Adel Nefzi

Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies · Chemistry
a
a
a
a
34.35

Topics (15) View all

Questions and Answers (1) View all

Publications (64) View all

  • Article: Parallel Solid-Phase Synthesis of disubstituted 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)imidazolidine-2,4-diones and 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-ones.
    Sureshbabu Dadiboyena, Adel Nefzi
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: A multistep approach to construct novel 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)imidazolidine-2,4-diones and 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-ones from commercially available amino acids, amines, and carboxylic acids is described. Coupling of Fmoc-amino acid to resin-bound aminobenzimidazole provided following Fmoc elimination free amine. Treatment of the free amine with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole or 1,1'-thiocarbonyldiimidazole furnished the corresponding hydantoins and thiohydantoins via intramolecular cyclization. The desired aminobenzimidazole tethered hydantoin or thiohydantoins were isolated in good yields.
    Tetrahedron Letters 12/2011; 52(52):7030-7033. · 2.68 Impact Factor
  • Article: Synthesis of functionalized tetrasubstituted pyrazolyl heterocycles--a review.
    Sureshbabu Dadiboyena, Adel Nefzi
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Heterocyclic chemistry constitutes an essential branch of organic chemistry and heterocycles are widely known to display an array of biological properties. Pyrazoles represent key structural motifs in heterocyclic chemistry and are present in a large number of biologically active molecules relevant to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Compounds incorporating the pyrazolyl structural unit are being developed in a wide variety of therapeutic areas including CNS, metabolic diseases, and oncology. The current review summarizes recent advances in the synthesis of tetrasubstituted pyrazoles. The contents are discussed in five sections: (a) 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, (b) related 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, (c) condensations, (d) allenylphosphonates, and (e) synthesis of fused pyrazole containing heterocycles.
    European journal of medicinal chemistry 11/2011; 46(11):5258-75. · 3.27 Impact Factor
  • Source
    Article: Potent antimicrobial small molecules screened as inhibitors of tyrosine recombinases and Holliday junction-resolving enzymes.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Holliday junctions (HJs) are critical intermediates in many recombination-dependent DNA repair pathways. Our lab has previously identified several hexameric peptides that target HJ intermediates formed in DNA recombination reactions. One of the most potent peptides, WRWYCR, is active as a homodimer and has shown bactericidal activity partly because of its ability to interfere with DNA repair proteins that act upon HJs. To increase the possibility of developing a therapeutic targeting DNA repair, we searched for small molecule inhibitors that were functional surrogates of the peptides. Initial screens of heterocyclic small molecule libraries resulted in the identification of several N-methyl aminocyclic thiourea inhibitors. Like the peptides, these inhibitors trapped HJs formed during recombination reactions in vitro, but were less potent than the peptides in biochemical assays and had little antibacterial activity. In this study, we describe the screening of a second set of libraries containing somewhat larger and more symmetrical scaffolds in an effort to mimic the symmetry of a WRWYCR homodimer and its target. From this screen, we identified several pyrrolidine bis-cyclic guanidine inhibitors that also interfere with processing of HJs in vitro and are potent inhibitors of Gram-negative and especially Gram-positive bacterial growth. These molecules are proof-of-principle of a class of compounds with novel activities, which may in the future be developed into a new class of antibiotics that will expand the available choices for therapy against drug-resistant bacteria.
    Molecular Diversity 09/2011; 15(4):989-1005. · 3.15 Impact Factor
  • Article: Integrating computational and mixture-based screening of combinatorial libraries.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Mixture-based synthetic combinatorial library (MB-SCL) screening is a well-established experimental approach for rapidly retrieving structure-activity relationships (SAR) and identifying hits. Virtual screening is also a powerful approach that is increasingly being used in drug discovery programs and has a growing number of successful applications. However, limited efforts have been made to integrate both techniques. To this end, we combined experimental data from a MB-SCL of bicyclic guanidines screened against the κ-opioid receptor and molecular similarity methods. The activity data and similarity analyses were integrated in a biometric analysis-similarity map. Such a map allows the molecules to be categorized as actives, activity cliffs, low similarity to the reference compounds, or missed hits. A compound with IC(50) = 309 nM was found in the "missed hits" region, showing that active compounds can be retrieved from a MS-SCL via computational approaches. The strategy presented in this work is general and is envisioned as a general-purpose approach that can be applied to other MB-SCLs.
    Journal of Molecular Modeling 06/2011; 17(6):1473-82. · 1.80 Impact Factor
  • Article: Integrating virtual screening and combinatorial chemistry for accelerated drug discovery.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Virtual screening is increasingly being used in drug discovery programs with a growing number of successful applications. Experimental methodologies developed to speed up the drug discovery processes include high-throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry. The complementarities between computational and experimental screenings have been recognized and reviewed in the literature. Computational methods have also been used in the combinatorial chemistry field, in particular in library design. However, the integration of computational and combinatorial chemistry screenings has been attempted only recently. Combinatorial libraries (experimental or virtual) represent a notable source of chemically related compounds. Advances in combinatorial chemistry and deconvolution strategies, have enabled the rapid exploration of novel and dense regions in the chemical space. The present review is focused on the integration of virtual and experimental screening of combinatorial libraries. Applications of virtual screening to discover novel anticancer agents and our ongoing efforts towards the integration of virtual screening and combinatorial chemistry are also discussed.
    Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening 04/2011; 14(6):475-87. · 2.46 Impact Factor

Following (26) See all

Followers (26) See all