Orientador: Odair Correa Bueno / Banca: Marcos Roberto Potenza / Banca: Fabiana Elaine Casarin / Resumo: O cupim subterrâneo Coptotermes gestroi (WASMANN, 1896) é uma das principais pragas responsável por danos econômicos em estruturas de madeira nas áreas urbanas do litoral e interior do sudeste brasileiro. A metodologia mais empregada no controle de cupins subterrâneos é a aplicação direta de inseticidas no solo, porém esse tipo de tratamento não é destinado à eliminação da colônia e sim a formar uma barreira química entre a fonte de alimento que está sendo consumida e a colônia dos cupins. Essa barreira química também não evita que alados infestem prédios na época da revoada, pois eles não terão contato com os inseticidas. Essas infestações podem continuar sendo subterrâneas em porões de edificações ou podem ser aéreas, onde os cupins nidificam em espaços entre os andares dos edifícios, pois estes locais oferecem o ambiente ideal para os cupins com água, abrigo e alimento. Uma estratégia alternativa que visa à eliminação da colônia dos cupins subterrâneos é a utilização da metodologia de isca. Nas iscas o ingrediente ativo é incorporado a substratos que contenham celulose, sendo assim, a quantidade de inseticida usado é mínima, pois ele não pode ser repelente e precisa ter ação lenta e as partes não consumidas das iscas podem ser removidas depois do tratamento. No presente estudo foram realizados bioensaios laboratoriais com C. gestroi para avaliar a toxicidade de cinco substâncias que foram sintetizadas tendo como modelo a molécula da sesamina, sendo duas amidas e três compostos piperonílicos. Adicionalmente, foi analisado um inibidor de síntese de quitina, representado pelo bistrifluron. Os resultados revelaram que para as duas amidas e composto piperonílico 1, apesar de serem tóxicos, seriam necessários novos bioensaios com concentrações acima de 10 000 ppm para verificar se ocorre o aumento da dose ingerida pelos cupins. / Abstract: The subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi (WASMANN, 1896) is a major urban pest that attacks wooden structures throughout southeastern Brazil. The most widely employed method to control subterranean termites is the direct application of insecticides on soil, however this method does not eliminate the colonies, but creates a chemical barrier between termites and their food. Moreover, this chemical barrier does not preclude infestation of buildings by alate reproductives during the reproductive season as they don't come in contact with the insecticides. The infestation may remain underground at basements or in the spaces between the stories of the buildings, as these sites offer the ideal habitat for termites with water, protection and food. An alternative strategy eliminating subterranean termite's colonies is the use of baits. In baits the insecticide is embedded in cellulose substrates, thus minimizing, the amount of insecticide used, which can't be repellent and has to have slow mode of action, generating easily removable unconsumed wastes. In this study, we performed laboratory bioassays with C. gestroi to evaluate the toxicity of five substances that were synthesized with a model of the molecule of sesamine, being two amides and three piperonyl compounds. Additionally, was analyzed a chitin synthesis inhibitor, represented by bistrifluron. The results showed that the two amides and piperonyl compound 1, although toxic, would have to be tested at concentrations above 10 000 ppm to verify if there is an increase in the uptake of insecticide. Piperonyl compounds 3 and 5 shown to be effective at the concentration of 10 000 ppm, but new bioassays would be needed to confirm this results. Bistrifluron proved efficient to be used in baits, although causing a reduction in the intake of food by termites, but didn't influence the effect of the insecticide... