Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease, caused by a parasite of Leishmania genus and widespread in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Currents drugs are limited due to their toxicity and parasite resistance. Therefore, the discovery of new treatment, more effective and less toxic, is urgent. In this study, we report the synthesis of six gem‐dihydroperoxides (2a–2f), with yields ranging from 10 % to 90 %, utilizing a new methodology. The dihydroperoxides were converted into ten tetroxanes (3a–3j), among which six (3b, 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h and 3j) showed activity against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis. The cytotoxicity of all compounds was also evaluated against canine macrophages (DH82), human hepatoma (HepG2) and monkey renal cells (BGM). Most compounds were more active and less toxic than potassium antimonyl tartrate trihydrate, used as positive control. Amongst all tetroxanes, 3b (IC50=0.64 μm) was the most active, being more selective than positive control in relation to DH82, HepG2 and BGM cells. In summary, the results revealed a hit compound for the development of new drugs to treat leishmaniasis.

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Modern agriculture relies on the massive use of agrochemicals, including herbicides. Despite their effectiveness, a continuous use of herbicides sharing the same target has resulted in the selection of weed biotypes resistant to such chemicals. To cope with this problem, the development of new herbicides is an urgent requirement. In this work we applied the Active compound Derivatization Method (ADM) strategy to develop a new tetraoxane (5), derived from the synthetic auxin 2-(naphtalen-1-yl)acetic acid (NAA). Greenhouse bioassays showed that 5 caused chlorosis, necrosis and leaf epinasty in Cucumis sativa. Furthermore, this compound, at the concentration of 1.25 x 10 -5 mol L -1 , inhibited the growth of important weeds such as Bidens pilosa, Iponomea acuminate, Solanum americanum and Althernantera ficoidea. For some weeds, the compound effect was higher or comparable to those caused by commercial glyphosate and imazethapyr. In addition, degradation studies revealed that 5 is transformed into NAA. The results also showed that 5 could act as photosynthesis inhibitor and as an auxin herbicide. In summary, we have discovered a new compound that may be a useful lead for the development of a commercial herbicide.

We have here elucidated the crystal structures of five nostoclide analogues. A common feature in all compounds is a substituent at the para-position of the benzylidene group. Compounds with either bromine (3) or hydroxyl (4) as para-substituent crystallizes with Z' ¼ 2 as result of conformerism. It was also observed that Z' > 1 in the compound with a para-dimethylamino substituent (1). However, its four crystallographically independent molecules are conformationally similar. They are not related by crystallographic symmetry due to the offset packing of their CeH … O]C nonclassical hydrogen bonded double chains. This compound (1) has also crystallized in a chiral space group (P2 1 ) despite the lack of a stereocenter. Such enantiomorphism phenomenon is related to the presence of only one of the two mirror benzyl conformations with phenyl ring at the equatorial position opposite the lactone oxygen atom. The molecular mean plane of nostoclide analogues has been featured by high level of planarity, except in the brominated compound where two twisted conformations occurred due to rotations on the single bond axis into benzylidene group. The benzyl conformation has been the greatest difference between the two crystallographically independent molecules of the para-hydroxylated compound (4). The crystal packing of the compounds is marked by double catemer motif assembled through CeH … O] C non-classical hydrogen bonds, although CeH … p interactions do play an important role in stabilizing the crystal packing of some compounds of the series.