1,2,3-Triazole in Heterocyclic Compounds, Endowed with Biological Activity, through 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions can be considered a powerful synthetic tool in the building of heterocyclic rings, with applications in different fields. In this review we focus on the synthesis of biologically active compounds possessing the 1,2,3-triazole core through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. The 1,2,3-triazole skeleton can be present as a single disubstituted ring, as a linker between two molecules, or embedded in a polyheterocycle. The cycloaddition reactions are usually catalysed by copper or ruthenium. Domino reactions can be achieved through dipolarophile anion formation, generally followed by cyclisation. The variety of attainable heterocyclic structures gives an ill…

C18 alkyl-modified silica: A suitable tool for olive biophenol green extraction

Abstract A clean and straightforward methodology to assess the value of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) samples as well as to obtain biophenol-rich oils that can find employment in a variety of cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products is described. The method employs chromatographic spherical organosilica microparticles, coupled to advanced analytical techniques. OMWW samples obtained in Sicily from two different organically grown cultivars during the exceptional 2015/2016 olive oil season were analyzed, leading us to establish the conditions for optimal extraction of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol.

One-Pot, Clean Synthesis of Vanillic Acid from Ferulic Acid

Ferulic acid dissolved in water is selectively oxidized to vanillic acid in high yield (≈60 %) under remarkably mild and green conditions, namely at room temperature with air as primary oxidant, over a catalytic amount of nanostructured Bi2WO6. The process is general and opens the route to the selective oxidation of natural substances into derivatives of significant applicative relevance.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new class of benzo[b]furan derivatives as antiproliferative agents, with in silico predicted antitubulin activity

A new series of 3-benzoylamino-5-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylaminobenzo[b]furans were synthesized and screened as antitumor agents. As a general trend, tested compounds showed concentration-dependent antiproliferative activity against HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, exhibiting GI50 values in the low micromolar range. In most cases, insertion of a methyl substituent on the imidazole moiety improved the antiproliferative activity. Therefore, methyl-imidazolyl-benzo[b]furans compounds were tested in cell cycle perturbation experiments, producing cell cycle arrest with proapoptotic effects. Their core similarity to known colchicine binding site binders led us to further study the structure featur…

Quick assessment of the economic value of olive mill waste water

Background: Olive biophenols are emerging as a valued class of natural products finding practical application in the food, pharmaceutical, beverage, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries due to their powerful biological activity which includes antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Olive mill waste water (OMWW), a by-product in olive oil manufacturing, is rich in biophenols such as hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. The amount of biophenols depends on the cultivar, the geographical area of cultivation, and the seasonal conditions. The goal of this study was to develop a straightforward method to assess the economic value of OMWW via quantification of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. Results: The amo…

1,2-Dihydropyrazole[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,4]triazine-3-one: deaza analogue tricyclic scaffold with valuable antiproliferative activity

Beer produced via hydrodynamic cavitation retains higher amounts of xanthohumol and other hops prenylflavonoids

Abstract Some of the most valuable bioactive compounds in beer comes from hops polyphenols, mainly flavonoids, some of which are unique to inflorescences of that flowering plant. Although far from pharmacologically relevant concentrations, low doses of xanthohumol and related prenylflavonoids found in beer contribute to the overall antioxidant activity of the product, as well as to significant chemopreventive action about certain diseases, such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and some cancer types. Hence, the efforts to explore both ingredients and brewing methods aimed at enhancing the concentration of such bioactive compounds. In this study, a novel brewing method assisted by hydrod…

Lead optimization of pyrazolo[1,2-a]-benzo-[1,2,3,4]-tetrazin-3-one nucleus to increase the biological properties as anticancer compounds

Sicilian Opuntia ficus‐indica Seed Oil: Fatty Acid Composition and Bio‐Economical Aspects

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil from the yellow fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica widely grown in Sicily shows several distinctive features. The oil obtained comprises significant amounts of vaccenic acid along with several other unsaturated fatty acids showing several health benefits, including linolenic, trans-13-octadecenoic, gondoic, 7Z,10Z-hexadecadienoic, and gadoleic acid. The economic analysis shows the significant advantage of carrying out the extraction from fruits considered unfit for consumption. Practical applications: The fatty acid composition of Sicilian Opuntia ficus-indica seed oil is similar to that of fruits grown in Tunisia, while it has a completely different pr…

New insights into the mechanism of action of pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazin-3-one derivatives endowed with anticancer potential

Due to the scarce biological profile, the pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazine-3-one scaffold (PBT) has been recently explored as promising core for potential anticancer candidates. Several suitably decorated derivatives (PBTs) exhibited antiproliferative activity in the low-micromolar range associated with apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest on S phase. Herein, we selected the most active derivatives and submitted them to further biological explorations to deepen the mechanism of action. At first, a DNA targeting is approached by means of flow Linear Dichroism experiments so as to evaluate how small planar molecules might interact with DNA, including the interference with the catal…

Tuning the photocatalytic activity of bismuth wolframate: Towards selective oxidations for the biorefinery driven by solar-light

The sol–gel entrapment of nanostructured Bi2WO6 enhances the activity and the selectivity of the short-gap semiconductor in the sunlight-driven photo-oxidation of trans-ferulic and trans-cinnamic acid dissolved in water with air as the primary oxidant. Valuable products such as vanillin, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid and vanillic acid are obtained. This provides the proof of concept that photocatalysis could be a promising technology in tomorrow's solar biorefineries.

The role of side chains in Substituted Pyrrole derivatives towards antiproliferative activity

In the last years, the introduction of side chains in different molecular compounds takes increasing importance. As recently reported in literature, heterocyclic scaffolds with poor biological activity , if properly decorated with selected side chains, can improve their anticancer activity against a large spectrum of human tumor cell lines. For example, the annelated Pyrrolo[3,4-e]Pyrimidines and Pyrrolo[3,2-e]Pyrimidines, opportunely functionalized with a large number of side chains, showed a good increase in the antitumor activity with respect to the starting core structure. New compound thus obtained showed antiproliferative activity against all the human tumor cells, generally in the lo…

ChemInform Abstract: 1,2,3-Triazole in Heterocyclic Compounds, Endowed with Biological Activity, Through 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions can be considered a powerful synthetic tool in the building of heterocyclic rings, with applications in different fields. In this review we focus on the synthesis of biologically active compounds possessing the 1,2,3-triazole core through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. The 1,2,3-triazole skeleton can be present as a single disubstituted ring, as a linker between two molecules, or embedded in a polyheterocycle. The cycloaddition reactions are usually catalysed by copper or ruthenium. Domino reactions can be achieved through dipolarophile anion formation, generally followed by cyclisation. The variety of attainable heterocyclic structures gives an ill…