Structure–Activity Relationships of 2‐Sufonylpyrimidines as Quorum‐Sensing Inhibitors to Tackle Biofilm Formation and eDNA Release of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Drug‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) strains are on the rise, making treatment with current antibiotics ineffective. Hence, circumventing resistance or restoring the activity of antibiotics by novel approaches is of high demand. Targeting the Pseudomonas quinolone signal quorum sensing (PQS‐QS) system is an intriguing strategy to abolish PA pathogenicity without affecting the viability of the pathogen. Herein we report the structure–activity relationships of 2‐sulfonylpyrimidines, which were previously identified as dual‐target inhibitors of the PQS receptor PqsR and the PQS synthase PqsD. The SAR elucidation was guided by a combined approach using ligand efficiency and ligand lipophilicity efficiency to select the most promising compounds. In addition, the most effective inhibitors were rationally modified by the guidance of QSAR using Hansch analyses. Finally, these inhibitors showed the capacity to decrease biofilm mass and extracellular DNA, which are important determinants for antibiotic resistance.     

Synthesis and Antiangiogenic Properties of Tetrafluorophthalimido and Tetrafluorobenzamido Barbituric Acids

The development of novel thalidomide derivatives as immunomodulatory and anti‐angiogenic agents has revived over the last two decades. Herein we report the design and synthesis of three chemotypes of barbituric acids derived from the thalidomide structure: phthalimido‐, tetrafluorophthalimido‐, and tetrafluorobenzamidobarbituric acids. The latter were obtained by a new tandem reaction, including a ring opening and a decarboxylation of the fluorine‐activated phthalamic acid intermediates. Thirty compounds of the three chemotypes were evaluated for their anti‐angiogenic properties in an ex vivo assay by measuring the decrease in microvessel outgrowth in rat aortic ring explants. Tetrafluorination of the phthalimide moiety in tetrafluorophthalimidobarbituric acids was essential, as all of the nonfluorinated counterparts lost anti‐angiogenic activity. An opening of the five‐membered ring and the accompanying increased conformational freedom, in case of the corresponding tetrafluorobenzamidobarbituric acids, was well tolerated. Their activity was retained, although their molecular structures differ in torsional flexibility and possible hydrogen‐bond networking, as revealed by comparative X‐ray crystallographic analyses.     

Activity of Fluorine‐Containing Analogues of WC‐9 and Structurally Related Analogues against Two Intracellular Parasites: Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii

Two obligate intracellular parasites, Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, and Toxoplasma gondii, an agent of toxoplasmosis, upregulate the mevalonate pathway of their host cells upon infection, which suggests that this host pathway could be a potential drug target. In this work, a number of compounds structurally related to WC‐9 (4‐phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate), a known squalene synthase inhibitor, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their effect on T. cruzi and T. gondii growth in tissue culture cells. Two fluorine‐containing derivatives, the 3‐(3‐fluorophenoxy)‐ and 3‐(4‐fluorophenoxy)phenoxyethyl thiocyanates, exhibited half‐maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) values of 1.6 and 4.9 μm , respectively, against tachyzoites of T. gondii, whereas they showed similar potency to WC‐9 against intracellular T. cruzi (EC₅₀ values of 5.4 and 5.7 μm , respectively). In addition, 2‐[3‐ (phenoxy)phenoxyethylthio]ethyl‐1,1‐bisphosphonate, which is a hybrid inhibitor containing 3‐phenoxyphenoxy and bisphosphonate groups, has activity against T. gondii proliferation at sub‐micromolar levels (EC₅₀=0.7 μm ), which suggests a combined inhibitory effect of the two functional groups.     

The causes of reduced fatigue strength of steel in contact zones

Conclusions The decrease in fatigue strength of steel parts in contact zones (fits) is the combined result of stress concentration, electro-erosive surface deterioration, mechanical surface wear and fretting corrosion. The relative importance of the various factors may vary, depending on circumstances, and is determined by the materials of the coacting parts and the loading conditions.Central Research Institute for Technology and Machine Design     

Spaltung von 1,2,4-Thiadiazol-3-onen mit Triphenylphosphan: Triphenylphosphonio-thioimidazolate und ihre Folgereaktionen

Fission of 1,2,4-Thiadiazol-3-ones by Triphenylphosphane: gewidinet Triphenylphosphonio Thioimidazolates and Their Consecutive Reactions Treatment of benzimidazo[1,2-d][1,2,4]thiadiazol-3(2H)-ones ( 1 ) and imidazo[1,2-d]-[1,2,4]thiadiazol-3(2H)-ones ( 17 ) with triphenylphosphan leads to the liberation of isocyanate and the formation of triphenylphosphonio-thiobenzimidazolat ( 4 ) and triphenylphosphonio-thioimidazolat ( 18 ), respectively. 2,4-Diphenyl-5-phenylimino-1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-one ( 23 ) is desulfurized with Ph₃P and decomposed into phenyl isocyanate and diphenylcarbodiimide whereas the N-unsubstituted imino-thiadiazol-3-one ( 25 ) is attacked at the exocyclic imino group by Ph₃P to give the N-phosphoranylidene thiourea ( 26 ). The structure of 4 can be rationalized as a dynamic system between polar and apolar valence isomeres. Reactions of 1 and 17 with cyanates, isocyanates, carbon disulfide, acetic anhydride, amines, benzyl chloride, grignard compounds, and CH acidic compounds are described.