Summary

Organic synthesis is the tool for the preparation of small molecules with interesting biological and medicinal properties—new compounds with activity against diseases affecting humankind today such as cancer, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative disorders or infectious diseases, as well as new syntheses of known drugs. New bioactive compounds are designed and synthesized to target key metabolic reactions in pathological processes as the first steps toward drug discovery. The crosstalk between synthetic and medicinal chemists enable a high impact of new synthetic methodologies in drug discovery. The aim is to highlight the role that organic synthesis plays in developing methods that may be exploited for finding lead compounds and drugs by the pharmaceutical industry.

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Topic Review
Radiation Induced Graft Copolymerization
Radiation-induced graft copolymerization (RIGC) is a powerful technique enabling permanent tunable and desired surface modifications imparting antimicrobial properties to polymer substrates to prevent disease transmission and provide safer biomaterials and healthcare products.
  • 472
  • 19 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Fungal Depsides Naturally Inspiring Molecules
Depsides are a group of polyketides consisting of two or more ester-linked hydroxybenzoic acid moieties. They possess valuable bioactive properties, such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antifouling, and antioxidant qualities, as well as various human enzyme-inhibitory activities.
  • 693
  • 14 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig MYB132
The R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs) play several key roles in numerous plant biological processes. Hedychium coronarium is an important ornamental plant well-known for its elegant flower shape and abundant aroma type. The floral aroma of H. coronarium is due to the presence of a large amount of terpenes and benzenoids. However, less is known about the role of R2R3-MYB TFs in the regulatory mechanism of floral aroma production in this breed. Herein, we isolate and functionally characterize the R2R3-MYB TF HcMYB132, which is potentially involved in regulating floral aroma synthesis. Sequence alignment analysis revealed that it includes a nuclear localization signal NLS(s) and a 2R, 3R motif signature in the sequences. A subcellular localization assay revealed that HcMYB132 protein localizes to the nucleus. Real-time qPCR assays showed that HcMYB132 is specifically expressed in flowers and its expression pattern correlates with the emission of floral volatile compounds. In HcMYB132-silenced flowers, the levels of floral volatile compounds were significantly reduced, and the expression of key structural volatile synthesis genes was downregulated compared to control. Collectively, these results suggest that HcMYB132 might play a significant role in the regulation of terpenoid biosynthesis in H. coronarium.
  • 362
  • 13 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Synthesis of Medicinally Relevant N-Heterocycles
N-heterocycles, both saturated and unsaturated, are ubiquitous biologically active molecules that are extremely appealing scaffolds in drug discovery programs. Although classical synthetic methods have been developed to access many relevant N-heterocyclic scaffolds, representing well-established and reliable routes, some do not meet the needs of sustainability. In this context, several advances have been made towards the sustainable synthesis of N-heterocycles.
  • 966
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Dapsone Imine Derivatives
Dapsone (DDS) is an antibacterial drug with well-known antioxidant properties. However, the antioxidant behavior of its derivatives has not been well explored. In the present work, the antioxidant activity of 10 dapsone derivatives 4-substituted was determined by an evaluation in two in vitro models (DPPH radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power). These imine derivatives 1–10 were obtained through condensation between DDS and the corresponding aromatic aldehydes 4-substuited. Three derivatives presented better results than DDS in the determination of DPPH (2, 9, and 10). Likewise, we have three compounds with better reducing activity than dapsone (4, 9, and 10). In order to be more insight, the redox process, a conceptual DFT analysis was carried out. Molecular descriptors such as electronic distribution, the total charge accepting/donating capacity (I/A), and the partial charge accepting/donating capacity (ω+/ω−) were calculated to analyze the relative donor-acceptor capacity through employing a donor acceptor map (DAM). The DFT calculation allowed us to establish a relationship between GAPHOMO-LUMO and DAM with the observed antioxidant effects. According to the results, we concluded that compounds 2 and 3 have the lowest Ra values, representing a good antioxidant behavior observed experimentally in DPPH radical capturing. On the other hand, derivatives 4, 9, and 10 display the best reducing capacity activity with the highest ω− and Rd values. Consequently, we propose these compounds as the best antireductants in our DDS imine derivative series.
  • 1.1K
  • 08 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Stereoselective Synthesis of Chiral Molecules
Metal/lipase-combo catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of racemic chiral alcohols is a general and practical process to obtain the corresponding enantiopure esters R with quantitative conversion. The use of known Ru-catalysts as well as newly developed homogeneous and heterogeneous metal catalysts (Fe, V) contributed to make the DKR process more sustainable and to expand the substrate scope of the reaction. In addition to classical substrates, challenging allylic alcohols, tertiary alcohols, C1-and C2-symmetric biaryl diols turned out to be competent substrates. Synthetic utility further emerged from the integration of this methodology into cascade reactions leading to linear/cyclic chiral molecules with high ee through the formation of multiple bonds, in a one-pot procedure. 
  • 651
  • 08 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Plastic Packaging Recycling
Today, the scientific community is facing crucial challenges in delivering a healthier world for future generations. Among these, the quest for circular and sustainable approaches for plastic recycling is one of the most demanding for several reasons. Indeed, the massive use of plastic materials over the last century has generated large amounts of long-lasting waste, which, for much time, has not been object of adequate recovery and disposal politics. Most of this waste is generated by packaging materials. Nevertheless, in the last decade, a new trend imposed by environmental concerns brought this topic under the magnifying glass, as testified by the increasing number of related publications. Several methods have been proposed for the recycling of polymeric plastic materials based on chemical or mechanical methods. A panorama of the most promising studies related to the recycling of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS) is given within this review. 
  • 2.2K
  • 16 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Ring-Opening of Cyclodextrins
The chemical synthesis of linear high DP oligomaltoses (OMs) is much more efficient by the opening of cyclodextrins (CDs). The α, β, and γ-CDs are cyclic oligosaccharides composed of 6, 7, or 8 glucose units respectively linked by a α-1,4 glycosidic bond. They are industrially prepared using CD glucanotransferase on starch.
  • 706
  • 03 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Microbial Pyrrolnitrin
Pyrrolnitrin (PRN) is a microbial pyrrole halometabolite of immense antimicrobial significance for agricultural, pharmaceutical and industrial implications. The compound and its derivatives have been isolated from rhizospheric fluorescent or non-fluorescent pseudomonads, Serratia and Burkholderia. They are known to confer biological control against a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi, and thus offer strong plant protection prospects against soil and seed-borne phytopathogenic diseases. Although chemical synthesis of PRN has been obtained using different steps, microbial production is still the most useful option for producing this metabolite. In many of the plant-associated isolates of Serratia and Burkholderia, production of PRN is dependent on the quorum-sensing regulation that usually involves N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) autoinducer signals. When applied on the organisms as antimicrobial agent, the molecule impedes synthesis of key biomolecules (DNA, RNA and protein), uncouples with oxidative phosphorylation, inhibits mitotic division and hampers several biological mechanisms. 
  • 708
  • 01 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Organic-Photovoltaics with Efficiency over 17%
When narrow band gap, non fullerene material Y6 or its derivatives are used as electron acceptors, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic photovoltaic (OPV) has exceeded 18%. The PCE improvement of OPV is due to strong photon collection and low energy loss in the near-infrared range. At the same time, the ternary strategy is generally considered to be a convenient and effective means to improve the PCE of OPVs.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Aug 2021
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