Novel strategies are required to combat pox virus infections, whether caused by escape of viruses such as monkeypox from indigenous areas or intentional release of smallpox. Anti-smallpox drugs with a unique mode of antiviral action, inhibition of transcription termination, were known but not therapeutically useful. Using a combinatorial method, variants of the basic isatin-beta-thiosemicarbazone structure were prepared and examined for cytotoxicity and antiviral activity in vaccinia virus- and cowpox virus-infected human cells. Potent and much more selective N-aminomethyl-isatin-beta-thiosemicarbazones were discovered.

Simple, chiral, pyrrolidine-based diamine and triamine derivatives that incorporate the secondary-secondary diamine motif are efficient catalysts for the highly diastereoselective and enantioselective Michael addition of cyclic ketones to 2-nitrovinyl arenes. The highest selectivities are obtained when these catalysts are used in conjunction with protonic acids. Steric factors in the substrate and the size of the acid additive play an important role in stereoselection.

Over the past decade, organocatalysis has emerged as a powerful tool for stereoselective carbon-carbon bond formation under exceptionally mild conditions. The organocatalytic versions of a large number of traditional synthetic transformations are now well established and the quest for new applications of the basic concepts of organocatalysis continues. This review addresses the emergent interest in the organocatalytic vinylogous aldol reaction. While noteworthy progress has been made in this area, significant challenges lie ahead.

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