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From the recent development of catalytically controlled C-H activation with amenable synthetic routes obviating many challenges, the demand for this strategy has raised significantly to perform complex organic transformations. The impact of the achieved results in both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis reflects its efficacy in modern synthetic chemistry. A consolidated report and guidance of the methodologies involved in the previous and ongoing research in this domain would be very useful for the researchers to focus on more specific and selective C-H activation reactions to access desired complex molecular scaffolds. The perspective of this review is to contribute to the scientific community with examples, tips and details of modern development in this field and with a complete illustration of the routes which may be effective for planning of the ubiquitous C-H bond activation and its use for synthesis of relevant organic molecules.

The continuous emergence of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis keeps tuberculosis (TB) treatment options still insufficient, and new therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed. Considering the antimycobacterial activity of phenazine derivatives previously reported by our research group, we aimed to explore possible applications to circumvent the resistance in M. tuberculosis. Firstly, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of seven benzo[a]phenazine derivatives against eleven M. tuberculosis strains: ten resistant and one susceptible (H37 Rv). Then, we determined the cytotoxicity of benzo[a]phenazine derivatives and investigated the possible mechanism of action of the most promising compound. Among them, compound 10 was the only one active against all strains evaluated, with a minimum inhibitory concentration between 18.3 and 146.5 µM. For some resistant strains, this compound showed antimicrobial activity higher than rifampicin and it was also active against MDR strains, indicating an absence of cross-resistance with anti-TB drugs. Also, 10 showed a pharmacological safety for further in vivo studies and its mechanism of action seems to be related to oxidative stress. Thus, our findings indicate that benzo[a]phenazine derivatives are promising scaffolds for the development of new anti-TB drugs, mainly focusing on the treatment of resistant TB cases.

Metal-catalysed C-H functionalization has emerged as a powerful platform for the derivatization of quinones, a class of compounds with wide-ranging applications. This review organises and discusses the evolution of this chemistry from early Fujiwara-Moritani reactions, through to modern directing-group assisted C-H functionalization processes, including C-H functionalization reactions directed by the quinone ring itself. Mechanistic details of these reactions are provided to afford insight into how the unique reactivity of quinoidal compounds has been leveraged in each example.

Rhodium(III) catalysis enabled C-H/N-H alkyne annulation of nonsymmetric imidazole derivatives. This study encompasses the synthesis of imidazoles from a naturally occurring quinoidal compound and their use for the preparation of rigid π-extended imidazole derivatives with outstanding fluorescence. Our study also brings to light the photophysical aspects and the mechanism of the reaction studied via computational calculations. This method provided an efficient and versatile tool for the synthesis of fluorescent compounds with a wide range of chemical and biological applications.

Desulfonylative alkylation of N-tosyl-1,2,3-triazoles under metal-free conditions leading to β-triazolylenones is reported here. The present study encompasses the synthesis of triazoles with a new substitution pattern in a single step from cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and N-tosyl triazole in moderate to high yields. Our synthesis takes place with complete regioselectivity as confirmed by crystallographic analysis which is rationalized by a suitable mechanistic proposal. This method provides an efficient, versatile and straightforward strategy towards the synthesis of new functionalized 1,2,3-triazoles.

Two new series of hitherto unknown dipeptides, containing an electrophilic nitrile or a non-electrophilic 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as Cathepsin K (Cat K) inhibitors. From 14 compounds obtained, the oxadiazole derivatives 10a, 10b, 10e, and 10g acted as enzymatic competitive inhibitors with Ki values between 2.13 and 7.33 µM. Molecular docking calculations were carried out and demonstrated that all inhibitors performed hydrogen bonds with residues from the enzyme active site, such as Asn18. The best inhibitors (10a, 10b, 10g) could also perform these bonds with Cys25, and 10a showed the most stabilizing interaction energy (−134.36 kcal mol−1) with the active cavity. For the first time, derivatives based in 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffolds were evaluated, and the results suggested that this core displays a remarkable potential as a building block for Cat K inhibitors.

