The crystal structures of the three efinaconazole anhydrous forms have been solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction showing a very rare case of nearly isostructural polymorphism. The analysis of ...their crystal structures revealed that forms I and III are “quasi-isostructural” polymorphs and are morphotropically related to form II. The identical conformational and supramolecular environment can explain the concomitant polymorphism phenomenon observed for this important active pharmaceutical ingredient.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
We describe a new family of uronium‐type coupling reagents that differ in their iminium moieties and leaving groups. The presence of the morpholino group in conjunction with an oxime ...derivative—especially ethyl 2‐cyano‐2‐(hydroxyimino)acetate (Oxyma)—had a marked influence on the solubilities, stabilities, and reactivities of the reagents. Finally, the new uronium salt derived from Oxyma (COMU) performed extremely well in the presence of only 1 equiv of base, thereby confirming the effect of the hydrogen bond acceptor in the reaction. COMU also showed a less hazardous safety profile than the benzotriazole‐based HDMA and HDMB, which exhibited unpredictable autocatalytic decompositions. Furthermore, the Oxyma moiety contained in COMU suggests a lower risk of explosion than in the case of the benzotriazole derivatives.
Uronium coupling reagents: A new family of uronium‐type coupling reagents differing in their iminium moieties and leaving groups (see figure) is described. The presence of the morpholino group in combination with an oxime derivative, especially ethyl 2‐cyano‐2‐(hydroxyimino)acetate (Oxyma), had a marked influence on the solubilities, stabilities, and reactivities of the reagents. Furthermore, the Oxyma moiety offers a lower explosion risk than benzotriazole derivatives.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
A new anhydrous polymorph of the free base of sildenafil and two solvates (acetonitrile and propanenitrile) have been discovered and fully characterized. The new polymorph can be considered a ...desolvate of the acetonitrile solvate and is related to the most stable form I by morphotropism. The new polymorph can only be obtained by desolvation of the acetonitrile solvate. Thus, this study is a new example of the importance of this multicomponent family of solid forms in the discovery of new polymorphs of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
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The crystal structure of a new zonisamide cocrystal, an anticonvulsant drug used to treat the symptoms of epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease, with ϵ-caprolactam is reported herein. The structure has ...been solved by direct space methodologies from powder X-ray diffraction data. The refinement of the structure was conducted by the Rietveld method assisted by the dispersion-corrected density-functional theory (D-DFT) calculations and periodic boundary conditions. Further analysis of the structure reveals several H-bonded synthons and self–assembled dimers that have been further analyzed by DFT calculations and other computational tools such as molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces and the quantum theory of “atom-in-molecules” (QTAIM).
A new cocrystal of Norfloxacin, a poorly soluble fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has been synthetized by a solvent-mediated transformation experiment in toluene, using resorcinol as a coformer. The new ...cocrystal exists in both anhydrous and monohydrate forms with the same (1:1) Norfloxacin/resorcinol stoichiometry. The solubility of Norfloxacin and the hydrated cocrystal were determined by the shake-flask method. While Norfloxacin has a solubility of 0.32 ± 0.02 mg/mL, the cocrystal has a solubility of 2.64 ± 0.39 mg/mL, approximately 10-fold higher. The dissolution rate was tested at four biorelevant pH levels of the gastrointestinal tract: 2.0, 4.0, 5.5, and 7.4. In a first set of comparative tests, the dissolution rate of Norfloxacin and the cocrystal was determined separately at each pH value. Both solid forms showed the highest dissolution rate at pH 2.0, where Norfloxacin is totally protonated. Then, the dissolution rate decreases as pH increases. In a second set of experiments, the dissolution of the cocrystal was evaluated by a unique dissolution test, in which the pH dynamically changed from 2.0 to 7.4, stepping 30 min at each of the four biorelevant pH values. Results were quite different in this case, since dissolution at pH 2 affects the behavior of Norfloxacin at the rest of the pH values.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Herein, the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) crystal structure of a new Sildenafil cocrystal is reported, where resorcinol has been used as the coformer. The crystal structure has been solved by means ...of direct space methods used in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In the structure, the Sildenafil and resorcinol molecules form cooperative hydrogen bond (HB) and π-stacking interactions that have been analyzed using DFT calculations, the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surface, and noncovalent interaction plot (NCI plot). The formation of O–H⋯N H-bonds between resorcinol and Sildenafil increases the dipole moment and enhances the antiparallel π-stacking interaction.
