Organic Chemistry Research
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Organic Chemistry Research
Diaziridines II. The Synthesis and Chemistry of Novel 1-Aryl-1-trimethylsilyl-1H-diazirino-[1,2-b]phthalazine-3,8-diones
Student Researcher: Daniel V. Fraccica
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Steven Bonser
Another objective in my Laboratory is to develop some novel diaziridine compounds that can be used to make specific therapeutic molecules of diverse architecture, and their subsequent development into useful pharmaceuticals. The targeted therapeutic/medicinal molecules of interest are the lesser known 2,4-benzodiazepines, a class of compounds known for their anxiolytic/antiarrhythmic activity. Benzodiazepines, in general, are Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants prescribed for treating anxiety, tension, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal, and insomnia. The 1,4-benzodiazepines are the most common class, and are exemplified by diazepam, trade name valium. We plan to utilize a new approach to synthesizing specific diaziridines that may provide a more robust, cost-effective entry into the 2,4-benzodiazepine anxiolytic pharmaceuticals. This new approach will exploit the reaction between certain silylated-diaziridines with certain 1,2-diaroyl dichloride and 1,2-dibenzenesulfonyl dichloride compounds to generate the specific "designer" diaziridines needed for this study.
Diaziridines I. The Synthesis and Chemistry of Some 2-Sulfobenzoyl-, and 1,2-dibenzenesulfonyldiaziridines
Student Researcher: Hannah M. McWilliams
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Steven Bonser
Diaziridines are a class of three-membered ring heterocycles that contain one carbon and two nitrogen atoms. They are useful intermediates in the synthesis of more complex heterocyclic compounds, some of which have found applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Although several studies on the synthesis and chemistry of 1,2-diaroyldiaziridines have appeared in the chemical literature, there are no reports on their dibenzenesulfonyl, or their 2-sulfobenzoyl analogues. We are attempting, therefore, to synthesize a variety of these diaziridine derivatives in order to study their chemical reactivity. It is expected that this project will shed some light on how different electron withdrawing groups influences the reactivity of the three-membered diaziridine ring. Furthermore, it is anticipated that these molecules may lead to some interesting new antidepressant, antipsychotic, and anxiolytic pharmaceuticals.
