Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 27, Issue 5, 2023

Transformations of the difunctionalizated cyclodextrin derivatives is a daunting task due to the challenging purification and unambiguous characterization of the final compounds. Lactose has the ability to recognize the liver cells, and the folate receptor (alpha subunit) is overexpressed in multiple tumors, including liver cancer. Therefore, cyclodextrin conjugated with lactose and folic acid should have the liver cell targeting capability, and its inclusion complex with liver cancer drug such as Sorafenib, not only can increase drug ‘s water solubility but also increase the drug’s targeting ability. Fondaparinux as a synthetic heparin may improve the survival of cancer patients, so lactose and Fondaparinux conjugated cyclodextrin derivative can increase drug’s solubility and drug’s anti-tumor efficacy. Accordingly, Fondaparinux, folic acid and lactose conjugated 6A,6D-bifunctionlized β-cyclodextrin derivatives are designed and synthesized as potential liver cancer drug carriers in order to increase cancer drug’s targeting ability, solubility and stability.

The indole nucleus is one of the most important ring systems for pharmaceutical development. Various natural products of new molecular structures with diverse biological activities have been reported from marine flora and fauna, thus ensuring motivation in the search for newer natural products. The unique structural features of triindole containing three indole rings and impressive biological activities make these alkaloids an attractive target for drug discovery. This minireview highlights the significance of various strategic innovations towards these structurally unique and simplest alkaloids of marine origin (i.e., pseudellone C, metagenetriindole A, araiosamine and bengacarboline) and highlights the isolation, structure, synthesis, biosynthesis and biological activities covering literature till 2023.

The photocatalytic conversion of methane (CH4) into methanol (CH3OH) has evoked great interest recently. In this minireview, we summarize the recent advances and current status on how to construct efficient semiconductor-based photocatalysts for enhancing the CH4 conversion efficiency and selectivity to CH3OH. This minireview firstly introduces the different radicals induced photocatalytic CH4 conversion mechanisms. Then, different strategies proposed for improving the CH4-to-CH3OH performance are highlighted with some selected typical examples, including engineering surface defects, tuning size and morphology, doping with different ions, designing heterojunctions, decorating with cocatalysts, and assisting with oxidants. Finally, we give a concise perspective on the existing challenges and specifically propose further research opportunities on maximizing the photocatalytic performance for CH4 conversion. It is anticipated that this minireview could bring more fundamental insights into the design of advanced photocatalysts toward CH4 to CH3OH conversion under solar light irradiation.

This account reviews synthetic strategies for constructing and transforming CF3S(O) structural moiety developed during the last decades. Existing paths to the synthesis of CF3S(O)-containing organic molecules are demonstrated. Among these are direct trifluoromethanesulfinylation reactions, oxidation of compounds having CF3S function, substitutive trifluoromethylation reactions of sulfinic acid halides and esters, and rearrangement reactions. The reactivity and substituent modification procedures are covered. Also included are sections on the synthetic application of the CF3S(O)-bearing molecules for the design of biologically important molecules and synthesis of other organofluorine compounds.

Introduction: Herein we report the efficient oxidative transformations of aryl amines to azoarenes and aryl thiols to the corresponding disulfides using diacetoxyiodobenzene and potassium iodide as transition metal-free catalysts in acetonitrile at room temperature. The developed protocols are highly efficient and employ readily accessible, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly starting. Methods: All the reactions were carried out in a fuming hood at room temperature (approximately 25- 30°C). The chemicals used in these reactions were purchased from Avra, Aldrich and Spectrochem with a minimum of 95-99% purities and used without further purification. Results: The reaction of DIB with KI would generate PhI(OAc)I through a partial AcO-I exchange process, and the subsequent reaction of 2PhI(OAc)I with aromatic amines should produce PhNI2 on the elimination of 2AcOH and 2PhI. Conclusion: The protocol was applicable to a wide range of aromatic amines and aromatic thiols under mild reaction conditions and has no safety concerns, requires inexpensive chemicals and is environmentally friendly.

Nature is an inspiring source in drug discovery which constantly reveals new complex chemical structures of natural products that inherit attractive chemical challenges for organic chemists to synthesize them. Taxol is a unique natural product that impressive biological properties and a very tempting chemical structure that motivated organic chemists all over the world to enter the race for synthesizing it. The total synthesis of this highly oxygenated diterpene was completed by 11 different research groups starting from Holton (1994) to Chida (2022). This review article demonstrates the various retrosynthetic analysis of Taxol, the actual synthetic routes to it and highlights the key steps in each synthesis. It also provides a critical review of the advantages and disadvantages in all the synthetic routes in terms of number of steps, yields and the synthetic challenges.