Building Blocks

5-Methyl-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid (MPICA) is a potent inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. It is also an inhibitor of β-glucuronidase and enzymes that maintain the integrity of bacterial DNA. MPICA has been shown to inhibit xanthine oxidase in a dose dependent manner and can be used as a lead compound for new inhibitors of this enzyme.

2-Methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide is an alkoxy radical that is a toxic chemical. It is used in the synthesis of other chemicals and drugs, as well as in diagnostic tests. 2-Methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide is converted to its n-oxide form by hydrochloric acid. The molecule has two functionalities: one nucleophilic and one electrophilic. These functionalities allow it to undergo reactions with many different types of molecules, including ethylene acetal.

Diazepam (also known as Valium) is a benzodiazepine drug used to treat anxiety disorders, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and other conditions. Diazepam is a tranquilizer that works by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system. It may also be used to control seizures, prevent certain types of muscle spasms, treat insomnia and relieve anxiety before surgery. Diazepam has been shown to have an affinity for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in rat brains. This drug can work by blocking these receptors and preventing the transmission of impulses between neurons. Diazepam is marketed in many countries as an anxiolytic agent under trade names such as Valium and Librium. The clinical use of diazepam should be limited because it has been shown to cause birth defects in animal studies when given at high doses or during pregnancy.

6-Bromo-7-azaindole is a homologous molecule. It is an electron deficient compound with a piperidine moiety at the 6 position and a nitrogen atom at the 7 position. The nitrogen atom substitutes for an oxygen atom, making this molecule reactive. The electron deficient nature of this molecule makes it suitable for use in transistors and other physicochemical devices. 6-Bromo-7-azaindole has been shown to be effective against carcinoma cells in vitro, as well as to inhibit tumor growth in vivo. This drug also causes homologous recombination by interacting with DNA in mammalian cells. 6-Bromo-7-azaindole binds to DNA, forming a covalent bond with the guanine base of DNA through the nitrogen atom, which is electron deficient.

2,6-Diacetylpyridine is a chelate ligand that has significant cytotoxicity. It binds to nitrogen atoms and can form stable complexes with metals. The compound also has genotoxic activity that is shown through the formation of high values in plasma mass spectrometry. 2,6-Diacetylpyridine has been used as an antimicrobial agent, where it inhibits bacterial growth by binding to DNA and RNA. This compound also binds to the enzyme thymidylate synthase and inhibits its activity, which may be due to its coordination geometry. 2,6-Diacetylpyridine has been shown to have biological properties such as being able to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in cell cultures.

1-Hydroxy-2,3-dimethylbenzene (1,2-DMB) is a chemical compound that is used as an industrial catalyst. It has been shown to be an efficient catalyst for the treatment of wastewater, and has been studied in the removal of nitrogen from industrial gases. 1,2-DMB has also been found to be active against bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. This compound reacts with copper ions to form an organometallic complex, which then reacts with trifluoroacetic acid in an organic solution to form an aldehyde group.

3-Mercapto-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid hydrochloride (3MP) is a small molecule that is a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase inhibitor. The inhibition of this enzyme leads to an accumulation of 3-phosphoglyceric acid and inhibits the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, which results in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. 3MP has been shown to inhibit the activity of mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in porcine hepatocytes, leading to decreased triglycerides and increased glucose uptake. It also inhibits PEPCK activity in vitro in cultured human cells, leading to increased HSP70 levels and exacerbated oxidative stress.

2,2':6',2'-Terpyridine-4,4',4''-tricarboxylic acid is a model system that has been studied for its photochemical properties. In this molecule, there are two carboxyl groups and three pyridine rings. The molecule can be protonated easily by electron transfer to form a positively charged anion. This allows the molecule to undergo electron transfer reactions with other molecules in the presence of radiation or visible light. 2,2':6',2'-Terpyridine-4,4',4''-tricarboxylic acid absorbs photons easily and then transfers its energy to a nearby electron. The electron then passes on the energy to another molecule, which can produce a photocurrent.

1-Hexen-3-one is a carbonyl compound that has been shown to act as an estrogen receptor modulator. It has been isolated from the reaction product of hexene and formaldehyde, in which the intramolecular hydrogen is transferred to the carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl group. 1-Hexen-3-one has been shown to induce muscle cell proliferation in vitro and inhibit liver microsomal protein synthesis in vivo. The 1-hexen-3-one can be prepared by reacting hexene with formaldehyde. The yield of this reaction is about 80%.
2 HCHO + C6H12 → C6H14O + 2 HCOOH