Readily prepared Ni(II)-bis[(R,R)-N,N'-dibenzylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine]Br(2) was shown to catalyze the Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes at room temperature in good yields with high enantioselectivities. The two diamine ligands in this system each play a distinct role: one serves as a chiral ligand to provide stereoinduction in the addition step while the other functions as a base for substrate enolization. Ligand modification within the catalyst was also investigated to facilitate the reaction of aliphatic nitroalkenes, 1,3-diketones, and beta-ketoacids. Ni(II)-bis[(R,R)-N,N'-di-p-bromo-benzylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine]Br(2) was found to be an effective catalyst in these instances. Furthermore, monodiamine complex, Ni(II)-[(R,R)-N,N'-dibenzylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine]Br(2), catalyzed the addition reaction in the presence of water. The proposed model for stereochemical induction is shown to be consistent with X-ray structure analysis.

Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal malignant primary brain tumor for which the development of efficacious chemotherapeutic agents remains an urgent need. The anti-helminthic drug niclosamide, which has long been in use to treat tapeworm infections, has recently attracted renewed interest due to its apparent anticancer effects in a variety of in vitro and in vivo cancer models. However, the mechanism(s) of action remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that niclosamide induced cell toxicity in human glioblastoma cells corresponding with increased protein ubiquitination, ER stress and autophagy. In addition, niclosamide treatment led to down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and STAT3 pro-survival signal transduction pathways to further reduce U-87 MG cell viability. Taken together, these results provide new insights into the glioblastoma suppressive capabilities of niclosamide, showing that niclosamide can target multiple major cell signaling pathways simultaneously to effectively promote cell death in U-87 MG cells. Niclosamide constitutes a new prospect for a therapeutic treatment against human glioblastoma.

Two one-pot multicomponent synthetic methods for highly substituted indenes are described. The intermolecular coupling of aromatic ketones with alkynes on low-valent zirconocene species generates oxazirconacyclopentenes, which upon hydrolysis with 20% HCl for 3 h afforded indene derivatives in good to excellent yields. Similarly, the pair-selective coupling of two identical or different alkynes bearing at least one aromatic substituent formed zirconacyclopentadienes. Quenching of the reaction mixture with concentrated H(2)SO(4) also results in the formation of highly substituted indenes in high yields.