The increased incidence of candidemia in terciary hospitals worldwide and the cross-resistance frequency require the new therapeutic strategies development. Recently, our research group demonstrated three semi-synthetic naphthofuranquinones (NFQs) with a significant antifungal activity in a fluconazole-resistant (FLC) C. tropicalis strain. The current study aimed to investigate the action's preliminary mechanisms of NFQs by several standardized methods such as proteomic and flow cytometry analyzes, comet assay, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy evaluation. Our data showed C. tropicalis 24 h treated with all NFQs induced an expression's increase of proteins involved in the metabolic response to stress, energy metabolism, glycolysis, nucleosome assembly and translation process. Some aspects of proteomic analysis are in consonance with our flow cytometry analysis which indicated an augmentation of intracellular ROS, mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA strand breaks (neutral comet assay and γ-H2AX detection). In conclusion, our data highlights the great contribution of ROS as a key event, probably not the one, associated to anti-candida properties of studied NFQs.

Photoluminescence and phosphorescence emissions of solid-state phenazine films were investigated in steady-state experimental conditions. Important discrepancies were observed for blended films where a host optically inert matrix was introduced to disperse the probe molecules. A vibronic spin-orbit phosphorescent emission clearly appeared, while for the films solely composed by the probe molecules, the phosphorescence broadened and presented a structureless shape, shifted to longer wavelengths. Further Arrhenius behavior analysis on the photoluminescent and phosphorescent emissions on temperature, corroborated the direct and reverse intersystem crossing interplay between singlet and triplet states. Molecular aggregation is responsible for the deterioration of non-blended triazole films phosphorescence.

Quinones are privileged chemical structures playing crucial roles as redox and alkylating agents in a wide range of processes in cells. The broad functional array of quinones has prompted the development of new chemical approaches, including C-H bond activation and asymmetric reactions, to generate probes for examining their activity by means of fluorescence imaging. This tutorial review covers recent advances in the design, synthesis and applications of quinone-based fluorescent agents for visualizing specific processes in multiple biological systems, from cells to tissues and complex organisms in vivo.

We report a sequential C–H iodination/organoyl-thiolation of naphthoquinones and their relevant trypanocidal activity. Under a combination of AgSR with a copper source, sulfur-substituted benzenoid quinones were prepared in high yields (generally >90%). This provides an efficient and general method for preparing A-ring modified naphthoquinoidal systems, recognized as a challenge in quinone chemistry.

This paper reports the results of the synthesis and structural elucidation by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction of a new series of four examples of 1,1-difluoro-3-methyl-9-(aryl/heteroaryl)-7-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-[1,3,5,2]oxadiazaborinino[3,4-a][1,8]naphthyridin-11-ium-1-uides, which were obtained, at good yields (60–66%), from the reaction of 7-substituted N-(5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,8-naphthyridin-2-yl)acetamides — in which the 7-substituents are C6H5, 4-CH3C6H4, 4-FC6H4, and 2-Thienyl — with BF3·Et2O solution. One-dimensional multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, 19F, and 11B) and two-dimensional 1H–15N HMBC are presented as powerful tools for an easy and secure NMR chemical shift assignments and structural characterization of fluorinated 1,8-naphthyridine-based boron complexes. Additionally, investigations of photophysical, electrochemical and DNA-binding properties were done.

Ruthenium-catalysis enabled the C-5 selective C-H oxygenation of naphthoquinones, and also sets the stage for the site-selective introduction of a hydroxyl group into anthraquinones. A-ring modified naphthoquinoidal compounds represent an important class of bioactive quinones for which the present study encompasses the first C-H oxygenation strategy by weak O-coordination.

