SUMMARY Metabolites in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation are thought to play an important role in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Metabolites that cause glutamate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity and free radical formation are elevated in the blood and vulnerable brain regions in these diseases, while levels of the neuroprotective metabolite kynurenic acid are often decreased. Here we describe the synthesis and characterization of JM6, a novel small-molecule pro-drug inhibitor of kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO). JM6 raises kynurenic acid and reduces extracellular glutamate in the brain after chronic oral administration by inhibiting KMO in blood. In a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, JM6 prevented spatial memory deficits, anxiety-related behavior, and synaptic loss. JM6 also extended life span, prevented synaptic loss, and decreased microglial activation in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease. These findings support a critical link between blood cells and neurodegeneration that is mediated by KMO and the kynurenine pathway.

A very effective strategy has been devised for the synthesis of 3-substituted pyrroles based on the use of the triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) moiety as a sterically demanding nitrogen substituent to obstruct the attack of electrophilic reagents at the a positions. 1 -(Triisopropylsilyl) pyrrole (1) undergoes highly preferential kinetic electrophilic substitution at the ß position with a variety of electrophiles (Br+, I+, N02+, RCO+, etc.) and fluoride ion induced desilylation of the products provides the corresponding 3-substituted pyrroles in good overall yields. Competitive trifluoroacetylation experiments demonstrate that substitution of TIPS-pyrrole at the a positions is decelerated by a factor of >104, vs pyrrole at the same sites, without affecting reactivity at the ß positions. l-(Triisopropylsilyl)-3-bromopyrrole ( 2) is readily converted into the 3-lithio compound 44 by bromine-lithium interchange with alkyllithium reagents. This previously unavailable, formal equivalent of 3-lithiopyrrole is itself an excellent source of a wide range of /3-substituted pyrroles, many of which would not be directly preparable from 1.TIPS-pyrrole can be 3,4-dihalogenated and these compounds undergo sequential halogen-metal interchange trapping reactions. This process is exemplified by an efficient, three-step synthesis of the antibiotic verrucarin E (63) from the dibromo compound 5. * Contribution no. 792.

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