Years of cumulative research can result in the development of a clinically useful drug, providing either a cure for a particular disease or symptomatic relief from a physiological disorder. A lead compound with a desired pharmacological activity may have associated with it undesirable side effects, characteristics that limit its bioavailability, or structural features which adversely influence its metabolism and excretion from the body. Bioisosterism represents one approach used by the medicinal chemist for the rational modification of lead compounds into safer and more clinically effective agents. The concept of bioisosterism is often considered to be qualitative and intuitive.1 The prevalence of the use of bioisosteric replacements in drug design need not be emphasized. This topic has been reviewed in previous years.2-5 The objective of this review is to provide an overview of bioisosteres that incorporates sufficient detail to enable the reader to understand the concepts being delineated. While a few popular examples of the successful use of bioisosteres have been included, the George Patani graduated with a B.Pharm. in 1992 from the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mangalore University at Manipal, India. In 1996, he received his M.S. in Pharmaceutical Science at Rutgers University under the direction of Professor Edmond J. LaVoie. He is presently pursuing graduate studies in pharmaceutics. His current research interests are focused on drug design and controlled drug delivery.

https://www.mch.estranky.sk/file/228/1996chemrev96-3147-76_bioisosterism.pdf

Bioisosterism: A Rational Approach in Drug Design.

Calixarenes are macrocyclic molecules, like crown ethers and cyclodextrins.1-7 Calixarenes made up of phenol and methylene units have many conformational isomers because of two possible rotational modes of the phenol unit: the oxygen-through-theannulus rotation and the para-substituent-throughthe-annulus rotation (Figure 1). The conformational isomers thus yielded afford a great number of unique cavities with the different size and the different shape. Recently, a number of strategies have been exploited by which not only the conformation of calix[4]arenes, but also those of calix[6]arenes and calix[8]arenes, can be immobilized. This means that our group can now design various calixarene-based receptors that show high selectivity for guest molecules and metal cations. In this review article, our group describe novel strategies for cavity design using calix[n]arene skeletons, strategies that are intended to allow complexation of specific molecular targets or metal ions.

Novel Cavity Design Using Calix[n]arene Skeletons: Toward Molecular Recognition and Metal Binding.

The challenge of cyclic and acyclic schiff bases and related derivatives

Organic molecules as well as metal complexes may exist as several geometric isomers1 which display distinct physical properties and chemical reactivities. A molecule containing two atoms (in general, two carbons) attached together by a double bond with substituents W-Z may be found as two isomeric † C.D. dedicates this review to Professor Andrée Marquet as a mark of his admiration and gratitude. * To whom correspondence should be addressed: Tel: (33) 169 08 52 25. Fax: (33) 169 08 90 71. E-mail: christophe.dugave@cea.fr. ‡ Present address: Département de Chimie, Institut de Pharmacologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue nord, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4 Canada. 2475 Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 2475−2532

Cis-trans isomerization of organic molecules and biomolecules: implications and applications.

An Overview on Ynamines
Alkynes represent one of the most important and versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. Heteroatom-substituted alkynes, which can be considered as subgroups of alkynes, have also been vastly utilized in developing synthetic methods. In particular, ynamines [1-amino-alkynes or N-alkynyl amines] became the most valuable subgroup of alkynes after the establishment of their practical synthesis in the 1960's. The first attempt at preparation of an ynamine was reported by Bode1,2 in 1892. While well-characterized ynamines were reported in 19583 and 1960,4 a practical synthesis was not achieved until the effort led by Viehe5 in 1963 in addition to other subsequent works. In the ensuing twenty years, the synthetic significance of ynamines in organic and organometallic chemistry was firmly established by the work of many creative synthetic chemists. These elegant pioneer works have been informatively and carefully reviewed by Viehe in 19676 and 1969;7 Ficini in 1976;8 Pitacco and Valentin9 in 1979; Collard-Motte and Janousek10 in 1986; Himbert11 in 1993; and most recently by us12,13 and Katritzky14.





