Inositol hexakisphosphate kinases (IP6Ks) catalyze pyrophosphorylation of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) into inositol 5-diphospho-1,2,3,4,6-pentakisphosphate (IP7), which is involved in numerous areas of cell physiology including glucose homeostasis, blood coagulation, and neurological development. Inhibition of IP6Ks may be effective for the treatment of Type II diabetes, obesity, metabolic complications, thrombosis, and psychiatric disorders. We performed a high-throughput screen (HTS) of 158 410 compounds for IP6K1 inhibitors using a previously developed ADP-Glo Max assay. Of these, 1206 compounds were found to inhibit IP6K1 kinase activity by more than 25%, representing a 0.8% hit rate. Structural clustering analysis of HTS-active compounds, which were confirmed in the dose–response testing using the same kinase assay, revealed diverse clusters that were feasible for future structure–activity relationship (SAR) optimization to potent IP6K inhibitors. Medicinal chemistry SAR efforts in three chemical series identified potent IP6K1 inhibitors which were further validated in an orthogonal LC-MS IP7 analysis. The effects of IP6K1 inhibitors on cellular IP7 levels were further confirmed and were found to correlate with cellular IP6K1 binding measured by a high-throughput cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA).

Carboxylate groups are ubiquitous in bioactive molecules. The syntheses of carboxylates from petroleum feedstock require a series of oxidation reactions. CO represents a cheap and sustainable, preoxidized C1 source. Herein, we describe a simple, selective, and mild procedure for the construction of (hetero)cyclic α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids from 1,6- and 1,7-enyes and CO. Terminal 1,7-enynes and sterically hindered alkenes experience a change in regioselectivity and form unconjugated carboxylic acids. Mechanistic studies of the reductive cyclization suggest a hydride insertion pathway, explaining the change in regioselectivity caused by steric effects and distinguishing this work from previous reactions involving CO.