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-10-22Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:00:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 nascimento_jpr_me_rcla.pdf: 245177 bytes, checksum: 75cec65a1ce5a11f6c59a601556a2179 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O cupim subterrâneo Coptotermes gestroi (WASMANN, 1896) é uma das principais pragas responsável por danos econômicos em estruturas de madeira nas áreas urbanas do litoral e interior do sudeste brasileiro. A metodologia mais empregada no controle de cupins subterrâneos é a aplicação direta de inseticidas no solo, porém esse tipo de tratamento não é destinado à eliminação da colônia e sim a formar uma barreira química entre a fonte de alimento que está sendo consumida e a colônia dos cupins. Essa barreira química também não evita que alados infestem prédios na época da revoada, pois eles não terão contato com os inseticidas. Essas infestações podem continuar sendo subterrâneas em porões de edificações ou podem ser aéreas, onde os cupins nidificam em espaços entre os andares dos edifícios, pois estes locais oferecem o ambiente ideal para os cupins com água, abrigo e alimento. Uma estratégia alternativa que visa à eliminação da colônia dos cupins subterrâneos é a utilização da metodologia de isca. Nas iscas o ingrediente ativo é incorporado a substratos que contenham celulose, sendo assim, a quantidade de inseticida usado é mínima, pois ele não pode ser repelente e precisa ter ação lenta e as partes não consumidas das iscas podem ser removidas depois do tratamento. No presente estudo foram realizados bioensaios laboratoriais com C. gestroi para avaliar a toxicidade de cinco substâncias que foram sintetizadas tendo como modelo a molécula da sesamina, sendo duas amidas e três compostos piperonílicos. Adicionalmente, foi analisado um inibidor de síntese de quitina, representado pelo bistrifluron. Os resultados revelaram que para as duas amidas e composto piperonílico 1, apesar de serem tóxicos, seriam necessários novos bioensaios com concentrações acima de 10 000 ppm para verificar se ocorre o aumento da dose ingerida pelos cupins. / The subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi (WASMANN, 1896) is a major urban pest that attacks wooden structures throughout southeastern Brazil. The most widely employed method to control subterranean termites is the direct application of insecticides on soil, however this method does not eliminate the colonies, but creates a chemical barrier between termites and their food. Moreover, this chemical barrier does not preclude infestation of buildings by alate reproductives during the reproductive season as they don’t come in contact with the insecticides. The infestation may remain underground at basements or in the spaces between the stories of the buildings, as these sites offer the ideal habitat for termites with water, protection and food. An alternative strategy eliminating subterranean termite’s colonies is the use of baits. In baits the insecticide is embedded in cellulose substrates, thus minimizing, the amount of insecticide used, which can’t be repellent and has to have slow mode of action, generating easily removable unconsumed wastes. In this study, we performed laboratory bioassays with C. gestroi to evaluate the toxicity of five substances that were synthesized with a model of the molecule of sesamine, being two amides and three piperonyl compounds. Additionally, was analyzed a chitin synthesis inhibitor, represented by bistrifluron. The results showed that the two amides and piperonyl compound 1, although toxic, would have to be tested at concentrations above 10 000 ppm to verify if there is an increase in the uptake of insecticide. Piperonyl compounds 3 and 5 shown to be effective at the concentration of 10 000 ppm, but new bioassays would be needed to confirm this results. Bistrifluron proved efficient to be used in baits, although causing a reduction in the intake of food by termites, but didn’t influence the effect of the insecticide... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

A presente tese relata a síntese e a análise conformacional das: N-metóxi-N-metil- 2-feniltiopropanamidas 4\'-substituídas (I), N-metóxi-N-metil-2- fenilssulfinilpropanamidas 4\'-substituídas (II) e N-metóxi-N-metil-2- fenilssulfonilpropanamidas 4\'-substituídas (III), através da espectroscopia no Infravermelho na região da banda da carbonila (vco), apoiada por cálculos teóricos. A análise conformacional de (I) indicou, através de dados de DFT/cc-pVDZ a existência de um equilíbrio entre duas conformações gauche devido à ocorrência de uma forte interação orbitalar estabilizante π*co/σc-s nas mesmas. A série dos derivados sulfinilados (II) apresentou-se como um par de diastereoisômeros. A análise conformacional para o diast1 (par enantiomérico CRSS/CSSR), através do cálculo HF/6-31G** e