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This doctoral thesis focusses on an effective and selective approach to the synthesis of spirocycles using palladium(0)-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck reactions. In addition, selective and efficient chemistry was highlighted by the design and evaluation of a novel resistively heated system for continuous flow (CF) synthesis for high-temperature and high-pressure applications.

Paper I described the design and evaluation of a novel resistively heated CF system. The design of a low-cost, simple, robust, and effective CF system involving a resistively heated steel reactor capable of delivering 400 °C and 200 bar was reported. The reactor was evaluated with esterification, transesterification and direct carboxylic acid to nitrile conversions using supercritical ethanol, methanol and acetonitrile respectively. Diels-Alder reactions under neat conditions were also carried out at high temperature and pressure.

Paper II reported the synthesis of spirooxindoles by a selective application of the palladium(0)-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck spirocyclization. The precursors for the reaction were synthesized by coupling 2-iodoanilines with esters derived from enantiomerically pure (+)-Vince lactam decorated with the bulky, directing 2,5-dimethylpyrrole protecting group. Ten different spirooxindoles were reported with good yields and high regio- and stereoselectivity. Functionalization of a synthesized spirooxindole was done by a palladium(0)-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation, followed by selective deprotections.

In Paper III, ether precursors were synthesized from (+)-Vince lactam, via a Mitsunobu reaction with the corresponding iodophenols. The precursors were later subjected to conditions for intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck reaction. Overall, 12 spiroethers were synthesized in useable yields, regioselectivity up to 98% and with excellent diastereoselectivity (d.e.>98%). Further functionalization to mono-protected rigidified amino acids was also demonstrated.

A cheap, easy-to-build, and effective resistively heated reactor for continuous flow synthesis at high temperature and pressure is herein presented. The reactor is rapidly heated directly using, an electric current and is capable of rapidly delivering temperatures and pressures up to 400 degrees C and 200 bar, respectively. High-temperature and high-pressure applications of this reactor were safely performed and demonstrated by selected transformations such as esterifications, transesterifications, and direct carboxylic acid to nitrile reactions using supercritical ethanol, methanol, and acetonitrile. Reaction temperatures were between 300 and 400 degrees C with excellent conversions and good to excellent isolated product yields. Examples of Diels-Alder reactions were also carried out at temperatures up to 300 degrees C in high yield. No additives or catalysts were used in the reactions.

CYP2C9 is one of our major drug metabolising enzymes and belongs to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) super family. The aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSAR) of CYP2C9 substrates and inhibitors. This information will be useful in predicting drug metabolism and the potential for drug–drug interactions. To achieve this, a well characterised data set of structurally diverse, competitive CYP2C9 inhibitors was identified in our laboratory. Several computational methodologies, many based on GRID molecular interaction fields, were applied or developed in order to handle issues such as compound alignment and bioactive conformer selection. First, a traditional 3D QSAR was carried out in GOLPE, generating a predictive model. In this model the selection of a bioactive conformer and alignment was based on docking in a homology model of CYP2C9. Secondly, we introduced the concept of alignment independent descriptors from ALMOND. These descriptors were used to generate quantitatively and qualitatively predictive models. We subsequently derived conformation independent descriptors from molecular interaction fields calculated in FlexGRID. This enabled the derivation of 3D QSAR models without taking into account the selection of an alignment or a bioactive conformer. A subsequent programming effort enabled the conversion of this model back to 3D aligned pharmacophores. Similar alignment independent descriptors were also used in the development of the software MetaSite® that predicts the site of metabolism for CYP2C9 ligands. Finally, as crystal information on this isoform emerged, the performance of molecular dynamics simulations and homology models and the flexibility of the protein were evaluated using statistical analyses.

These modelling efforts have resulted in detailed knowledge of the structural characteristics in ligand interactions with the cytochrome P450 2C9 isoform.

The need for alternative cognitive enhancers has risen due to the fact that clinical trial results of the drugs currently approved for treating these disorders have not been satisfactory.

IRAP has become a possible drug target for treating cognitive impairment brought about by Alzheimer’s disease, head trauma or cerebral ischemia, among others. This came after the revelation that Angiotensin IV enhances memory and learning. Angiotensin IV, the endogenous ligand of IRAP has been structurally modified with the aim of producing potent IRAP inhibitors. However, the peptidic nature of these inhibitors restricts their use; they are not likely to cross the blood brain barrier.

Other strategies for generating IRAP inhibitors have been through structure-based design and receptor based virtual screening. These drug-like molecules have exhibited positive results in animal studies.

IRAP inhibitors have been identified via a HTS of 10500 low-molecular weight compounds to give the hit based on a spirooxindole dihydroquinazolinone scaffold, with an IC₅₀ value of 1.5 µM. In this project, some analogues to this hit compound have successfully been synthesized using a known method, whereas others have been synthesized after additional method development.

The application of the developed method was found to be limited, because poor yield was obtained when a compound with an electron withdrawing substituent on the aniline was synthesized. As a result of this, modification of this method may be required or new methods may have to be developed to synthesize these types of analogues.

Inhibition capability of 5 new spirooxindole dihydroquinazolinones was tested through a biochemical assay. Compound 6e emerged as the most potent inhibitor in the series, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.2 µM. This compound will now serve as a lead compound and should be used as a starting point for future optimization in order to generate more potent IRAP inhibitors.

Computational tools are utilized in the drug discovery process to discover, design, and optimize new therapeutics. One important approach is structure-based drug design which relies on knowledge about the 3D structure of the biological target. The first part of this work focuses on applying structure-based drug design for binding mode prediction of HCV NS3 protease inhibitors. The NS3 protease is a challenging target from a computational perspective as it contains an extended binding site. Binding mode predictions were performed for various classes of new acyclic and macrocyclic HCV NS3 protease inhibitors and was used in the design of new inhibitors. None of the synthetized inhibitors have been co-crystallized yet, which has made the evaluation of the suggested binding mode predictions challenging.

Macrocycles are an interesting compound class in drug discovery due to their unique structural architecture, which can enable access to new chemical space. Macrocycles can successfully modulate difficult therapeutic targets, as exemplified in the development of protease inhibitors. Furthermore they can improve drug-like properties, such as cell permeability and bioavailability. The second part of this thesis focuses on macrocycles from a computational point of view. A data set of 47 clinically relevant macrocycles was compiled and used in these studies. First, two different docking protocols rigid docking of pre-generated conformers and flexible docking in Glide were evaluated and compared. The results showed that flexible docking in Glide was sufficient for docking of macrocycles with respect to accuracy and speed.

The aim of the second study was to evaluate and compare the performance of the more general conformational analysis tools, MCMM and MTLMOD, with the recently developed macrocycle-specialized conformational sampling tools, Prime-MCS and MMBS. In most cases, the general conformational analysis tools (with enhanced parameter settings) performed equally well as compared to the macrocycle-specialized conformational sampling techniques. However, MMBS was superior at locating the global energy minimum conformation.

Finally, calculation of the conformational energy penalty of protein-bound macrocycles was performed. The macrocycle data set was complemented with linear analogues that are similar either with respect to physicochemical properties or 2D fingerprints. The conformational energy penalties of these linear analogues were calculated and compared to the conformational energy penalties of the macrocycles. The complete data set of macrocycles and non-macrocycles in this study differ from previously published work addressing conformational energy penalties, since it covers a more extended area of chemical space. Furthermore, there was a weak correlation between the calculated conformational energy penalties and the flexibility of the structures.