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Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoglyceride lipase (MGL) are hydrolytic enzymes which degrade the endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), respectively. Endocannabinoids are an important class of lipid messenger molecules that are produced on demand in response to elevated intracellular calcium levels. They recognize and activate the cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) receptors, the molecular targets for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) in marijuana evoking several beneficial therapeutic effects. However, in vivo the cannabimimetic effects of AEA and 2-AG remain weak owing to their rapid inactivation by FAAH and MGL, respectively. The inactivation of FAAH and MGL by specific enzyme inhibitors increases the levels of AEA and 2-AG, respectively, producing therapeutic effects such as pain relief and depression of anxiety.

A series of commercial phenyl-, heteroaryl-, alkyl-, and alkenylboronic acids were evaluated for their FAAH and MGL inhibitory activities. The compounds were generally selective for FAAH, with IC50 in the nanomolar or low-micromolar range. Eight of these compounds inhibited MGL with IC50 in the micromolar range. The most potent compound, phenylboronic acid with para-nonyl substituent (13), inhibited FAAH and MGL with IC50 of 0.0091 and 7.9 microM, respectively.

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A new, short, and simplified procedure for the synthesis of optically active pyridine derivatives from pro-chiral pyridine-N-oxides is presented. The catalytic and asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction between ketene silyl acetals and 1-oxypyridine-2-carbaldehyde derivatives catalyzed by chiral copper(II)-bis(oxazoline) complexes gave optically active 2-(hydroxyalkyl)- and 2-(anti-1,2-dihydroxyalkyl)pyridine derivatives in good yields and diastereoselectivities, and in excellent enantioselectivities-up to 99 % enantiomeric excess. As a synthetic application of the developed method, a full account for the asymmetric total synthesis of a nonnatural indolizine alkaloid is provided.

A general catalytic oxo-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction for pro-chiral aldehyde and ketone N-oxy-pyridines is presented. The catalytic and asymmetric oxo-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of electron-rich dienes with N-oxy-pyridine-2-carbaldehyde and ketone derivatives, catalyzed by chiral copper(II)-bisoxazoline complexes, gives optically active six-membered oxygen heterocycles in moderate to good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.

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