IV, indicou a existência de um equilíbrio conformacional entre dois confôrmeros quasi-cis (q-c1 e q-c2) e outro gauche (g), sendo os confôrmeros quasi-cis (q-c1 e q-c2) mais estáveis devido à interação de transferência de carga Oσ-(CO)→Sσ+SO mais intensa do que a interação Oσ-(SO)→Cσ+CO presente no confôrmero gauche (g). A análise para o diast2 utilizando-se o cálculo HF/6-31G** indicou a presença dos confôrmeros quasi-gauche (q-g), e quasi-cis (q-c3) sendo o primeiro mais estável no estado gasoso por apresentar uma interação transferência de carga cruzada Oσ-(CO)→Sσ+SO e Oσ-(SO)→Cσ+CO. Os dados de cálculo HF/6-31G** para os derivados sulfonilados (III) indicaram um equilíbrio conformacional entre duas conformações gauche (g1 e g2) decorrente de uma interação Coulômbica e de transferência de carga cruzada Oδ-(SO2)→Cδ+CO e Oδ-(CO)→Sδ+SO2. A presente Tese também relata a obtenção de compostos ß-lactâmicos acilados no carbono C3 e C4. As N-metóxi-N-metil-2-feniltiopropanamidas-4\'-substituídas (I) agem como acilantes do anel ß-lactâmico (N-fenil-2-azetidinona) para obtenção dos derivados ß-lactâmico C3 acilados. A reação foi realizada com sucesso, contudo, a purificação dos compostos alvo não se mostrou eficaz obtendo-se apenas as 3-[2- (4\'-feniltio)propanoil]-N-fenil- e 3-[2-(4\'- clorofeniltio)propanoil]-N-fenil-2-azetidinonas através de um processo de cristalização. Para a obtenção dos derivados ß-lactâmicos C4 acilados utilizou-se a N-metóxi-N-metil-4-oxo-1-fenilazetidina-2- carboxamida como acilante dos carbânions derivados de 4\'-fenilmetilssulfóxidos [4\'-YPhS(O)CH3 Y= OMe, Me, H]. Esta reação forneceu as 1-fenil- (4-fenilssulfinilacetil- 3 4\'-substituídos)-2-azetidinonas correspondentes com bons rendimentos. A redução destas azetidinonas-sulfóxidos forneceu as azetidinonas-sulfetos correspondentes também com bons rendimentos / This thesis reports the synthesis and the conformational analysis of: N-methoxy-N- methyl-2-[(4\'-substituted)-phenylthio]-propanamides (I), N-methoxy-N-methyl-2-[(4\'- substituted)-phenylsulfinyl]-propanamides (II) and N-methoxy- N-methyl-2-[(4\'- substituted)-phenylsulfonyl]-propanamides (III) by Infrared spectroscopy through the analysis of the carbonyl stretching band supported by theoretical calculations. The conformational analysis of (I) through DFT computations have indicated the equilibrium of two gauche conformations due to a strong stabilizing π*co/σc-s orbital interaction. The group of sulfinyl derivatives (II) exist as a diastereomeric pair. The conformational analysis of diast1 (enantiomeric pair CRSS/CSSR) through IR and HF/6-31G** has shown the existence of an equilibrium between two quasi-cis (q-c1 and q-c2) and one gauche (g) conformers, being the quasi-cis conformers the more stable ones due to the Oσ-(CO)→Sσ+SO charge transfer interaction which in turn is stronger than the Oσ-(SO)→Cσ+CO orbital interaction which takes place in the gauche (g) conformer. As for diast2 the HF/6-31G** computations along IR data has indicated 2 the occurrence of the quasi-gauche (q-g) and quasi-cis (q-c ) conformers, being the former the more stable one in gaseous phase due to the Oσ-(CO)→Sσ+SO e Oσ-(SO)→Sσ+CO crossed charge transfer. The HF/6-31G** and vco data for the sulfonylated derivatives (III) have shown the existence of the equilibrium between two gauche (g1 and g2) conformations which are stabilized through Oδ-(SO2)→Cδ+CO and Oδ-(CO)→Sδ+SO2 electrostatic and charge transfer interactions. This Thesis also deals with the preparation of some C3 and C4 acylated ß-lactamic compounds. The N-methoxy- N-methyl-2-[(4\'-substituted)-phenylthio-propanamides (I) act as acylating agents of the ß-lactamic ring (N-phenyl-2-azetidinone) in order to obtain the C-3 acylated ß-lactamic derivatives. These reactions gave the target products contaminated with starting material in good yields except for the 3-[2- (4\'phenylthio)propanoyl]-N-phenyl- and 3-[2-(4\'-chlorophenylthio)propanoyl]-N- phenyl-2-azetidinones which were obtained in pure form after crystallization. As for the C-3 acylated ß-lactamic derivatives they were obtained from the reaction of N-methoxy-N-methyl-4-oxo-1-phenylazetidine-2-carboxamide and the appropriate carbanions of 4\'-substituted phenylmethylsulfoxides. This reaction gave the corresponding 1-phenyl- (4-substituted-phenylsulfinylacetyl)-2-azetidinones in good yields. The corresponding azetidinone-sulfides were obtained from the reduction of the azetidinone-sulfoxides.