Highly reactive zinc metal was prepared by electrolysis of a N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution containing naphthalene and a supporting electrolyte in a one-compartment cell fitted with a platinum cathode and a zinc anode. This highly reactive electrogenerated zinc (EGZn/Naph) was used for transformation of ethyl 2-bromoacrylate into the corresponding organozinc compound, which can not be achieved by the use of usual zinc metals. Reaction of the organozinc compounds thus prepared with various aryl halides in the presence of 5 mol% of palladium catalyst gave the corresponding cross-coupling products in high yields. These cross-coupling reactions were successfully applied to a synthesis of the precursor of anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen, naproxen, cicloprofen and suprofen.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/*chemical synthesis ; Catalysis ; Electrolysis ; Ibuprofen/chemical synthesis ; Naphthalenes ; Naproxen/chemical synthesis ; Prodrugs/*chemical synthesis ; Propionic Acids/chemical synthesis ; Suprofen/chemical synthesis ; Zinc/*pharmacology

AIM(+/-) Ibuprofen sugar derivatives were prepared in order to decrease side-effects and increase bioavailability of (+/-) ibuprofen.

METHODSThe synthesis of derivatives were performed using 1,2:3, 4-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-galactopyranose, 1,3,4,5-tetra-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-amino-beta-D-gluctopyranose, 3,4 6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-N-acetyl-beta-D-gluctosylamine and 2,3,6,2',3',4',6'-hepta-O-acetyl-beta-D-lactosylamine as glycosyl donors, respectively. Target products (4, 7, 12a, 12b, 13) were obtained after deprotection.

RESULTSFive compounds (4, 7, 12a, 12b, 13) were synthesized as new compounds. The structures of all objective compounds were confirmed by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, HMQC, COSY, IR and MS.

CONCLUSIONIt was found that 12a showed better anti-inflammatory activity than (+/-) ibuprofen.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; chemical synthesis ; therapeutic use ; Ibuprofen ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; therapeutic use ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Random Allocation