Phenazinic ligands and Ru(II)-based complexes were synthesized from natural products lapachol and lawsone and evaluated against T. cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. These new ruthenium compounds could provide promising trypanocidal drugs. Besides synthesis and trypanocidal activity, this paper reports photophysical features and computational details of the compounds. The fluorescent trypanocidal substances are promising derivatives for further studies aiming to find molecules active against parasites associated with neglected diseases.

In this work, we characterize nor-β-lapachone-loaded (NβL-loaded) microcapsules prepared using an emulsification/solvent extraction technique. Features such as surface morphology, particle size distribution, zeta potential, optical absorption, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermal analysis data, drug encapsulation efficiency, drug release kinetics and in vitro cytotoxicity were studied. Spherical microcapsules with a size of 1.03 ± 0.46 μm were produced with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 19%. Quantum DFT calculations were also performed to estimate typical interaction energies between a single nor-β-lapachone molecule and the surface of the microparticles. The NβL-loaded PLGA microcapsules exhibited a pronounced initial burst release. After the in vitro treatment with NβL-loaded microcapsules, a clear phagocytosis of the spheres was observed in a few minutes. The cytotoxic activity against a set of cancer cell lines was investigated.

Dropcast films of very low concentration domains of phenazine 1,2,3-triazole molecules, blended in a Zeonex matrix, were studied by steady-state fluorescence as a function of temperature. These domains, randomly spread in the volume of the films, presented emission characteristics of singlet and triplet states coming from different molecular conformations. Emissions of singlet monomers, dimers or more complex aggregates, as well two distinct triplet phosphorescent bands, were observed to appear concomitantly or in isolated forms. From the analysis of the experimental results, the additional red-shifted phosphorescent band appeared as a consequence of the formation of dimer and/or more complex aggregated states. The emission characteristics of both phosphorescent bands were classified as coming from ensembles of a few interactive molecules. This statement was assumed based on the absence of replica modes of vibrational spin–orbit interactions.

We report a new method for A-ring selenation of naphthoquinones and anthraquinones and discuss the relevant trypanocidal activity of the synthesized compounds. We have demonstrated three efficient strategies for the preparation of the target selenium derivatives, i.e. (a) copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate and in situ generated Santi's reagent were used to prepare selenium-substituted benzenoid quinones, (b) copper complexes and (c) carbon nanotube-supported copper ferrite as catalysts in the presence of AgSeR-salts were also used for the synthesis of selenium-containing quinoidal derivatives. These new methods provide efficient and practical strategies for the preparation of selenium-based quinones. In addition, we have discovered nine compounds with potent trypanocidal activity. The derivatives 2a–2e showed potent trypanocidal activity with IC50 values in the range of 13.3 to 37.0 μM.

Naphthoquinones are of key importance in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. In the last few years, various synthetic routes have been developed to prepare bioactive compounds derived or based on lapachones. In this sense, this review is mainly focused on the synthetic aspects and strategies used for the design of these compounds on the basis of their biological activities for the development of drugs against the neglected diseases leishmaniases and Chagas disease and also cancer. Three strategies used to develop bioactive quinones are discussed and categorized: (i) C-ring modification, (ii) redox centre modification and (iii) A-ring modification. Framed within these strategies for the development of naphthoquinoidal compounds against T. cruzi. Leishmania and cancer, reactions including copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry), palladium-catalysed cross couplings, C-H activation reactions, Ullmann couplings and heterocyclisations reported up to July 2019 will be discussed. The aim of derivatisation is the generation of novel molecules that can potentially inhibit cellular organelles/processes, generate reactive oxygen species and increase lipophilicity to enhance penetration through the plasma membrane. Modified lapachones have emerged as promising prototypes for the development of drugs against leishmaniases, Chagas disease and cancer.