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Piplartine and piperine are alkaloids/amides isolated from Piper species. The activity of these compounds was initially evaluated on the brine shrimp lethality assay, sea urchin development, MTT assay using tumor cell lines, and hemolytic assay. Piperine showed a higher toxicity in brine shrimp than piplartine. Both piplartine and piperine inhibited the sea urchin development, but in this assay piplartine was more potent than piperine. In MTT assay, piplartine was also the most active with IC50 values ranging from 0.7 to 1.7 Âg/mL. None of the tested substances induced hemolysis. Since the piplartine showed the best results, its mode of action was studied. Viability of HL-60, K562, JUKART, and MOLT-4 cell lines were affected by piplartine only after an exposure time of 24h, as analyzed by the Trypan blue exclusion. Piplatine reduced the number of viable cells associated with an increasing of the number of non-viable cells, which corroborate data from morphologic analysis. The cytotoxic activity of piplartine was related to the inhibition of DNA synthesis, as revealed by the reduction of BrdU incorporation. Administration of piplartine or piperine (50 or 100 mg/kg/day) inhibited the solid tumor development in mice transplanted with Sarcoma 180. The inhibition rates were of 28.7 and 52.3% for piplartine and 55.1 and 56.8% for piperine at lowest and highest dose, respectively. Piplartine-antitumor activity was related to the tumor proliferation rate inhibition, as observed by reduction of Ki67 staining in tumor of the treated-animals. The histopathological analysis of liver and kidney showed that both organs were reversible affected by piplartine and piperine treatment, but in a different way. Piperine was more toxic to the liver while piplartine affected more the kidney. Thus, both amides may act as antitumor agents, although, they seem to act through different pathways. Piplartine activity seems to be related to direct cytotoxicity on tumor cells, while piperine presented a host mediated activity / Piplartina e piperina sÃo alcalÃides/amidas presentes em plantas do gÃnero Piper. A atividade desses compostos foi inicialmente avaliada atravÃs do ensaio de toxicidade aguda em Artemia sp., desenvolvimento de ovos de ouriÃo do mar, ensaio do MTT usando cÃlulas tumorais e ensaio hemolÃtico. A piperina apresentou toxicidade maior em Artemia sp. que a piplartina. Ambas inibiram o desenvolvimento de ouriÃo do mar, mas neste ensaio a piplartina foi mais potente que a piperina. No ensaio do MTT, a piplartina tambÃm foi a mais ativa com valores de CI50 variando de 0,7 a 1,7 Âg/mL. Nenhuma das substÃncias testadas induziu hemÃlise. O mecanismo de aÃÃo da piplartina foi, entÃo, estudado. A viabilidade de cÃlulas HL-60, K562, JUKART e MOLT-4 foi afetada por piplartina apenas apÃs de um perÃodo de exposiÃÃo de 24h, quando analisada por exclusÃo por azul de tripan. A piplatina reduziu o nÃmero de cÃlulas viÃveis associado com um aumento no nÃmero de cÃlulas nÃo-viÃveis, o que colabora com os achados da analise morfolÃgica, onde observou-se um aumento do nÃmero de cÃlulas mortas. A atividade citotÃxica da piplartina està relacionada com a inibiÃÃo da sÃntese de DNA, como revelado pela incorporaÃÃo do BrdU. A administraÃÃo de piplartina ou piperina (50 ou 100 mg/kg/dia) inibe o desenvolvimento de tumor sÃlido em camundongos transplantados com Sarcoma 180. A inibiÃÃo foi de 28,7 e 52,3% para piplartina e 55,1 e 56,8% para piperina na menor e maior dose, respectivamente. A atividade antitumoral da piplartina, mas nÃo da piperina, està relacionada com a inibiÃÃo da proliferaÃÃo do tumor, como observada pela reduÃÃo da marcaÃÃo com Ki67 em tumores de animais tratados. A analise histopatolÃgica do fÃgado e rins demostrou que ambos os ÃrgÃos foram reversivelmente afetados pelo tratamento com piplartina e piperina, mas de maneira diferente. A piperina foi mais tÃxica para o fÃgado, enquanto que a piplartina afetou mais os rins. Assim, ambas as amidas podem atuar como agentes antitumorais, embora, elas pareÃam atuar por vias diferentes. Sendo que a atividade da piplartina parece estar relacionada diretamente a sua aÃÃo citotÃxica, enquanto que a atividade da piperina sÃria mediada pelo hospedeiro.

