5-(carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones as a promising class of heterocycles inducing apoptosis triggered by increased ROS levels and mitochondrial dysfunction in breast and cervical cancer

Oxazolidinones are antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis by binding the 50S ribosomal subunit. Recently, numerous worldwide researches focused on their properties and possible involvement in cancer therapy have been conducted. Here, we evaluated in vitro the antiproliferative activity of some 5-(carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones on MCF-7 and HeLa cells. The tested compounds displayed a wide range of cytotoxicity on these cancer cell lines, measured by MTT assay, exhibiting no cytotoxicity on non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells. Among the nine tested derivatives, four displayed a good anticancer potential. Remarkably, OI compound showed IC50 values of 17.66 and 31.10 µM for MCF-7 and HeLa cancer cells, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed OI effect on the cell cycle by FACS analysis, highlighting a G1 phase arrest after 72 h, supported by a low expression level of Cyclin D1 protein. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential was reduced after OI treatment driven by high levels of ROS. These findings demonstrate that OI treatment can inhibit MCF-7 and HeLa cell proliferation and induce apoptosis by caspase-9 activation and cytochrome c release in the cytosol. Hence, 5-(carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones have a promising anticancer activity, in particular, OI derivative could represent a good candidate for in vivo further studies and potential clinical use

Multicomponent Synthesis of Benzothiophen-2-acetic Esters by a Palladium Iodide Catalyzed S-cyclization – Alkoxycarbonylation Sequence

A catalytic carbonylative approach to the multicomponent synthesis of benzothiophene derivatives from simple building blocks [1-(2-(methylthio)phenyl)prop-2-yn-1-ols, carbon monoxide, and an alcohol)] is presented. It is based on an S-cyclization-demethylation-alkoxycarbonylation-reduction sequence promoted by the PdI2/KI catalytic system, occurring under relatively mild conditions (40 atm, 80 °C, 15 h). Benzothiophene-2-acetic esters are obtained in moderate to good yields (35–70%) starting from variously substituted substrates in combination with different alcohols as external nucleophiles (17 examples). (Figure presented.)

Palladium catalysis with sulfurated substrates under aerobic conditions: A direct oxidative carbonylation approach to thiophene-3-carboxylic esters

The first example of a palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylative S-cyclization process carried out under aerobic conditions is reported. The method is based on the use of the PdI2/KI catalytic system and an acetylenic substrate bearing a sulfurated group in suitable position for attacking the coordinated triple bond. To avoid the possible oxidation of a free thiol group, a methylthio group was used as sulfur nucleophile, since the methyl group on sulfur could be removed under the reaction conditions by reaction with the iodide anion to give methyl iodide. In particular, we have employed as substrates 1-(methylthio)-3-yn-2-ols, which, upon S-cyclization, demethylation, and alkoxycarbonylation, led to thiophene-3-carboxylic esters in one step, in alcohols as external nucleophile and solvents, and under 40 atm of a 4:1 mixture of CO-air (air being the source of oxygen, used as external oxidant). The Pd(0) species deriving from the alkoxycarbonylation process was reoxidized back to catalytically active PdI2 by the action of oxygen in combination with the hydrogen iodide ensuing from the alkoxycarbonylation step and from water attack to methyl iodide. This new synthetic transformation could be successfully applied to a variety of differently substituted 1-(methylthio)-3-yn-2-ols, including substrates bearing geminal dialkyl substituents

Palladium-Catalyzed Double Cyclization Processes Leading to Polycyclic Heterocycles: Recent Advances

In this minireview, we discuss some recently reported methods for the synthesis of polycyclic heterocycles by palladium-catalyzed double cyclization processes. Paradigmatic examples taken by the most recent literature (from 2014 to the beginning of 2019) are presented. Only transformations in which palladium is involved in at least one cyclization stage are taken into consideration. The first part deals will Pd(0)-catalyzed processes. Double cyclizations initiated by the oxidative addition of an Ar-X bond or other functional groups are treated first, followed by processes beginning with carbopalladation by Pd(0) attack to unsaturated bonds. The second part concerns Pd(II)-catalyzed reactions, and begins with double cyclizations initiated by intramolecular nucleophilic attack to unsaturated bonds coordinated to Pd(II), followed by processes initiated by aromatic palladation