Isoniazid-naphthoquinone hybrids were synthesized and evaluated against a susceptible (H37Rv) strain and two isoniazid-resistant strains (INHR1 and INHR2) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The antimycobacterial activity of the derivatives was determined based on the resazurin microtiter assay and their cytotoxicity in adhered mouse monocyte macrophage J774.A1 cells (ATCC TIB-67). Of the twenty-two compounds evaluated against the three strains of M. tuberculosis, twenty-one presented some activity against the H37Rv and INHR1 (katG S315T) or INHR2 (inhA C(−5)T) strains. Compounds 1a, 2a, and 8a were effective against the INHR1 strain, and compounds 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, 5a, 5b and 8a were effective against the INHR2 strain, with MICs in the range of 3.12–6.25 µg/mL. Compounds 1b and 5b were the most active against H37Rv, with MIC of 0.78 µg/mL. Based on the selectivity index, 1b and 5b can be considered safe as a drug candidate compounds. These results demonstrate that quinoidal compounds can be used as promising scaffolds for the development of new anti-TB drugs and hybrids with activity against M. tuberculosis-susceptible and INH-resistant strains.

Phenazine derivative molecules were studied using steady state and time resolved fluorescence techniques and demonstrated to lead to strong formation of aggregated species, identified as dimers by time dependent density functional theory calculations. Blended films in a matrix of Zeonex®, produced at different concentrations, showed different contributions of dimer and monomer emissions in a prompt time frame, e.g. less than 50 ns. In contrast, the phosphorescence (e.g. emission from the triplet state) shows no significant effect on dimer formation, although strong dependence of the phosphorescence intensity on concentration is observed, leading to phosphorescence being quenched at higher concentration.

against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, was accomplished. With the use of ruthenium (II)- or palladium(II)-based catalysts, complementary regioselectivities were observed in the hydroxylation reactions and we have identified 9 compounds more potent than benznidazole (Bz) among these novel arylated and hydroxylated quinones. For instance, 5-hydroxy-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,4-naphthoquinone (4h) with an IC50/24 h value of 22.8 μM is 4.5-fold more active than the state-of-the-art drug Bz. This article provides the first example of the application of C–H activation for the position-selective hydroxylation of arylated quinones and the identification of these compounds as trypanocidal drug candidates.

This study aimed to encapsulate the novel synthetic naphthoquinone ENSJ39 in liposomes, characterize them, and evaluate their in vitro cytotoxic activity in different cancer cell lines. Liposomes were obtained by the dried-lipid film hydration method, and characterizations included thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering technique, and atomic force microscopy. Simulation of storage conditions, in vitro cytotoxicity by MTT, Trypan blue exclusion assay, and evaluation of morphological changes in tumor cell lines were also analyzed. Liposomes containing ENSJ39 (LE39) exhibited an average size of 31 ± 5.81 nm, zeta potential of +53.5 mV, polydispersity index of 0.24, and high encapsulation efficiency (96.58 ± 0.09%). They were thermally stable up to 250 °C and able to preserve the mass loss of the free drug. After four months of storage, they maintained excellent physical-chemical characteristics. The encapsulated drug showed less cytotoxic activity than the free drug only in HCT-116 and SNB-19 cells and caused cytoplasmic vacuolization plus an increase in the number of non-viable HCT-116 cells. ENSJ39 encapsulation method was effective in obtaining stable liposomes that presented substantial cytotoxicity activity against tumor cell lines.

A new series of nine examples of 9-aryl-3-(aryl/heteroaryl)-1,1-difluoro-7-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-[1,3,5,2]oxadiazaborinino[3,4-a][1,8]naphthyridin-11-ium-1-uides, which contained 1,8-naphthyridine-based boron complexes with variable ligand structures, were synthesized at yields of 50–65% from the reaction of unpublished 2-benzoylamino-7-aryl(heteroaryl)-5-trifluoromethyl-1,8-naphthyridines—in which aryl(heteroaryl) = phenyl, 4-MeC6H4, 4-FC6H4, 4-BrC6H4, 4-OMeC6H4, 4-NO2C6H4, and 2-thienyl—with BF3·Et2O and fully characterized by 1H-, 13C-, 19F-, and 11B NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The optical and electrochemical properties of the new complexes were investigated, and the results for quantum yield calculations, Stokes shift, UV–vis, fluorescence, and redox potential data analysis indicated an important relationship with the aryl(heteroaryl) substituents attached to the 3- and 9-position of the naphthyridine boron complexes.

