This chapter explores the effects that some simple chemical modifications of the basic structure of estradiol can have on estrogenic activity. The attempt is to establish a preliminary basis for structural prediction using molecular modeling, and the consequent correlation with some biological results such as gene induction, as well as the preeminent binding to the estrogen receptor. The correlation of these structures with binding activity and gene induction is poorly understood. However, it should be noted that, although estrogen receptor allows large flexibility in binders, some minimum requirements are essential; thus, minor changes to key molecular areas may have a dramatic effect in estrogen activity. While the repositioning of the hydroxyl group to the C4 location to produce caused very little skeletal change, overall gene induction was turned off despite the fact that receptor binding was better than for isomer. The ultimate goal of these studies is to achieve enough refinement for the theoretical calculation of activity using molecular modeling.
Abstract The epoxide (I) is photooxygenated in the presence of 9,10‐dicyanoanthracene to form the cyclic ozonide (II), together with the diketone (III).
2-{4-[(7-Chloro-2-quinoxalinyl)oxy]phenoxy}propionic acid (XK469) is among the most highly and broadly active antitumor agents to have been evaluated in our laboratories and is currently scheduled to enter clinical trials in 2001. The mechanism or mechanisms of action of XK469 remain to be elaborated. Accordingly, an effort was initiated to establish a pharmacophore hypothesis to delineate the requirements of the active site, via a comprehensive program of synthesis of analogues of XK469 and evaluation of the effects of structural modification(s) on solid tumor activity. The strategy formulated chose to dissect the two-dimensional parent structure into three regionsI, ring A of quinoxaline; II, the hydroquinone connector linkage; and III, the lactic acid moietyto determine the resultant in vitro and in vivo effects of chemical alterations in each region. Neither the A-ring unsubstituted nor the B-ring 3-chloro-regioisomer of XK469 showed antitumor activity. The modulating antitumor effect(s) of substituents of differing electronegativities, located at the several sites comprising the A-ring of region I, were next ascertained. Thus, a halogen substituent, located at the 7-position of a 2-{4-[(2-quinoxalinyl)oxy]phenoxy}propionic acid, generated the most highly and broadly active antitumor agents. A methyl, methoxy, or an azido substituent at this site generated a much less active structure, whereas 5-, 6-, 8-chloro-, 6-, 7-nitro, and 7-amino derivatives all proved to be essentially inactive. When the connector linkage (region II) of 1 was changed from that of a hydroquinone to either a resorcinol or a catechol derivative, all antitumor activity was lost. Of the carboxylic acid derivatives of XK469 (region III), i.e., CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, CONHOH, CONHNH2, CN, or CN4H (tetrazole), only the monomethyl- and N,N-dimethylamides proved to be active.
Abstract The present study extends the dihdropyridine ⇌ pyridinium salt redox system to the delivery and sustained release of 2′,3′-dideoxycytidine (DDC) to the brains of mice in a continuing search for agents that may prove effective in reversing complicating neurological disorders of AIDS.