Bcl2 is down regulated upon 3-NC treatment, this chromene derivative has the potential to overcome chemotherapy resistance caused by up regulation of these proteins.

/pdf/up-regulation-of-bax-and-down-regulation-of-bcl2-during-3-nc-1iq76er9hv.pdf

Up regulation of Bax and down regulation of Bcl2 during 3-NC mediated apoptosis in human cancer cells

In our continuing effort to discover and develop apoptosis inducing 4-aryl-4H-chromenes as novel anticancer agents, we explored the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of alkyl substituted pyrrole fused at the 7,8-positions. A methyl group substituted at the nitrogen in the 7-position of the pyrrole ring led to a series of potent apoptosis inducers with potency in the low nanomolar range. These compounds were also found to be low nanomolar or subnanomolar inhibitors of cell growth, and they inhibited tubulin polymerization, indicating that methylation of the 7-position nitrogen does not change the mechanism of action of these chromenes. Compound 2d was identified as a highly potent apoptosis inducer with an EC50 value of 2 nM and a highly potent inhibitor of cell growth with a GI50 value of 0.3 nM in T47D cells.

Discovery of 4-Aryl-4H-chromenes as a New Series of Apoptosis Inducers Using a Cell- and Caspase-Based High Throughput Screening Assay. 4. Structure–Activity Relationships of N-Alkyl Substituted Pyrrole Fused at the 7,8-Positions

Monica Bubenick

Papers

Discovery of 4-Aryl-4H-chromenes as a New Series of Apoptosis Inducers Using a Cell- and Caspase-Based High Throughput Screening Assay. 4. Structure–Activity Relationships of N-Alkyl Substituted Pyrrole Fused at the 7,8-Positions