The introduction of lipophilic derivatives of the naturally occurring heme precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) into photomedicine has led to a true revival of this research area. 5-ALA-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) and fluorescence photodetection (FD) of neoplastic disease is probably one of the most selective cancer treatments currently known in oncology. To date, this method has been assessed experimentally for the treatment of various medical indications. However, the limited local bioavailability of 5-ALA has widely prevented its use in daily clinical practice. Although researchers were already aware of this drawback early during the development of 5-ALA-mediated PDT, only recently have well-established concepts in pharmaceutical science been adapted to investigate ways to overcome this drawback. Recently, two derivatives of 5-ALA, methylaminolevulinate (MAL) and hexylaminolevulinate (HAL), gained marketing authorization from the regulatory offices in Europe and Australia. MAL is marketed under the trade name Metvix for the treatment of actinic keratosis and difficult-to-treat basal cell carcinoma. HAL has recently been launched under the trade name Hexvix to improve the detection of superficial bladder cancer in Europe. This review will first present the fundamental concepts underlying the use of 5-ALA derivatives in PDT and FD from a chemical, biochemical and pharmaceutical point of view. Experimental evidences from preclinical data on the improvements and limits observed with 5-ALA derivatives will then be introduced. The state-of-the-art from clinical studies with 5-ALA esters will be discussed, with special emphasis placed on the process that led to the development of MAL in dermatology and to HAL in urology. Finally, we will discuss promising medical fields in which use of 5-ALA derivatives might potentially lead to further use of this methodology in photomedicine.

A novel palladium migration/arylation methodology for the synthesis of complex fused polycycles has been developed, in which one or more sequential Pd-catalyzed intramolecular migration processes involving C-H activation are employed. The chemistry works best with electron-rich aromatics, which is in agreement with the idea that these palladium-catalyzed C-H activation reactions parallel electrophilic aromatic substitution.

A novel palladium migration methodology for the synthesis of complex fused polycycles has been developed. This process involves 1,4-palladium alkyl to aryl migrations via through-space C-H activation, followed by intramolecular arylation or an intermolecular Heck reaction providing a very efficient way to synthesize fused ring systems.

[reaction: see text] A variety of substituted polycyclic aromatics are readily prepared in good to excellent yields under very mild reaction conditions by the reaction of 2-(1-alkynyl)biphenyls with ICl, I(2), NBS, and p-O(2)NC(6)H(4)SCl. This methodology readily accommodates various functional groups and has been successfully extended to systems containing a variety of polycyclic and heterocyclic rings.

Quinolines substituted in the 3-position by an iodo or phenylseleno group are readily prepared in good to excellent yields by the reaction of propargylic anilines with appropriate electrophiles under mild reaction conditions. [reaction: see text]

Biologically interesting fluoren-9-one and xanthen-9-one derivatives have been prepared by a novel aryl to imidoyl palladium migration, followed by intramolecular arylation. The fluoren-9-one synthesis appears to involve both a palladium migration mechanism and a C-H activation process proceeding through an unprecedented organopalladium(IV) hydride intermediate. The results from deuterium labeling experiments are consistent with the proposed dual mechanism.

A novel 1,4-palladium migration in organopalladium intermediates derived from o-iodobiaryls has been observed under modified Heck reaction conditions. This migration process can be switched "on" or "off" by simply choosing the appropriate reaction conditions.

The synthesis of various substituted fluoren-9-ones has been accomplished by the palladium-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation of o-halobiaryls. The cyclocarbonylation of 4'-substituted 2-iodobiphenyls produces very high yields of 2-substituted fluoren-9-ones bearing either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents. 3'-Substituted 2-iodobiphenyls afford 3-substituted fluoren-9-ones in excellent yields with good regioselectivity. This chemistry has been successfully extended to polycyclic fluorenones and fluorenones containing fused isoquinoline, indole, pyrrole, thiophene, benzothiophene, and benzofuran rings.