Quinonoid compounds based on 5-iodo-1,4-disubstituted-, 1,4- and 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized using simple methodologies and evaluated against T. cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, and cancer cell lines PC3, HCT-116, HL-60, MDA-MB-435 and SF-295. The cytotoxic potential of the lapachones was also assayed against peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Two compounds 6 and 12 were identified as potential hits against T. cruzi. β-Lapachone-based 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole (12) displayed an IC50/24 h = 125.1 μM, similar to benznidazole, the standard drug. Compound 12 was also more active than the precursor β-lapachone against the cancer cell lines. These compounds acting as multitarget quinoidal systems could provide promising new leads for the development of trypanocidal and/or anticancer drugs.

This work describes a synthetic strategy for the syntheses of four new fluorescent excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) prone oxazole derivatives synthesized from lapachol, a naturally occurring naphthoquinone isolated from the Tabebuia species (ipe tree). DFT calculations were performed to understand the ESIPT stabilizing process of these new derivatives. The new structures were designed to have improved lipophilic and balanced hydrophobic properties toward a selective cellular staining of lipid-based structures, that is, lipid inclusions in the cytosol. Cell-imaging experiments returned interesting results and showed the molecular architecture of the four derivatives had a great influence over the stabilizing processes in the excited state and over the selection of lipid inclusions inside the cells.

Rhodium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions, sulfonyl phthalide annulations and nitroalkene reactions have been employed for the synthesis of 56 quinone-based compounds. These were evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. The reactions described here are part of a program that aims to utilize modern, versatile and efficient synthetic methods for the one or two step preparation of trypanocidal compounds. We have identified 9 compounds with potent activity against the parasite; 3 of these were 30-fold more potent than benznidazole (Bz), a drug used for the treatment of Chagas disease. This article provides a comprehensive outline of reactions involving over 120 compounds aimed at the discovery of new quinone-based frameworks with activity against T. cruzi.

We describe a new synthetic methodology for the preparation of fluorescent π-extended phenazines from the naturally-occurring naphthoquinone lapachol. These novel structures represent the first fluorogenic probes based on the phenazine scaffold for imaging of lipid droplets in live cells. Systematic characterization and analysis of the compounds in vitro and in cells led to the identification of key structural features responsible for the fluorescent behaviour of quinone-derived π-extended phenazines. Furthermore, live-cell imaging experiments identified one compound (P1) as a marker for intracellular lipid droplets with minimal background and enhanced performance over the lipophilic tracker Nile Red.

Compounds featuring weakly-coordinating N-oxides or carbonyl groups, as for instance, quinoline N-oxide and quinonoid systems represent important structural scaffolds with potential biological activities. Due to their biological importance, significant efforts have been devoted to devise robust methods for their step-economical preparation. Among these approaches, the C–H activation strategy has emerged as a powerful, versatile and efficient tool in molecular sciences. This feature article summarizes recent key advances in transition-metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization for A-ring functionalization of heterocyclic and quinoidal compounds by challenging weakly-coordinating entities, published prior to May 2018.

Chemical matter with often-discarded moieties entails opportunities for drug discovery. Relying on orthogonal ligand-centric machine learning methods, targets were consensually identified as potential counterparts for the fragment-like natural product β-lapachone. Resorting to a comprehensive range of biophysical and biochemical assays, the natural product was validated as a potent, ligand efficient, allosteric and reversible modulator of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). Moreover, we provide a rationale for 5-LO-inhibiting chemotypes inspired in the β-lapachone scaffold through a focused analogue library. This work demonstrates the power of artificial intelligence technologies to deconvolute complex phenotypic readouts of clinically relevant chemical matter, leverage natural product-based drug discovery, as an alternative and/or complement to chemoproteomics and as a viable approach for systems pharmacology studies.

Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates and α-bromonitroalkenes have been employed in cascade reactions with lawsone and 2-aminonaphthoquinone for the one-pot synthesis of heterocycle fused quinonoid compounds. The reactions reported here utilized the 1,3-binucleophilic potential of hydroxy- and aminonaphthoquinones and the 1,2/1,3-bielectrophilic potential of bromonitroalkenes and Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates for the synthesis of pyrrole and furan fused naphthoquinones. The synthesized compounds were evaluated against HCT-116 (human colon carcinoma cells), PC3 (human prostate cancer cells), HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia cells), SF295 (human glioblastoma cells) and NCI-H460 (human lung cancer cells) and exhibited antitumor activity with IC50 values as low as

Using machine learning, targets were identified for β-lapachone. Resorting to biochemical assays, β-lapachone was validated as a potent, ligand efficient, allosteric and reversible modulator of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). Moreover, we provide a rationale for 5-LO modulation and show that inhibition of 5-LO is relevant for the anticancer activity of β-lapachone. This work demonstrates the power of machine intelligence to deconvolute complex phenotypes, as an alternative and/or complement to chemoproteomics and as a viable general approach for systems pharmacology studies.

In our continued search for novel trypanocidal compounds, arylamine, chalcone, triazolic, triazole– carbohydrate and chalcogenium derivatives containing a naphthoquinone scaffold were prepared; in addition to electrochemical studies, these compounds were evaluated against the infective bloodstream form of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Among the thirty-eight compounds herein evaluated, six were found to be more potent against trypomastigotes than the standard drug benznidazole, with IC50/24 h values between 52.9 and 89.5 mM.

Fluorescent naphthoxazoles and their boron derivatives have been synthesized and applied as superior and selective probes for endocytic pathway tracking in live cancer cells. The best fluorophores were compared with the commercially available acridine orange (co-staining experiments), showing far better selectivity.

Thirty four halogen and selenium-containing quinones, synthesized by rhodium-catalyzed C-H bond activation and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, were evaluated against bloodstream trypomastigotes of T. cruzi. We have identified fifteen compounds with IC50/24 h values of less than 2 μM. Electrochemical studies on A-ring functionalized naphthoquinones were also performed aiming to correlate redox properties with trypanocidal activity. For instance, (E)-5-styryl-1,4-naphthoquinone 59 and 5,8-diiodo-1,4-naphthoquinone 3, which are around fifty fold more active than the standard drug benznidazole, are potential derivatives for further investigation. These compounds represent powerful new agents useful in Chagas disease therapy.

Quinone-based N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized by click chemistry and subsequently evaluated against eight types of cancer cell lines. Some of the compounds exhibited potent cytotoxicity with IC50 values < 1.0 mu M. Also, the cytotoxic potential of the quinones was evaluated against peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) and V79 cells. Additionally, the chemical reactivity of Rh(II) aza-vinyl carbenes generated in situ from these triazoles was studied. These compounds could provide promising new lead derivatives for more potent anticancer drug development.

The synthesis of a phenazine-based 1,2,3-triazole luminescent probe was successfully accomplished from the available natural product lapachol, which was easily extracted from the heartwood of Tabebuia sp. (Tecoma). Photophysics and fluorescence studies were conducted by using the probe in the presence of metal ions (Cd2+, Ca2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Hg2+, Mg2+, Na+, Ni2+, Ag+, Pb2+, Zr2+, and Zn2+ as their chloride salts with the exceptions of silver and lead that were used as acetates). The probe was able to detect Cd2+ ions in H2O/CH3CN (8.5:1.5 v/v) medium. Studies performed with the sensor in a solution of cadmium chloride resulted in a green color after ultraviolet excitation, but for most metals blue color was observed, which could be detected by the naked eye. This is the first report of a lapachol, an accessible naphthoquinoidal compound, having been used to prepare a probe to detect the heavy metal cadmium.

