Application of the Ugi Multicomponent Reaction in the Synthesis of Reactivators of Nerve Agent Inhibited Acetylcholinesterase

Recently, a new class of reactivators of chemical warfare agent inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with promising in vitro potential was developed by the covalent linkage of an oxime nucleophile and a peripheral site ligand. However, the complexity of these molecular structures thwarts their accessibility. We report the compatibility of various oxime-based compounds with the use of the Ugi multicomponent reaction in which four readily accessible building blocks are mixed together to form a product that links a reactivating unit and a potential peripheral site ligand. A small library of imidazole and imidazolium reactivators was successfully synthesized using this method. Some of these compounds showed a promising ability to reactivate AChE inhibited by various types of CWA in vitro. Molecular modeling was used to understand differences in reactivation potential between these compounds. Four compounds were evaluated in vivo using sarin-exposed rats. One of the reactivators showed improved in vivo effica...