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The synthetic eminence of ynamines is well merited because of the predicable regioselectivity in their transformations as shown by the generalization in Scheme i, and more importantly, because they are inherently highly reactive. However, this latter attribute is also the source of the limitation that has seriously hampered the development of ynamine chemistry, thereby shortening the period of its prominence in synthesis. Ynamines are very sensitive toward hydrolysis, as protonation of the electron-rich alkynyl motif affords reactive keteniminium intermediates, which upon trapping with water leads to simple amides in a rather expensive manner (Scheme i). This hydrolytic instability has caused much difficulty in the experimental preparation and general handling of ynamines, and more detrimentally, rendered ynamine chemistry inaccessible.




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Scheme i



Consequently, the synthetic utility of ynamines has suffered a dramatic decline during the last thirty years.15 The most glaring limitations have been in the development of intramolecular and stereoselective reactions.7–14 The only reported intramolecular reaction of ynamines was Genet and Kahn's acid catalyzed addition of a hydroxyl group to an ynamine [i→ii in Scheme ii] in 1980,16 and although clever, it constitutes a hydrolytic process.






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Scheme ii



Besides Reinhoudt's17 sole account in 1987 reporting hetero-[4 + 2] cycloadditions of chiral ynamine iii with nitroalkenes that led to cycloadducts iv in modest de, the only other notable studies were reported ten years later by Fischer18 showcasing [2 + 2] cycloadditions of chiral ynamides v and vi with vinylidene chromium carbene complexes, and another three years later by Pericas19 in their Pauson-Khand cycloadditions using chiral ynamines vii.

Ynamides: A Modern Functional Group For The New Millennium

Conformational behaviour and E/Z isomerization of N-acyl and N-aroylhydrazones

p-t-Butylcalix[4]arene (1a), the cyclic tetramer obtained by the condensation of p-t-butylphenol and formaldehyde, crystallizes from anisole forming a new type of cage inclusion compound with the solvent. Crystals having a 2 : 1 host–guest stoicheiometry are tetragonal, space group P4/n, a=b= 12.823(6); c= 25.618(8)A, Z= 2, final R values 0.073. Two molecules of the macrocycle, in the cone conformation, face the methyl groups of the para-substituents creating a closed cavity which encapsulates one molecule of anisole. The guest is disordered in the cavity in at least eight equivalent orientations.

Molecular inclusion in functionalized macrocycles. Part 9. The crystal and molecular structure of p-t-butylcalix[4]arena–anisole (2 : 1) complex: a new type of cage inclusion compound

Aroylhydrazones as chelating agents: d10-metal complexes of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde salicyloylhydrazone and x-ray structure of the zinc derivative

In order to understand better the relationship between auxin structure and activity on morphogenesis and cell elongation, six different auxins were tested on the regeneration of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller var. Alice) from cotyledons and on pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Alaska) stem elongation. The auxins were: indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 1, 2-benzisoxazole-3-acetic acid (BOA), 1,2-benzisothiazole-3-acetic acid (BIA), 1-naphthalenacetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). All these compounds obey the minimum requirement rules for auxin activity and all were effective on cell elongation. At the dose of 10 μM and in the absence of cytokinin, they all, except 2,4-D, induced roots, while in the presence of cytokinin they induced shoots, roots, hairy root-like filaments (HRLF) or callus depending on their concentration. The morphogenetic pattern did not change by varying cytokinin concentration. We conclude that auxin structure plays a minor role in morphogenesis or cell elongation, because it is only responsible for variations in the level of auxin activity.

Auxin structure and activity on tomato morphogenesis in vitro and pea stem elongation

3-(4-iodomethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)propynoic acidt-butyl ester: a new β-lactam derivative, synthesis of an ynamide by reaction of 4-iodomethylazetidin-2-one with the t-butyl ester of propiolic acid in the presence of copper(i)

Paolo Domiano

Papers

Conformational behaviour and E/Z isomerization of N-acyl and N-aroylhydrazones

Molecular inclusion in functionalized macrocycles. Part 9. The crystal and molecular structure of p-t-butylcalix[4]arena–anisole (2 : 1) complex: a new type of cage inclusion compound

Aroylhydrazones as chelating agents: d10-metal complexes of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde salicyloylhydrazone and x-ray structure of the zinc derivative

Auxin structure and activity on tomato morphogenesis in vitro and pea stem elongation

3-(4-iodomethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)propynoic acidt-butyl ester: a new β-lactam derivative, synthesis of an ynamide by reaction of 4-iodomethylazetidin-2-one with the t-butyl ester of propiolic acid in the presence of copper(i)