O estudo fitoquímico dos extratos de plantas adultas e plântulas da espécie Piper reticulatum, coletada na Floresta Nacional de Carajás, levou ao isolamento de quatro amidas, incluindo diidrowisanidina, descrita previamente nesta espécie, wisanidina, (2E,4E)-N-isobutileicosa-2,4-dienamida, (3E,5E,14E)-N-pirrolidileicosa-3,5,14-trienamida (inédita em função da posição das insaturações da cadeia alquílica), uma lignana (siringaresinol) e uma nitrila (benzoato de cianobenzila), além de terem sido propostas as estruturas de oito amidas contendo longa cadeia alquílica, com base nos dados de cromatografia gasosa e líquida acoplada a espectrometria de massas. Os extratos e produtos naturais isolados foram avaliados quanto aos seus potenciais antifúngicos frente aos fitopatógenos Cladosporium cladosporioides e C. sphaerospermum e atividade inibidora da enzima acetilcolinesterase, sendo constatada forte atividade para as amidas em ambos ensaios, além de forte atividade para a nitrila contra C. sphaerospermum. Além disso, os extratos de plantas adultas e plântulas de P. reticulatum foram analisados através de EM (ESI+) e os dados analisados por PCA (análise dos componentes principais) e através de HCA (análise por agrupamento hierárquico) juntamente com a espécie P. amalago, filogeneticamente relacionada com P. reticulatum, P. crassinervium, P. solmsianum, P. fuligineum, P. gaudichaudianum, P. aduncum e P. tuberculatum, afim de uma distinção ou classificação de grupos seguindo parâmetros metabólicos. / The phytochemical study of extracts from adult plants and seedlings of the species Piper reticulatum, collected in the Carajás National Forest, afforded the isolation of four amides, including dihydrowisanidine, previously described from this species, wisanidine, (2E,4E)-N-2-isobutyleicosa-2,4-dienamide, (3E,5E,14E)-N-3,5,14-pyrrolidyleicosa-trienamide (novel based on the unsaturations position at the alkyl chain), a lignan (syringaresinol) and a nitrile (cianobenzyl benzoate) and, additionaly eigh amides containing long alkyl chain had their structures proposed based on gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry data. The extracts and the isolated natural products were evaluated for their potential antifungal activity against the phytopathogens Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, being found strong activity for amides for both two tests, and strong activity for nitrile against C. sphaerospermum. In addition, extracts of adult plants and seedlings of P. reticulatum were analyzed by MS (ESI +) and by PCA (principal component analysis) and HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis) together with the species P. amalago, phylogenetically related to P. reticulatum, P. crassinervium, P. solmsianum, P. fuligineum, P. gaudichaudianum, P. aduncum and P. tuberculatum in order to distinguish or classify them according to the metabolic profile.

This thesis covers the development of catalytic methodologies for the mild and chemoselective hydrosilylation of amides. The first part describes the investigation of the Mo(CO)6-catalyzed reduction of carboxamides. It was found that the reduction could be controlled by tuning the reaction temperature and either amines or aldehydes could be obtained selectively. The system showed an unprecedented chemoselectivity and the amide reduction could take place in the presence of other reducible functional groups such as ketones, aldehydes, and imines. Moreover, the transformation could be performed on a preparative scale and was further employed in the synthesis of Donepezil, a pharmaceutical drug used in the treatment of Alzheimer´s disease. The third chapter concerns the development of the Mo(CO)6-mediated hydrosilylation protocol for the reduction of carboxamides containing acidic α-hydrogens. In this case, enamines were formed and a high level of chemoselectivity was observed. Enamines containing sensitive functional groups such as ketones, aldehydes and imines were generated. The enamines were not isolated but used in subsequent catalytic reductive functionalization of amides, which is described in the last part of the thesis (Chapters 4 – 7). The in situ formed enamines were reacted with a wide variety of electrophiles, generating heterocyclic compounds as triazolines, triazoles, 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles and pyrimidinediones. N-sulfonylformamidines as well as thioacrylamides could also be prepared with this approach. The protocols for the synthesis of triazolines, triazoles and N-sulfonylformamidines could additionally be performed on a preparative scale, showing the practicality of the methodology.

No description available.

Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) terminates the endocannabinoid signaling pathway that regulates numerous neurobehavioral processes in animals by hydrolyzing a class of lipid mediators, N-acylethanolamines (NAEs). Recent identification of an Arabidopsis FAAH homologue (AtFAAH) and several studies, especially those using AtFAAH overexpressing and knock-out lines suggest that a FAAH-mediated pathway exists in plants for the metabolism of endogenous NAEs. Here, I provide evidence to support this concept by identifying candidate FAAH cDNA sequences in diverse plant species. NAE amidohydrolase assays confirmed that several of the proteins encoded by these cDNAs indeed catalyzed the hydrolysis of NAEs in vitro. Kinetic parameters, inhibition properties, and substrate specificities of the plant FAAH enzymes were very similar to those of mammalian FAAH. Five amino acid residues determined to be important for catalysis by rat FAAH were absolutely conserved within the plant FAAH sequences. Site-directed mutation of each of the five putative catalytic residues in AtFAAH abolished its hydrolytic activity when expressed in Escherichia coli. Contrary to overexpression of native AtFAAH in Arabidopsis that results in enhanced seedling growth, and in seedlings that were insensitive to exogenous NAE, overexpression of the inactive AtFAAH mutants showed no growth enhancement and no NAE tolerance. However, both active and inactive AtFAAH overexpressors displayed hypersensitivity to ABA, suggesting a function of the enzyme independent of its catalytic activity toward NAE substrates. Yeast two-hybrid screening identified Arg/Ser-rich zinc knuckle-containing protein as a candidate protein that physically and domain-specifically interacts with AtFAAH and its T-DNA knock-out Arabidopsis was hypersensitive to ABA to a degree similar to AtFAAH overexpressors. Taken together, AtFAAH appears to have a bifurcating function, via NAE hydrolysis and protein-protein interaction, to control Arabidopsis growth and interaction with phytohormone signaling pathways. These studies help to functionally define the group of enzymes that metabolize NAEs in plants, and further will expand the knowledge-base of lipid metabolism and signaling for manipulation of various physiological processes important to plant growth and responses to environmental stress.

An important role of Pin1 is to catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of pSer/Thr-Pro bonds; as such, it plays an important role in many cellular events through the effects of conformational change on the function of its biological substrates, including Cdc25, c-Jun, and p53. The expression of Pin1 correlates with cyclin D1 levels, which contributes to cancer cell transformation. Overexpression of Pin1 promotes tumor growth, while its inhibition causes tumor cell apoptosis. Because Pin1 is overexpressed in many human cancer tissues, including breast, prostate, and lung cancer tissues, it plays an important role in oncogenesis, making its study vital for the development of anti-cancer agents. Many inhibitors have been discovered for Pin1, including 1) several classes of designed inhibitors such as alkene isosteres, non-peptidic, small molecular Pin1 inhibitors, and indanyl ketones, and 2) several natural products such as juglone, pepticinnamin E analogues, PiB and its derivatives obtained from a library screen. These Pin1 inhibitors show promise in the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic anticancer drugs due to their ability to block cell cycle progression. In order to develop potent Pin1 inhibitors, the concept of transition-state analogues was used for the design of three classes of compounds: ketoamide, ketone, and reduced amide analogues. Specifically, a convergent synthesis of α-ketoamide inhibitors of Pin1 was developed. An α-hydroxyorthothioester derivative of Ser was reacted directly with an aminyl synthon. The reaction was catalyzed by HgO and HgCl2 to form an α-hydroxyamide. Hydrolysis and coupling were combined in one step in 80% yield. Two diastereomers of a phospho-Ser-Pro α-ketoamide analogue were synthesized. The resulting IC50 values of 100 µM and 200 µM were surprisingly weak for the Pin1 peptidyl-prolyl isomerase. Diastereomeric ketones were synthesized by coupling cyclohexenyl lithium to the serine Weinreb amide, via the Michael addition of a carboxylate synthon. The IC50 values of the two ketone diastereomers were determined to be 260 μM and 61 μM, respectively. Five reduced amide inhibitors for Pin1 were synthesized through a selective reduction using borane. The most potent inhibitor was found to be Fmocâ pSerâ Ψ[CH2N]-Proâ tryptamine, which had an IC50 value of 6.3 µM. This represents a 4.5-fold better inhibition for Pin1 than a comparable cis-amide alkene isostere. The co-crystal structure of Acâ pSerâ Ψ[CH2N]-Proâ tryptamine bound to Pin1 was determined to 1.76 Ã resolution. Towards understanding the two proposed mechanisms of Pin1 catalysis, nucleophilic-additition mechanism and twisted-amide mechanism, three classes of Pin1 inhibitors (ketoamide, ketone, and reduced amide analogues) involving a total of nine compounds were synthesized and evaluated. The weak inhibitory activities of ketoamide and ketone analogues do not support the nucleophilic-addition mechanism, while the twisted-amide mechanism of Pin1 catalysis is promising based on the reduced amide inhibitors with good potencies. / Ph. D.

No description available.