The current manuscript describes the importance, mechanism propositions, evidence and controversies associated with multicomponent reactions (MCRs). The following multicomponent reactions are presented and critically evaluated: the Biginelli, Hantzsch, Mannich, Passerini and Ugi reactions. The aim of this review is to highlight what we already know about the mechanisms associated with these MCRs and the evidence supporting the proposed reaction pathways. Controversies and prospects are also discussed herein.

Due to the recent advances of atovaquone, a naphthoquinone, through clinical trials as treatment for malarial infection, 19 quinone derivatives with previously reported structures were also evaluated for blood schizonticide activity against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. These compounds include 2-hydroxy-3-methylamino naphthoquinones (2-9), lapachol (10), nor-lapachol (11), iso-lapachol (12), phthiocol (13) and phenazines (12-20). Their cytotoxicities were also evaluated against human hepatoma and normal monkey kidney cell lines. Compounds 2 and 5 showed the highest activity against P. falciparum chloroquine-resistant blood-stage parasites (clone W2), indicated by their low inhibitory concentration for 50% (IC50) of parasite growth. The therapeutic potential of the active compounds was evaluated according to the selectivity index, which is a ratio of the cytotoxicity minimum lethal dose which eliminates 50% of cells and the in vitro IC50. Naphthoquinones 2 and 5, with activities similar to the reference antimalarial chloroquine, were also active against malaria in mice and suppressed parasitaemia by more than 60% in contrast to compound 11 which was inactive. Based on their in vitro and in vivo activities, compounds 2 and 5 are considered promising molecules for antimalarial treatment and warrant further study.

Cascade reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls with Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates of nitroalkenes using a quinine derived chiral squaramide organocatalyst led to the formation of pyranones and pyranonaphthoquinones in good to excellent yields and high diastereo-and enantioselectivities. Representative examples of the reaction scale-up with a much lower catalyst loading without an appreciable loss of selectivities and synthetic transformations of the products are also reported here. The compounds described herein for the first time were evaluated against the infective bloodstream form of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, since the structures are related to bioactive alpha-lapachones.

Continuing our screening program for novel anti-parasite compounds, we synthesized seven 1,4-naphthoquinones coupled to 1,2,3-triazoles, five nor-β-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles and ten α-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles. These and other naphthoquinonoid compounds were evaluated for their activity against promastigote forms of antimony-sensitive and -resistant strains of Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) and Leishmania amazonensis. The toxicity of these compounds to mammalian cells was also examined. The substances were more potent than an antimonial drug, with IC50 values ranging from 1.0 to 50.7 μM. Nor-α-lapachone derivatives showed the highest antileishmanial activity, with selectivity indices in the range of 10–15. These compounds emerged as important leads for further investigation as antileishmanial agents. Additionally, one of these compounds exhibited cross-resistance in Sb-resistant Leishmania and could provide a molecular tool for investigating the multidrug resistance mechanisms in Leishmania parasites.

Naphthoquinones have been found to have a wide range of biological activities, including cytotoxicity to cancer cells. The secondary metabolites lapachol, α- and β-lapachone and a series of 25 related synthetic 1,4-naphthoquinones were screened against the oesophageal cancer cell line (WHCO1). Most of the compounds exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity (IC50 1.6-11.7 μM) compared to the current drug of choice cisplatin (IC50 = 16.5 μM). This study also established that the two new synthetic halogenated compounds 12a and 16a (IC50 = 3.0 and 7.3 μM) and the previously reported compound 11a (IC50 = 3.9 μM), were non-toxic to NIH3T3 normal fibroblast cells. Cell death of oesophageal cancer cells by processes involving PARP cleavage caused by 11a was shown to be associated with elevated c-Jun levels, suggesting a role for this pathway in the mechanism of action of this cohort of naphthoquinone compounds.