Formulation of solids as cocrystals offers an opportunity to modulate physical properties, so identification of cocrystal formers (CCFs) for an active pharmaceutical ingredient is an area of ...significant interest. Exhaustive experimental screening would be time-consuming, but we have developed a computational method for identifying CCFs that have a high chance of success based on calculated functional group interaction energies. This virtual screening tool has been applied to nalidixic acid cocrystals. Calculations on a library of 310 compounds identified the 44 most promising CCFs for formation of nalidixic acid cocrystals. Six of these compounds were already known to form cocrystals, and experimental work was undertaken on the remaining 38 compounds. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) of mixtures obtained from grinding experiments identified seven CCFs that form new solid phases with nalidixic acid. Infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry confirm that these new solid phases are different from the pure components. Further structural characterization was not possible for the skatole, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid cocrystals, but X-ray crystal structures were obtained from single crystals of the 1:1 tert-butylhydroquinone cocrystal and of the 1:1 propyl gallate cocrystal and from the XRPD pattern for the 1:1 2-phenylphenol cocrystal and for the 1:2 indole cocrystal. The results suggest that success rates in cocrystal screening can be significantly improved by application of computational filters to select the most appropriate CCFs for experimental study.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is assembled into nucleo-protein structures termed nucleoids and maintained differently compared to nuclear DNA, the involved molecular basis remaining poorly ...understood. In yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), mtDNA is a ∼80 kbp linear molecule and Abf2p, a double HMG-box protein, packages and maintains it. The protein binds DNA in a non-sequence-specific manner, but displays a distinct 'phased-binding' at specific DNA sequences containing poly-adenine tracts (A-tracts). We present here two crystal structures of Abf2p in complex with mtDNA-derived fragments bearing A-tracts. Each HMG-box of Abf2p induces a 90° bend in the contacted DNA, causing an overall U-turn. Together with previous data, this suggests that U-turn formation is the universal mechanism underlying mtDNA compaction induced by HMG-box proteins. Combining this structural information with mutational, biophysical and computational analyses, we reveal a unique DNA binding mechanism for Abf2p where a characteristic N-terminal flag and helix are crucial for mtDNA maintenance. Additionally, we provide the molecular basis for A-tract mediated exclusion of Abf2p binding. Due to high prevalence of A-tracts in yeast mtDNA, this has critical relevance for nucleoid architecture. Therefore, an unprecedented A-tract mediated protein positioning mechanism regulates DNA packaging proteins in the mitochondria, and in combination with DNA-bending and U-turn formation, governs mtDNA compaction.
Abstract The adaptation of existing antimalarial nanocarriers to new Plasmodium stages, drugs, targeting molecules, or encapsulating structures is a strategy that can provide new ...nanotechnology-based, cost-efficient therapies against malaria. We have explored the modification of different liposome prototypes that had been developed in our group for the targeted delivery of antimalarial drugs to Plasmodium -infected red blood cells (pRBCs). These new models include: (i) immunoliposome-mediated release of new lipid-based antimalarials; (ii) liposomes targeted to pRBCs with covalently linked heparin to reduce anticoagulation risks; (iii) adaptation of heparin to pRBC targeting of chitosan nanoparticles; (iv) use of heparin for the targeting of Plasmodium stages in the mosquito vector; and (v) use of the non-anticoagulant glycosaminoglycan chondroitin 4-sulfate as an heparin surrogate for pRBC targeting. The results presented indicate that the tuning of existing nanovessels to new malaria-related targets is a valid low-cost alternative to the de novo development of targeted nanosystems.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Abstract
Human mitochondrial DNA (h-mtDNA) codes for 13 subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, the essential route that produces ATP. H-mtDNA transcription and replication depends on the ...transcription factor TFAM, which also maintains and compacts this genome. It is well-established that TFAM activates the mtDNA promoters LSP and HSP1 at the mtDNA control region where DNA regulatory elements cluster. Previous studies identified still uncharacterized, additional binding sites at the control region downstream from and slightly similar to LSP, namely sequences X and Y (Site-X and Site-Y) (Fisher et al., Cell 50, pp 247–258, 1987). Here, we explore TFAM binding at these two sites and compare them to LSP by multiple experimental and in silico methods. Our results show that TFAM binding is strongly modulated by the sequence-dependent properties of Site-X, Site-Y and LSP. The high binding versatility of Site-Y or the considerable stiffness of Site-X tune TFAM interactions. In addition, we show that increase in TFAM/DNA complex concentration induces multimerization, which at a very high concentration triggers disruption of preformed complexes. Therefore, our results suggest that mtDNA sequences induce non-uniform TFAM binding and, consequently, direct an uneven distribution of TFAM aggregation sites during the essential process of mtDNA compaction.
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