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Volume 1, Number 2, 1998: Contents

Solution Phase Combinatorial Chemistry. Pp. 57-72.
A.T. Merritt
[Abstract]

A Simple, Inexpensive Apparatus for Performance of Preparative Scale Solution Phase Multiple Parallel Synthesis of Drug Analogs. I. Preparation of a Retrospective Library of Quinolone Antiinfective Agents. Pp. 73-88.
K.E. Frank, M. Jung and L.A. Mitscher
[Abstract]

A Simple, Inexpensive Apparatus for Performance of Preparative Scale Solution Phase Multiple Parallel Synthesis of Drug Analogs. II. Biological Evaluation of a Retrospective Library of Quinolone Antiinfective Agents. Pp. 89-100.
K.E. Frank, P.V. Devasthale, E.J. Gentry, V.T. Ravikumar, A. Keschavarz-Shokri, L.A. Mitscher, A. Nilius, L.L. Shen, R. Shawar and W.R. Baker
[Abstract]

New Developments in Automated PrepLCMS Extends The Robustness and Utility of the Method for Compound Library Analysis and Purification. Pp. 101-111.
L. Zeng, X. Wang, I. Wang and D.B. Kassel
[Abstract]


Abstracts

[Back to top] Solution Phase Combinatorial Chemistry. A.T. Merritt.
Combinatorial chemistry and parallel array synthesis techniques are now used extensively in the drug discovery process. Although published literature has been dominated by solid phase chemistry approaches, the use of solution phase techniques has also been widely explored. This review considers the advantages and disadvantages of choosing solution phase approaches in the various stages of drug discovery and optimisation, and assesses the practical issues related to these approaches. The uses of standard solution chemistry, the related liquid phase approach, and of supported materials to enhance solution phase chemistry are all illustrated by a comprehensive review of the published literature over the past three years.

[Back to top] A Simple, Inexpensive Apparatus for Performance of Preparative Scale Solution Phase Multiple Parallel Synthesis of Drug Analogs. I. Preparation of a Retrospective Library of Quinolone Antiinfective Agents. K.E. Frank, M. Jung and L.A. Mitscher.
A simple inexpensive apparatus is described consisting of conveniently commercially available components which is suitable for the solution phase multiple parallel synthesis of 24-72 analogs of drug-like molecules. The use of the apparatus is illustrated by preparation of a retrospective library of over 100 analogs of antimicrobial fluoroquinolones prepared in 0% to quantitative yields. Each analog was prepared in up to 150 mg quantity and each was analyzed by NMR and mass spectrometric techniques to verify its purity and identity.

[Back to top] A Simple, Inexpensive Apparatus for Performance of Preparative Scale Solution Phase Multiple Parallel Synthesis of Drug Analogs. II. Biological Evaluation of a Retrospective Library of Quinolone Antiinfective Agents. K.E. Frank, P.V. Devasthale, E.J. Gentry, V.T. Ravikumar, A. Keschavarz-Shokri, L.A. Mitscher, A. Nilius, L.L. Shen, R. Shawar and W.R. Baker.
A series of pure fluoroquinolone antiifective agents was prepared by multiple parallel synthesis using a simple new apparatus. These compounds were evaluated biologically against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms and against a BCG strain transfected with luciferase in a fluorescence-based antitubercular assay. Activity against relatively fast growing, acid-fast Mycobacterium smegmatis was determined in part by agar-dilution streak assays. Data obtained against Escherichia coli-derived DNA gyrase does not correlate well with whole cell assays against E. coli. These compounds were assayed by a convenient glass-fiber filter binding method modified for high throughput screening. In these analogs, the results with a N-1 cyclopropyl substituent were often inferior to those obtained with a N-1 2',4'-difluorophenyl substituent. None of the new compounds prepared was superior in its antimycobacterial potency to ciprofloxacin or temafloxacin.

[Back to top] New Developments in Automated PrepLCMS Extends The Robustness and Utility of the Method for Compound Library Analysis and Purification. L. Zeng, X. Wang, I. Wang and D.B. Kassel.
New developments in the high throughput purification of combinatorial libraries by automated preparative LC-MS is presented. To facilitate high speed purifications at the multi-milligram level, short columns operated at ultra high flow rates were incorporated. In order to match the linear velocity of the short analytical columns for high speed separations (operated at 4.0 mL/min), it was required to operate the preparative columns at flow rates in excess of 70 mL/min. For chromatographically well - behaved compounds, analytical LC-MS analyses and preparative LC-MS analyses could be achieved in as little as 5 mm. For compounds exhibiting poor chromatographic peak shapes and/or for compound mixtures requiring higher resolution separations, slightly longer preparative LC-MS analysis times were required (8-10 mm/sample).

Fraction collection based on mass-triggering (as opposed to UV triggering) is an exquisitely sensitive and selective technique for purifying combinatorial libraries. However, because of its inherent selectivity (i.e., only the predicted synthetic product is isolated), synthetic by-products or other explainable reaction products are ignored during the purification process. In some instances, especially if the structures of these synthetic by-products is known (or can be elucidated readily), these compounds might and should be isolated for biological testing, as well. PrepLCMS purifications in our laboratory have been achieved using Applescripting as a way to permit communication between the mass spectrometer and the fraction collector. This Applescript was modified to permit the input of up to four unique (+/or same) masses in the data acquisition software to permit purification of up to four compounds from a single run. This was demonstrated for a combinatorial library synthesized in a microtiter plate and purified directly into a fraction collector containing four deep-well microtiter plates, making these purified microtiter plates amenable to direct biological screening.