The optical properties of phenazine derivative probe solutions involving intersystem crossing from singlet to triplet states were investigated by time resolved spectroscopy. The room temperature phosphorescence emission presented different time responses when Cd2+ ions were bound to the probe chemical structure. The complex exciplex formation observed to occur in this case was not directly responsible for the change in the phosphorescence lifetime. This was more influenced by the new molecular conformation and modified spin–orbit coupling imposed by the binding of the Cd2+ ions to the phenazine molecules.

For the first time, a fluorescent lapachone-based BODIPY was synthesised and characterised by NMR and mass spectrometry. Computational and electrochemical aspects, as well as cytotoxic activity and subcellular localisation, were studied. Confocal microscopy experiments indicated that the probe was a specific mitochondria-staining agent. These in-detail analyses were useful in understanding the cytotoxic effects and mechanism of action of this novel hybrid compound. This molecule constitutes a promising prototype owing to its potential biological activities and the new strategies aimed at mechanistic investigations in cells and in vivo, and opens up an interesting avenue of research.

Under Rh-catalyzed conditions, typically electrophilic 1,4-benzoquinones exhibit nucleophilic reactivity, such that exposure to appropriate electrophiles generates products of C-H iodination, bromination, and phenylselenation. This provides a mild and general method for direct halofunctionalization, and the first method that can achieve direct C-H phenylselenation of this compound class. The scope and limitations of the new protocols are outlined, and representative derivatizations are highlighted.

Selenium-containing quinone-based 1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized using click chemistry, the copper catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, and evaluated against six types of cancer cell lines: HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia cells), HCT-116 (human colon carcinoma cells), PC3 (human prostate cells), SF295 (human glioblastoma cells), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma cells) and OVCAR-8 (human ovarian carcinoma cells). Some compounds showed IC50 values < 0.3 mu M. The cytotoxic potential of the quinones evaluated was also assayed using non-tumor cells, exemplified by peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC), V79 and L929 cells. Mechanistic role for NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) was also elucidated. These compounds could provide promising new lead derivatives for more potent anticancer drug development and delivery, and represent one of the most active classes of lapachones reported. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

2,1,3-Benzothiadiazole (BTD) is one of the most important nuclei used in the chemistry of photoluminescent compounds and applicable for light technology. The understanding of its properties and reactions is fundamental for the design and application of these derivatives in molecular organic electronic devices and for other technologies. As a result of their potential as constituents of organic light-emitting diodes, solar cells, liquid crystals, dyes, photovoltaic cells, and many others, attention has been focused on BTD π-extended derivatives with potential use in this exciting area. Herein, we describe their syntheses, properties, reactions, and selected examples of applications in light technology using by BTD (small molecules) as the core.

Antimony(V) and bismuth(V) complexes of lapachol have been synthesized by the reaction of Ph3SbCl2 or Ph3BiCl2 with lapachol (Lp) and characterized by several physicochemical techniques such as IR, and NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The compounds contain six-coordinated antimony and bismuth atoms. The antimony(V) complex is a monomeric derivative, (Lp)(Ph3Sb)OH, and the bismuth(V) complex is a dinuclear compound bridged by an oxygen atom, (Lp)2(Ph3Bi)2O. Both compounds inhibited the growth of a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line and the complex of Bi(V) was about five times more active than free lapachol. This work provides a rare example of an organo-Bi(V) complex showing significant cytotoxic activity.

Several quinonoid and phenazine compounds were synthesized in moderate to high yields and showed activity against H37Rv, rifampicin and isoniazid-resistance strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The cytotoxity of the compounds were evaluated against human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and these substances emerge as promising antitubercular prototypes.