Unprecedented cooperative DBU-CuCl2 catalysis for the incorporation of carbon dioxide into homopropargylic amines leading to 6-methylene-1,3-oxazin-2-ones

We report the first example of cooperative catalysis by DBU and CuCl2, which allows the carboxylation of homopropargylic amines to high value added 6-methylene-1,3-oxazin-2-ones. This reaction also represents the first efficient method for the catalytic incorporation of CO2 into an acyclic substrate to give oxazinones. DFT calculations are in agreement with a mechanism involving: a) deprotonation of the substrate by DBU; b) CO2 capture with formation of a copper carbamate; c) 6-exo-dig cyclization through intramolecular triple bond insertion; and d) protonolysis, with regeneration of DBU and CuCl2 catalysts. The structure of a representative product has been confirmed by XDR analysis

A palladium iodide catalyzed regioselective carbonylative route to isocoumarin and thienopyranone carboxylic esters

The reactivity of 2-alkynylbenzoic acids under PdI2/KI-catalyzed oxidative alkoxycarbonylation conditions, with oxygen (from air) as external oxidant and an alcohol as external nucleophile, has been studied. It was found that substrates with triple bond substituted with a bulky alkyl group, such as tert-butyl, selectively underwent a 6-endo-dig cyclization - alkoxycarbonylation pathway with ethanol or isopropanol as nucleophile, to give high value added isocoumarin-4-carboxylic esters in good to high yields (67–87%). When applied to alkynylthiophencarboxylic acids bearing an internal triple bond, the reaction turned out to be completely regioselective toward the formation of the corresponding alkyl thienopyranonecarboxylates ensuing from 6-endo-dig cyclization-alkoxycarbonylation, regardless the nature of the substituent on the triple bond and the external alcohol (54–91% yields). To confirm the structure of the products deriving from different kinds of substrates, and therefore to corroborate the proposed mechanistic pathways, the crystalline structures of 11 new compounds have been resolved by XRD analysis

A stereoselective, multicomponent catalytic carbonylative approach to a new class of α,β-unsaturated γ-lactam derivatives

We report a stereoselective, multicomponent catalytic carbonylative approach to a new class of α,β-unsaturated γ-lactam derivatives with potential biological activity, that are, alkyl (Z)2-(2-oxopyrrolidin-3-ylidene)acetates. Our method is based on the catalytic assembly of readily available building blocks, namely, homopropargylic amines, carbon monoxide, an alcohol, and oxygen (from air). These simple substrates are efficiently activated in ordered sequence under the action of a very simple catalytic system, consisting of PdI2 in conjunction with KI to give the γ-lactam products in 47–85% yields. Carbonylation reactions are carried out at 100◦C for 2–5 h under 40 atm of a 4:1 mixture of CO-air, with 0.5–5 mol% of PdI2 and 5–50 mol% of KI

Heterogenizing palladium tetraiodide catalyst for carbonylation reactions

We report the first example of successful heterogenization of the classical PdI42- carbonylation catalyst, achieved in two simple steps from ionic liquid-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The newly developed materials (PdI4@MWCNT-imi-X, X = Br, I) present the PdI42- anion supported on an imidazolium network (imi) grown on MWCNTs and have been fully characterized. The activity of PdI4@MWCNT-imi-X has been successfully tested in a paradigmatic carbonylation reaction, the oxidative monoaminocarbonylation of 1-alkynes with amines to give high value added 2-ynamides (obtained in good yields, 50–84%, starting from various substrates). The heterogeneous catalyst could be easily recycled and showed a good efficiency even after the fourth recycle, when deactivation began to occur owing to the formation of inactive Pd(0) species, as confirmed by XPS analysis. Hot and cold filtration tests were compatible with an essentially heterogeneous catalytic process, and limited metal contamination in the final organic compounds occurred, as assessed by ICP-MS analysis of representative carbonylation products