Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 28, Issue 1, 2024

Sustainable production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass (LBM) is considered one of the promising solutions to solve the current energy crisis caused by overreliance on fossil fuels. Enzymatic hydrolysis is a crucial step in determining the efficient conversion of biomass cellulose into biofuels as well as high value-added chemicals, and it has the characteristics of efficient reaction, economy, and environmental friendliness. With the advancement of enzyme engineering technology, enzymes have been endowed with more functions, such as mixed substrate utilization, inhibitor resistance and specific metabolism, called enzyme cocktails. This Paper introduces the typical procedure of enzymatic hydrolysis of LBM and discusses their applications in hybrid LBM hydrolysis. In addition, the challenges of enzymatic LBM hydrolysis and possible development directions are outlined to guide integrated enzymatic strategies in biorefinery processes.

Phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their diverse pharmacological and industrial applications. This comprehensive review summarizes the latest advancements in the synthesis and diverse range of applications of phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives. This review provides a brief overview of the significance of phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives in medicinal chemistry. It also explores the structural diversity achievable through modifications at various positions of the phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid scaffold. The pharmacological applications of phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities, are highlighted, underscoring their potential as promising drug candidates. This comprehensive review provides a thorough overview of the recent advances in the synthesis and applications of phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives. The integration of synthetic methodologies, structural modifications and diverse applications makes this review a valuable resource for researchers, scientists and professionals working in the fields of medicinal chemistry.

In recent years, perovskite solar cells, which use a hybrid inorganic-organic material, have also made remarkable progress and achieved a rapid increase in efficiency. The organic materials used are usually small conductive molecules, polymers or oligomers. The fused thiophenes, polythiophenes and olithiophenes used for this purpose are presented. The condensed thiophene-based small molecule for DSSCs shows important properties such as simplicity of synthesis and purification methods, well-defined and reproducible structures, but low power conversion efficiencies. Polymers of thiophene for DSSCs show high power conversion efficiencies, especially in ternary systems, even >19%; however, they have poor long-term stability because of the molecular size and packing properties of the polymer chains. Oligomers of thiophene for DSSCs have good long-term stability but low power conversion efficiencies.

The present article reports the synthesis, characterization, and antioxidant activity of the chalcone-deoxycholic acid conjugates. The structures of the synthesised bile acidchalcone conjugates have been determined using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. According to the results of the DPPH experiment, compounds 5e (3, 4, 5-methoxy; IC50; 15.04 μg /ml) and 5f (4-hydroxy group; IC50; 11.73 μg /ml) had higher antioxidant activity than the control compound ascorbic acid (IC50; 20.72 μg /ml). The best conjugate was found to be 5f in the DPPH test (IC50: 11.73 μg /ml; 4-hydroxy group), while the best conjugate in the ABTS assay was found to be 5g (IC50: 67.97 μg /ml; pyridine group). It is straightforward to synthesize a huge library of bile acid-derived compounds and employ them in comprehensive structure-activity relationship investigations to identify the compounds with the best antioxidant activity.

A convenient synthesis of polyalkoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones, good starting materials for analogues of natural quinones, has been developed. Bromonaphthoquinone, more stable than its hydroxylated analogue, turned out to be a convenient and accessible key synthon for the preparation of various polyalkoxylated naphthoquinones. The obtained quinones could be useful starting materials for the preparation of biologically active polymethoxy- and hydroxy-methylenedioxynaphthoquinones.

