Honey, bee pollen and vegetable oil unsaponifiables in wound healing

We would like to remark on the mechanisms and therapeutic properties of honey, bee pollen and unsaponifiable fractions of vegetable oils in wound healing

Oxidative N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis is a by now consolidated organocatalytic platform for a number of synthetic (asymmetric) transformations via diverse reaction modes/intermediates. In addition to the typical umpolung processes involving acyl anion/homoenolate equivalent species, implementation of protocols under oxidative conditions greatly expands the possibilities of this methodology. Oxidative NHC-catalysis allows for oxidative and oxygenative transformations through specific manipulations of Breslow-type species depending upon the oxidant used (external oxidant or O2/air), the derived NHC-bound intermediates paving the way to non-umpolung processes through activation of carbon atoms and heteroatoms. This review is intended to update the state of the art in oxidative NHC-catalyzed reactions that appeared in the literature from 2014 to present, with a strong focus to crucial intermediates and their mechanistic implications

Sintesi di nuovi derivati tri-componente per target photodynamic therapy della neoplasia prostatica

Therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer show several limitations, especially when the cancer metastasizes or acquires resistance to treatment. In addition, most of the therapies currently used entails the occurrence of serious side effects. A different therapeutic approach, more selective and less invasive with respect either to radio or to chemotherapy, is represented by the photodynamic therapy (PDT). The PDT is a treatment that makes use of photosensitive drugs: these agents are pharmacologically inactive until they are irradiated with light at an appropriate wavelength and in the presence of oxygen. The drug, activated by light, forms singlet oxygen, a highly reactive chemical species directly responsible for DNA damage, thus of cell death. In this thesis we present two synthetic strategies for the preparation of two new tri-component derivatives for photodynamic therapy of advanced prostate cancer, namely DRPDT1 and DRPDT2. Both derivatives are formed by three basic elements covalently bounded to each other: a specific ligand with high affinity for the androgen receptor, a suitably chosen spacer molecule and a photoactivated molecule. In particular, DRPDT2 differs from DRPDT1 from the nature of the AR ligand. In fact, in the case of DRPDT2 we used a synthetically engineered androgen receptor ligand able to photo-react even in the absence of oxygen, by delivering NO radical. The presence of this additional pharmacophore, together with the porphyrin, may ensure an additive/synergistic effect to the photo-stimulated therapy, which than may act both in the presence of oxygen and in hypoxic conditions. This approach represents the first example of multimodal photodynamic therapy for prostate cancer

Reactivity of Alpha-Diketones in Umpolung Catalysis and Enantioselective Sulfoxidation by Novel Titanium Complexes

