Phenethyl Esters and Amide of Ferulic Acid, Hydroferulic Acid, Homovanillic Acid, and Vanillic Acid: Synthesis, Free Radicals Scavenging Activity, and Molecular Modeling as Potential Cholinesterases Inhibitors

As ferulic acid was reported to be involved in novel potential mechanisms associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapy, five closely related phenethyl esters and amide of this natural product were synthesized and screened for their free radicals scavenging activity. Ferulic acid and its analogue′s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties were predicted. All compounds obey Lipinski′s rules. Moreover, all evaluated compounds seem to present a high oral bioavailability and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeation which is crucial for Alzheimer′s disease drug candidates. Molecular docking of analogues 4 and 8 with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) showed interactions with the residues of the catalytic triad of AChE and BChE. In addition to their interactions with the anionic subsite, hydroferulic acid phenethyl ester 4 and homovanillic acid phenethyl ester 8 may have potential as inhibitors of AChE and BChE, respectively

A Comparative Study of Solvent-Free and Highly Efficient Pinene Hydrogenation over Pd on Carbon, Alumina, and Silica Supports

Solvent-free catalytic hydrogenation of pinene over Pd on carbon, alumina, and silica supports were compared. Despite the absence of solvent, Pd catalyst on all three supports yields to a quantitative conversion of pinene to pinanes and a higher selectivity for the cis isomer (72-89%). The temperature affected similarly the selectivity of the reaction for all three catalysts in favor of the cis-pinane isomer. However, recycling of the Pd on the three tested supports varied greatly. If Pd/C and Pd/alumina were successfully recycled 13 and 14 times, respectively, Pd/silica could be used only once to convert pinenes into pinanes. Remaining very effective during all 13 cycles, Pd/C was the best catalyst/support of the three tested ones for the solvent-free hydrogenation of pinene. The influence of H-2 pressure on pinene conversion rates were investigated for Pd/C catalyst. An extremely low leaching rate of palladium in pinenes and pinanes determined by ICP/MS confirmed the heterogeneous nature of this catalytic solvent-free reaction. The hydrogenation reaction presented in this paper is an alternate environmentally friendly pathway for pinane synthesis