The synthesis, properties and catalytic uses of phosphinoalkynes bearing bulky end caps at the alkyne termini, that is, tris[(triarylsilyl)ethynyl]phosphines are reported. The most salient feature of the new phosphines is the holey molecular shape possessing a deep and large-scale metal-binding cavity. The holey phosphines displayed remarkable rate enhancement in the gold(I)-catalyzed six- and seven-membered ring forming cyclizations of acetylenic keto esters and 1,7-enynes. It is proposed that the cavity in the ligand forces a nucleophilic center (enol or alkene) of the acetylenic compounds close to the gold-bound alkyne, making ring-closing anti attack feasible.

A series of tetrahydronaphthyridine derivatives as novel RORγt inverse agonists were designed and synthesized. We reduced the lipophilicity of tetrahydroisoquinoline compound 1 by replacement of the trimethylsilyl group and SBDD-guided scaffold exchange, which successfully afforded compound 7 with a lower log  D value and tolerable in vitro activity. Consideration of LLE values in the subsequent optimization of the carboxylate tether led to the discovery of [ cis-3-({(5 R)-5-[(7-fluoro-1,1-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1 H-inden-5-yl)carbamoyl]-2-methoxy-7,8-dihydro-1,6-naphthyridin-6(5 H)-yl}carbonyl)cyclobutyl]acetic acid, TAK-828F (10), which showed potent RORγt inverse agonistic activity, excellent selectivity against other ROR isoforms and nuclear receptors, and a good pharmacokinetic profile. In animal studies, oral administration of compound 10 exhibited robust and dose-dependent inhibition of IL-17A cytokine expression in a mouse IL23-induced gene expression assay. Furthermore, development of clinical symptoms in a mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model was significantly reduced. Compound 10 was selected as a clinical compound for the treatment of Th17-driven autoimmune diseases.

Cryptosporidiosis is one of the leading causes of moderate to severe diarrhea in children in low-resource settings. The therapeutic options for cryptosporidiosis are limited to one drug, nitazoxanide, which unfortunately has poor activity in the most needy populations of malnourished children and HIV-infected persons. We describe here the discovery and early optimization of a class of imidazopyridine-containing compounds with potential for treating Cryptosporidium infections. The compounds target the Cryptosporidium methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS), an enzyme that is essential for protein synthesis. The most potent compounds inhibited the enzyme with Ki values in the low picomolar range. Cryptosporidium cells in culture were potently inhibited with 50% effective concentrations as low as 7 nM and >1,000-fold selectivity over mammalian cells. A parasite persistence assay indicates that the compounds act by a parasiticidal mechanism. Several compounds were demonstrated to control infection in two murine models of cryptosporidiosis without evidence of toxicity. Pharmacological and physicochemical characteristics of compounds were investigated to determine properties that were associated with higher efficacy. The results indicate that MetRS inhibitors are excellent candidates for development for anticryptosporidiosis therapy.

Synthesis, properties, and catalytic applications of a caged trialkylphosphine ligand with Me 3 P-like steric and electronic characters, 4-phenyl-1-phospha-4-silabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (Ph-SMAP), are reported. Given a phenyl group at the silicon atom, the Ph-SMAP ligand displayed nonvolatility with retention of Me 3 P-like steric and electronic properties. The new ligand is air-stable, crystalline, and easy to handle. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of Ph-SMAP and its coordination compounds such as borane, rhodium(I), and Pt(II) complexes revealed a rigid, linear structural feature of the Ph-SMAP framework. DFT calculations [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)] indicated that the electron-donating ability of Ph-SMAP is slightly stronger than that of Me 3 P and that replacement of Si atom of Ph-SMAP with a carbon atom drastically decreases the donor power. The Ph-SMAP ligand markedly accelerated the rhodium-catalyzed hydrosilylation and hydrogenation of ketones as compared with the effect of conventional phosphine ligands such as Me 3 P, Bu 3 P, (t-Bu) 3 P, and PPh 3 , when it was used in combination with [{RhCl(C 2 H 4 ) 2 } 2 ] and [Rh(OMe)(cod)], respectively, with P/Rh ratio of 1:1.

Trialkynylphosphines substituted with bulky triarylsilyl groups at the alkyne termini were synthesized. The new phosphines P(C[triple chemical bond]CSiAr(3))(3) (Ar=3,5-tBu(2)-4-MeOC(6)H(2), 3,5-(Me(3)Si)(2)C(6)H(3)) are uncrowded near the phosphorus atom but bulky in the distal region. As a result, they contain a large cavity, at the bottom of which the phosphine lone-pair electrons are located. The compounds are stable to oxidation by air and hydrolysis. DFT calculations suggested that the triethynylphosphines are good pi-acceptor ligands, comparable with P(OAr)(3). The trialkynylphosphines reacted with [{RhCl(cod)}(2)] (P/Rh=1.1:1) to give selectively the monophosphine-rhodium complex [RhCl(cod)P(C[triple chemical bond]CSiAr(3))(3)]. X-ray crystal-structure analysis revealed that the {RhCl(cod)} fragment is fully accommodated by the cavity of the phosphine ligand. Compared to the effect of analogues with smaller end caps and PPh(3), the trialkynylphosphines accelerated markedly the rhodium-catalyzed hydrosilylation of ketones with a triorganosilane. It is proposed that the higher catalytic activity observed with the holey phosphines is a result of the preferential formation of a monophosphine-rhodium species.

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A cationic gold(I) complex with a semihollow-shaped trialkynylphosphine catalyzed 5-exo-dig and 6-endo-dig cyclizations of various internal alkynic beta-keto esters, showing a marked advantage over a gold(I)-PPh3 complex with respect to the rates of the reactions and the product yields. It is proposed that the gold-bound alkynic substrate in a catalytic pocket must be somewhat folded and that such a steric effect makes the carbon-carbon bond formation entropically more favorable.

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