The eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays a central role in the initiation of gene translation and subsequent protein synthesis by binding the 5' terminal mRNA cap structure. We designed and synthesized a series of novel compounds that display potent binding affinity against eIF4E despite their lack of a ribose moiety, phosphate, and positive charge as present in m7-GMP. The biochemical activity of compound 33 is 95 nM for eIF4E in an SPA binding assay. More importantly, the compound has an IC(50) of 2.5 μM for inhibiting cap-dependent mRNA translation in a rabbit reticular cell extract assay (RRL-IVT). This series of potent, truncated analogues could serve as a promising new starting point toward the design of neutral eIF4E inhibitors with physicochemical properties suitable for cellular activity assessment.

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[figure: see text] Novel chiral P,N-ligands were synthesized from (1S)-(+)-ketopinic acid using palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of a vinyl triflate and either a diarylphosphine or a dialkylphosphine as the key step. Palladium complexes of these ligands are efficient catalysts for asymmetric Heck reaction between aryl or alkenyl triflates and cyclic alkenes. Products were obtained with good to excellent enantioselectivity from arylation and alkenylation of 1,2-dihydrofuran, cyclopentene, and 4,7-dihydro-1,3-dioxepin.

GPR142 is a G protein-coupled receptor that is predominantly expressed in pancreatic β-cells. GPR142 agonists stimulate insulin secretion in the presence of high glucose concentration, so that they could be novel insulin secretagogues with reduced or no risk of hypoglycemia. We report here the optimization of HTS hit compound 1 toward a proof of concept compound 33, which showed potent glucose lowering effects during an oral glucose tolerance test in mice and monkeys.

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