The fatty acids, n-butyric acid (BA), 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) and valproic acid (VPA, 2-propylpentanoic acid) have been used for many years in the treatment of a variety of CNS and peripheral organ diseases including cancer. New information that these drugs alter epigenetic processes through their inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) has renewed interest in their biodistribution and pharmacokinetics and the relationship of these properties to their therapeutic and side effect profile. In order to determine the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of these drugs in primates, we synthesized their carbon-11 labeled analogues and performed dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) in six female baboons over 90 min. The carbon-11 labeled carboxylic acids were prepared by using 11CO2 and the appropriate Grignard reagents. [11C]BA was metabolized rapidly (only 20% of the total carbon-11 in plasma was parent compound at 5 min post injection) whereas for VPA and PBA 98% and 85% of the radioactivity was the unmetabolized compound at 30 min after their administration respectively. The brain uptake of all three carboxylic acids was very low (<0.006%ID/cc, BA>VPA>PBA), which is consistent with the need for very high doses for therapeutic efficacy. Most of the radioactivity was excreted through the kidneys and accumulated in the bladder. However, the organ biodistribution between the drugs differed. [11C]BA showed relatively high uptake in spleen and pancreas whereas [11C]PBA showed high uptake in liver and heart. Notably, [11C]VPA showed exceptionally high heart uptake possibly due to its involvement in lipid metabolism. The unique biodistribution of each of these drugs may be of relevance in understanding their therapeutic and side effect profile including their teratogenic effects.

Owing to their various modes of reactivity, α-aminonitriles represent versatile building blocks for the construction of a wide range of nitrogen heterocycles. The present Concept article focuses on synthetic methodologies using their bifunctional nature which is the basis of their reactivity as α-amino carbanions and as iminium ions. Reactions exclusively taking place on either the amine or on the nitrile moiety will not be considered.

Ther eactiono fa romatic tertiary amines with potassium ferricyanide directly providest he useful a-amino nitriles.T he inexpensive iron complex functionsb oth as an oxidant anda sacyanide source.T he presence of molecular oxygen speeds up the reactionw hich can be performed in aqueous tert-butanol or even in ethanol-based mixturesl ike Te quila. While amine cyanations usually employ highly toxic cyanide sources,p otassium ferricyanide is evenl ess toxic than table salt.N oe xpensive metal complexes are requireda sc atalysts and the co-product of the cyanation, Prussian blue,h as no known toxicity and is ratherused as an antidote.

SummaryIn the search for new ligands for the Ullmann diaryl ether synthesis, permitting the coupling of electron-rich aryl bromides at relatively low temperatures, 56 structurally diverse multidentate ligands were screened in a model system that uses copper iodide in acetonitrile with potassium phosphate as the base. The ligands differed largely in their performance, but no privileged structural class could be identified.

Two consecutive Cu-catalyzed Ullmann-type C-O couplings permitted the first successful entry toward the curare alkaloids (±)-tubocurine and (±)-curine. Starting from vanillin, the synthetic sequence comprises 15 linear steps and includes a total of 24 transformations. In addition, the total synthesis of tubocurine represents a formal total synthesis of the famous arrow poison alkaloid tubocurarine.