This study aimed to prepare and characterize chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating a nicotinamide derivative (Ni-CS-NP). Additionally, the therapeutic effectiveness, cytotoxicity, selectivity, and immunomodulatory properties of Ni-CS-NP were evaluated in human breast and colon cancer cell lines. Chitosan nanoparticles have shown potential as drug delivery carriers due to their biocompatibility and controlled release properties. Encapsulating a nicotinamide derivative further enhances the therapeutic potential of these nanoparticles. Computational studies were employed to validate the binding interactions, providing crucial insights into the formulation's stability and effectiveness. The primary objective was to assess the cytotoxicity and safety profiles of Ni-CS-NP in human cancer cell lines. Moreover, this study aimed to investigate the specific mechanisms underlying its cytotoxic effects, including its impact on cell cycle progression, apoptosis induction, and immunomodulation. Ni-CS-NP were synthesized using the ionic gelation method and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermo gravimetric analysis. The cytotoxicity was evaluated in breast and colon cancer cell lines through the MTT assay. Selectivity indices were calculated to determine the safety profiles. The inhibition of VEGFR-2, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle disruption, and immunomodulatory effects were assessed through molecular assays. Computational analysis demonstrated favorable binding interactions through the Ni-CS-NP complex. The characterization studies confirmed the successful synthesis of Ni-CS-NP with well-defined structural and thermal properties. Ni-CS-NP exhibited remarkable cytotoxicity with a superior safety profile against MCF7 and HCT 116 cell lines showing IC50 values of 2.32 and 2.70 μM, respectively, surpassing sorafenib's efficacy (IC50 = 4.12 and 7.55 μM, respectively). Additionally, Ni-CS-NP effectively inhibited VEGFR-2, induced both early and late apoptosis, and disrupted the cell cycle progression in MCF7 cells. Notably, Ni-CS-NP demonstrated significant immunomodulatory effects by reducing TNF-α and IL-2 levels compared to dexamethasone. The encapsulation of a nicotinamide derivative within chitosan nanoparticles (Ni-CS-NP) through the ionic gelation method proved successful. Ni-CS-NP displayed potent cytotoxicity, superior safety profiles, and promising immunomodulatory effects in human breast cancer cells. These findings highlight the potential of Ni-CS-NP as a novel therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment, warranting further investigation for clinical applications.

This research paper embarks on an interdisciplinary exploration encompassing synthetic chemistry, pharmacology, and computational biology. The development of novel anti-inflammatory agents is an imperative endeavor within pharmaceutical research. Pyrimidines and thienopyrimidines are class of heterocyclic compounds that have gained prominence for their diverse pharmacological properties, including potential anti-inflammatory effects. When augmented with an indole moiety, these compounds exhibit structural diversity that can profoundly influence their biological activities. The integration of computational biology specifically molecular docking, plays a crucial role in predicting and understanding the binding interactions between these compounds and select protein targets associated with inflammatory pathways. This computational approach expedites the screening of potential drug candidates and elucidates the molecular underpinnings of their anti-inflammatory actions. Pyrimidine and thienopyrimidines tethering indole scaffold were obtained according to our reported methods. Subsequently, in vivo evaluation of anti-inflammatory is indispensable to gauge the anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds and establish structure-activity relationships. The experimental and computational biology studies of the target indole-pyrimidines hybrids revealed that these compounds can serve as anti-inflammatory agents. This paper can potentially open new avenues for therapeutic strategies against inflammation-associated disorders. The synergy of synthetic innovation, pharmacological evaluation, and computational insights offers a holistic approach to advance our understanding of pyrimidines with an indole moiety as potential agents for mitigating inflammation.

Diseases caused by bacteria are a big challenge for scientists worldwide. These bacteria can be resistant through the adaption of new ways to protect themselves against antimicrobial drugs and thus become multidrug resistance. In this work, new derivatives of 1,3,4-oxadiazole- cholic acid were synthesized and fully characterized using different techniques, such as ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and HRMS. Their biological activity, along with the measuring of their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), was studied and reported. The antimicrobial activity of the new library was assessed via in vitroscreening against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The compounds showed selectivity against Gram-positive bacteria. Among the new analogues, compounds 4F and 5h were found to be potent against S. aureuswith MIC of 47 μg/mL. Compounds 4f, 5g and 5h were active against MRSE with MIC of 188, 99, and 23 μg/mL, respectively.