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For decades, various plants have been studied as sources of biologically active compounds. Compounds with anticancer and antimicrobial properties are the most frequently desired. Cruciferous plants, including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and wasabi, have a special role in the research studies. Studies have shown that consumption of these plants reduce the risk of lung, breast, and prostate cancers. The high chemopreventive and anticancer potential of cruciferous plants results from the presence of a large amount of glucosinolates, which, under the influence of myrosinase, undergo an enzymatic transformation to biologically active isothiocyanates (ITCs). Natural isothiocyanates, such as benzyl isothiocyanate, phenethyl isothiocyanate, or the best-tested sulforaphane, possess anticancer activity at all stages of the carcinogenesis process, show antibacterial activity, and are used in organic synthesis. Methods of synthesis of sulforaphane, as well as its natural or synthetic bifunctional analogues with sulfinyl, sulfanyl, sulfonyl, phosphonate, phosphinate, phosphine oxide, carbonyl, ester, carboxamide, ether, or additional isothiocyanate functional groups, and with the unbranched alkyl chain containing 2–6 carbon atoms, are discussed in this review. The biological activity of these compounds are also reported. In the first section, glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, and mercapturic acids (their metabolites) are briefly characterized. Additionally, the most studied anticancer and antibacterial mechanisms of ITC actions are discussed.

A microwave‐assisted desulfuration of readily available dithiocarbamates, formed in situ from primary amines, leading to target isothiocyanates has been developed. This efficient protocol provides a rapid, environmentally benign route to aliphatic and aromatic isothiocyanates.

Thirty-three alkyl and aryl isothiocyanates, as well as isothiocyanate derivatives from esters of coded amino acids and from esters of unnatural amino acids (6-aminocaproic, 4-(aminomethyl)benzoic, and tranexamic acids), were synthesized with satisfactory or very good yields (25–97%). Synthesis was performed in a “one-pot”, two-step procedure, in the presence of organic base (Et3N, DBU or NMM), and carbon disulfide via dithiocarbamates, with 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium toluene-4-sulfonate (DMT/NMM/TsO−) as a desulfurization reagent. For the synthesis of aliphatic and aromatic isothiocyanates, reactions were carried out in a microwave reactor, and selected alkyl isothiocyanates were also synthesized in aqueous medium with high yields (72–96%). Isothiocyanate derivatives of L- and D-amino acid methyl esters were synthesized, under conditions without microwave radiation assistance, with low racemization (er 99 > 1), and their absolute configuration was confirmed by circular dichroism. Isothiocyanate derivatives of natural and unnatural amino acids were evaluated for antibacterial activity on E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains, where the most active was ITC 9e.

Eight dipeptides containing antifibrinolytic agents (tranexamic acid, aminocaproic acid, 4-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid, and glycine—natural amino acids) were synthesized in a three-step process with good or very good yields. DMT/NMM/TsO− (4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium toluene-4-sulfonate) was used as a coupling reagent. Hemolysis tests were used to study the effects of the dipeptides on blood components. Blood plasma clotting tests were used to examine their effects on thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT), and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The level of hemolysis did not exceed 1%. In clotting tests, TT, PT, and aPTT did not differentiate any of the compounds. The prothrombin times for all amides 1–8 were similar. The obtained results in the presence of amides 1–4 and 8 were slightly lower than for the other compounds and the positive control, and they were similar to the results obtained for TA. In the case of amide 3, a significantly decreased aPTT was observed. The aPTTs observed for plasma treated with amide 3 and TA were comparable. In the case of amide 6 and 8, TT values significantly lower than for the other compounds were found. The clot formation and fibrinolysis (CFF) assay was used to assess the influence of the dipeptides on the blood plasma coagulation cascade and the fibrinolytic efficiency of the blood plasma. In the clot formation and fibrinolysis assay, amides 5 and 7 were among the most active compounds. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the synthesized dipeptides were evaluated on the monocyte/macrophage peripheral blood cell line. The dipeptides did not cause hemolysis at any concentrations. They exhibited no significant cytotoxic effect on SC cells and did not induce significant DNA damage.

Fourteen novel prodrug-like analogs of two highly ionic phosphonocarboxylate inhibitors of Rab geranylgeranyl transferase were synthesized and preliminary assessment of their chemical and enzymatic stability was evaluated in buffers (pH 6.5 and 7.4) and rat intestinal homogenate (pH 6.5). Both acidic groups in phosphonocarboxylates were subject to modification. Phosphonic acid was protected either as bis(acyloxyalkyl) ester or phosphonodiamidate derived from amino acids. The carboxylic acid group was either left unchanged or was studied as ethyl ester. The compounds exhibited favorable stability in physiologically relevant pH (t1/2 above 18 h), while in intestinal homogenate they showed a large variety of half-lives (from 5 minutes to over 150 hours). LC MS studies have shown that the main product of decomposition under studied conditions resulted from cleavage of one of the ester (for acyloxyalkyl analogs) or amide (for phosphonodiamidate) bonds with phosphorus.

A series of 21 novel, structurally diverse ω‐(isothiocyanato)alkylphosphinates and phosphine oxides (ITCs) were designed and synthesized in moderate to good yields. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro antiproliferative activity using LoVo and LoVo/DX cancer cell lines. The biological activity of the synthesized compounds was higher than that of natural isothiocyanates such as benzyl isothiocyanate or sulforaphane. The antiproliferative activity of selected ITCs was also tested on selected cancer cell lines: A549, MESSA and MESSA/DX‐5, HL60 and HL60MX2, BALB/3T3, and 4T1. These compounds were assessed for their mechanism of action as inducers of cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis. Ethyl (6‐isothiocyanatohexyl)(phenyl)phosphinate (71) was tested in vivo on the 4T1 cell line and demonstrated moderate antitumor activity, similar to that benzyl isothiocyanate and cyclophosphamide.

The membrane, a selective barrier, could serve also as a carrier for biofilm (a microorganism layer) immobilization. Then, it forms the so-called catalytic (active) membrane. The aim is to maintain a layer of controlled thickness and activity. The use of membrane as a biomass carrier is justified when the membrane performs an additional function. Such applications are discussed in the paper. Particular attention is given to the reactors in which microorganisms are immobilized on the membrane surface and the membrane simultaneously serves to provide substrate transport from a liquid and/or gas. The most interesting case is membrane oxygenation. The resulting different zones of aeration of biofilm allow simultaneous aerobic and anaerobic processes to occur in a single reactor. This integration can be applied in the treatment of any kind of municipal wastewater. A promising application of biofilms is their location on an ion-exchange membrane. In this case, catalytic membrane serves as a fuel cell. In the simplest solution, microbial fuel cells change the chemical energy collected in compounds (wastes, renewal biomass) into the energy necessary to support the biological functions of microorganisms and additionally create a supply of electrical energy. Keeping a stable thickness of the microbial layer is a key to provide the process at stable efficiency. Selected methods for in situ disposal of redundant biofilm are presented.