The copper-catalyzed C-N coupling of amides to arylhalides usually requires the use of strong alkali metal bases, such as K2CO3, K3PO4, and Cs2CO3, at high temperature. We discovered that CsF is sufficiently basic to promote the cross-coupling of amides and carbamates With aryl halides. Most aryl iodides coupled in high yield at room temperature. This alternative base may be a suitable replacement for substrates that are incompatible with high temperature and strongly basic conditions and can further enhance the chemoselectivity of this reaction. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An expedient one-pot synthesis of fused bicyclic 2,3-diaryl-pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones from three readily available components is described. The key step is a Lewis acid assisted cyclization reaction. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The synthesis and preliminary structure-activity relationship of a series of pyrrolidinones are described. These pyrrolidinones have been characterized as novel non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) which are highly potent against wild-type and drug-resistant human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1). (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A series of 2-amino-9-aryl-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines were designed and synthesized to target focal adhesion kinase (FAK). A number of these pyrrolopyrimides exhibited low micromolar inhibitory activities against focal adhesion kinase, and their preliminary SAR was established via systematic chemical modifications. The 2-amino-9-aryl-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines represent a new class of kinase inhibitors.

Screening of our compound collection using Staphylococcus aureus Ni-Peptide deformylase (PDF) afforded a very potent PDF inhibitor with an IC(50) in the low nanomolar range but with poor antibacterial activity (MIC). Three-dimensional structural information obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ni-PDF complexed with the inhibitor suggested the synthesis of a variety of analogues that would maintain high binding affinity while attempting to improve antibacterial activity. Many of the compounds synthesized proved to be excellent PDF-Ni inhibitors and some showed increased antibacterial activity in selected strains.