Nella continua ricerca di metodologie atte alla formazione di nuovi legami carbonio-carbonio, l’organocatalisi svolge un ruolo sempre più fondamentale; in questo contesto, la catalisi di Umpolung, che prevede l’inversione di reattività di un dato substrato, rappresenta un’importante via per accedere a nuove strategie sintetiche. All’interno di quel gruppo di molecole in grado di fornire reattività di umpolung, gli α-dichetoni rappresentano senza dubbio substrati molto interessati ed innovativi. Alla luce di queste premesse, la reattività di α-dichetoni di-arilici è stata oggetto dei nostri studi. Inizialmente è stata valutata la reattività in reazioni di tipo cross-benzoinico con aldeidi, introducendo un nuovo catalizzatore di umpolung, il metil solfonil (dimsile) carbanione, con ottimi risultati in termini di efficienza di reazione e di chemoselettività. La messa a punto di questa metodologia ha inspirato lo sviluppo di un nuova strategia sintetica per l’accesso a 1,2-dichetoni asimmetrici, che ha previsto una prima reazione cross-benzoinica catalizzata dall’anione dimsile , seguita da un’ossidazione in situ con riscaldamento a microonde. Successivamente, si è passati all’impiego di α-dichetoni di-arilici in reazioni di addizione nucleofila con accettori di Michael; in questo caso è stata sviluppata una nuova reazione di doppia aroilazione catalizzata dal metil solfonil anione. E’ stato infine conferito un ulteriore valore aggiunto ai prodotti di reazione grazie ad un successivo stadio ossidativo, che ha consentito l’accesso ai corrispettivi alcheni tetrasostituiti. Inoltre, uno degli aspetti più rilevanti della nostra attività di ricerca è consistito nell’indagine meccanicistica supportata da misure di tipo NMR ed ESI-MS. In questo contesto, è stato recentemente condotto lo studio ESI-MS della reazione di ossidazione aerobica di aldeidi catalizzata, da N-eterociclo carbeni (NHC). Mediante l’utilizzo di un NHC opportunamente funzionalizzato è stato possibile individuare le diverse specie e gli equilibri coinvolti nel processo catalitico. Alla luce dell’esperienza pregressa del mio gruppo di ricerca nel campo della chimica in flusso, diversi processi di umpolung, quali reazioni di tipo benzoinico, aciloinico e di Stetter, sono stati studiati utilizzando microreattori monolitici tiazolio-funzionalizzati in regime di flusso. Infine, durante il periodo svolto presso il gruppo del Prof. Berkessel, l’attività di ricerca si è incentrata sulla sintesi e l’impiego di ligandi cis-DACH-salalen in reazioni di solfossidazione stereoselettiva catalizzate da complessi di Titanio, utilizzando H2O2 come ossidante; durante questo lavoro è stato messo a punto un solido protocollo per lo step di solfossidazione enantioselettiva della sintesi dell’esomeprazolo.In the investigation of effective chemical transformations, organocatalyzed carbon-carbon bond forming reactions play an outstanding role. Particularly, the inversion of the typical reactivity of a given substrate (umpolung) opens up new and unconventional synthetic pathways. In the continuous research of new acyl anion precursors, α-diketones actually represent innovative and efficient substrates. In this regard, the it was studied the umpolung reactivity of α-diketones confirming their crucial role as acyl anion precursors; after previous investigations by our group on dialkyl diketones, we focused our research on diaryl diketones. First, their reactivity in the cross-benzoin reaction with aldehydes was evaluated, introducing a new umpolung catalyst, the methyl sulfinyl (dimsyl) anion, with great results in terms of yields and chemoselectivity. This new optimized procedure opened a new synthetic route towards the synthesis of unsymmetrical αdiketones, thanks to a one-pot two-step process that involved a first cross-benzoin reaction catalyzed by the dimsyl anion, followed by in situ oxidation performed under microwave conditions. As a logical development of our research, the reactivity of diaryl 1,2-diketones with Michael acceptors in “Stetter-like” reactions was investigated; a new double aroylation reaction catalyzed by the methyl sulfinyl carbanion was discovered. The utility of the resulting 2-benzoyl-1,4-diones was also demonstrated by their facile conversion into the corresponding tetrasubstituted olefins. Investigation of reaction mechanisms by NMR and ESI-MS analysis represented an important part of our work. In this regard, a charge-tagged N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) was employed as mass spectrometric probe to identify the species involved in the different oxidation steps of the aerobic NHC-catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes. Moreover, in continuation of the reserach of our group in the flow chemistry field, we prepared thiazolium-functionalized monolithic microreactors and demonstrated their synthetic potential in continuous-flow umpolung transformations such as benzoin, acyloin-type, and Stetter reactions. Finally, during my period in Prof. Berkessel group, a series of cis-DACH-derived salalen ligands were synthetized and their activity evaluated in the titanium-catalyzed asymmetric sulfoxidation of thioethers with aqueous hydrogen peroxide; a solid methodology for the last enantioselective sulfoxidation step of Esomeprazole synthesis was developed

A Visible‐Light‐Powered Polymerization Method for the Immobilization of Enantioselective Organocatalysts into Microreactors

A versatile one-step photopolymerization approach for the immobilization of enantioselective organocatalysts is presented. Chiral organocatalyst-containing monoliths based on polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer were generated inside channels of microfluidic chips. Exemplary performance tests were performed for the monolithic Hayashi–Jørgensen catalyst in continuous flow, which showed good results for the Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroalkenes in terms of stereoselectivity and catalyst stability with minimal consumption of reagents and solvents

One-pot, two-step desymmetrization of symmetrical benzils catalyzed by the methylsulfinyl (dimsyl) anion

An operationally simple one-pot, two-step procedure for the desymmetrization of benzils is herein described. This consists in the chemoselective cross-benzoin reaction of symmetrical benzils with aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by the methyl sulfinyl (dimsyl) anion, followed by microwave-assisted oxidation 20 of the resulting benzoylated benzoins with nitrate, avoiding the costly isolation procedure. Both electron- withdrawing and electron-donating substituents may be accommodated on the aromatic rings of the final unsymmetrical benzil

Research progress in the modification of quercetin leading to anticancer agents

The flavonoid quercetin (3,3,4,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) is widely distributed in plants, foods, and beverages. This polyphenol compound exhibits varied biological actions such as antioxidant, radical-scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, gastroprotective, immune-modulator, and finds also application in the treatment of obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Besides, quercetin can prevent neurological disorders and exerts protection against mitochondrial damages. Various in vitro studies have assessed the anticancer effects of quercetin, although there are no conclusive data regarding its mode of action. However, low bioavailability, poor aqueous solubility as well as rapid body clearance, fast metabolism and enzymatic degradation hamper the use of quercetin as therapeutic agent, so intense research efforts have been focused on the modification of the quercetin scaffold to obtain analogs with potentially improved properties for clinical applications. This review gives an overview of the developments in the synthesis and anticancer-related activities of quercetin derivatives reported from 2012 to 2016