Sulfur-Containing Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2025 | Viewed by 3126

Special Issue Editors


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Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Outeiro São João Batista, Niterói 24020-141, RJ, Brazil
Interests: organic synthesis; medicinal chemistry; naphthoquinones; triazoles; heterocycles
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E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói 24020-141, RJ, Brazil
Interests: organic synthesis; medicinal chemistry; naphthoquinones; triazoles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sulfur is an essential element for life, whether for the growth and development of plants or for human health. Furthermore, sulfur substances, whether acyclic or heterocyclic, have a great impact on the search for useful substances in the treatment of numerous diseases.

Currently, a large number of original scientific articles have been presented on this topic, exploring reactions that use sulfur compounds as a starting material and for biological applications that utilize their antitumor, leishmanicidal, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and trypanocidal activities.

Pharmaceuticals invites both reviews and original articles that present the historical importance of sulfur-containing compounds in medicinal chemistry, as well as the latest findings published. The collection of manuscripts will be published as a Special Issue of the journal.

Dr. David Rodrigues da Rocha
Dr. Fernando de Carvalho da Silva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • sulfur
  • medicinal chemistry
  • organic synthesis
  • heterocycles
  • cancer
  • malaria
  • neglected diseases

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 2850 KiB  
Article
Access to Substituted Tricyclic Heteroarenes by an Oxidative Cyclization Reaction and Their Antifungal Performance
by Rehema Nakiwala, Noopur Dasgupta, Rebecca Wilson, Erika I. Lutter and Jeanne L. Bolliger
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(2), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18020249 - 12 Feb 2025
Viewed by 905
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Fungal pathogens are increasingly developing concerning resistance against the currently available antifungal drugs, which creates a constant demand for new antifungal agents. Methods: Here, we report the synthesis of C3,N4-substituted triazole derivatives containing a N4-(2-((4-methoxybenzyl)thio)phenyl) group. By selectively removing the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Fungal pathogens are increasingly developing concerning resistance against the currently available antifungal drugs, which creates a constant demand for new antifungal agents. Methods: Here, we report the synthesis of C3,N4-substituted triazole derivatives containing a N4-(2-((4-methoxybenzyl)thio)phenyl) group. By selectively removing the 4-methoxybenzyl group, we were able to access the free thiol analogs which, under oxidative conditions, undergo a cyclization reaction yielding a C5-substituted benzo[4,5]thiazolo[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazole. We were able to show a broad functional group tolerance for the preparation of the triazole derivatives, as well as the tricyclic heteroarenes prepared thereof. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the oxidative cyclization reaction proceeds via an ionic pathway involving a disulfide intermediate. Isolation of the disulfide intermediate and resubjecting it to the reaction conditions shows that the presence of acid significantly increases its rate of conversion to the corresponding benzo[4,5]thiazolo[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazole. Antifungal testing of both the novel triazoles and the benzo[4,5]thiazolo[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazoles was carried out with Candida albicans (SC5314) and a clinical strain of Trichosporon asahii (OK01). Results: Most of the novel sulfur-containing triazoles and benzo[4,5]thiazolo[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazoles showed activity against Candida albicans (SC5314) and the emerging pathogen Trichosporon asahii (OK01). Conclusions: A series of new sulfur-containing triazoles and benzo[4,5]thiazolo[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazoles were synthesized. Antifungal testing revealed modest activity against Candida albicans (SC5314) and Trichosporon asahii (OK01). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sulfur-Containing Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry)
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15 pages, 3772 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Docking, and DFT Studies on Novel Schiff Base Sulfonamide Analogues as Selective COX-1 Inhibitors with Anti-Platelet Aggregation Activity
by Yasmine M. Abdel Aziz, Mohamed S. Nafie, Pierre A. Hanna, Sherif Ramadan, Assem Barakat and Marwa Elewa
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(6), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17060710 - 30 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1482
Abstract
Selective COX-1 inhibitors are preferential therapeutic targets for platelet aggregation and clotting responses. In this study, we examined the selective COX-1-inhibitory activities of four newly synthesized compounds, 1013, along with their abilities to inhibit platelet aggregation against ADP and collagen. [...] Read more.
Selective COX-1 inhibitors are preferential therapeutic targets for platelet aggregation and clotting responses. In this study, we examined the selective COX-1-inhibitory activities of four newly synthesized compounds, 1013, along with their abilities to inhibit platelet aggregation against ADP and collagen. The target compounds 1013 were synthesized using the conventional method, sonication, and microwave-assisted methods. Microanalytical and spectral data were utilized to elucidate the structures of the new compounds 1013. Additionally, a spectral NMR experiment [NOESY] was conducted to emphasize the configuration around the double bond of the imine group C=N. The obtained results revealed no observed correlation between any of the neighboring protons, suggesting that the configuration at the C=N double bond is E. Biological results revealed that all the screened compounds 1013 might serve as selective COX-1 inhibitors. They showed IC50 values ranging from 0.71 μM to 4.82 μM against COX-1 and IC50 values ranging from 9.26 μM to 15.24 μM against COX-2. Their COX-1 selectivity indices ranged between 2.87 and 18.69. These compounds show promise as promising anti-platelet aggregation agents. They effectively prevented platelet aggregation induced by ADP with IC50 values ranging from 0.11 μM to 0.37 μM, surpassing the standard aspirin with an IC50 value of 0.49 μM. Additionally, they inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by collagen with IC50 values ranging from 0.12 μM to 1.03 μM, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to aspirin, which has an IC50 value of 0.51 μM. In silico molecular modeling was performed for all the target compounds within the active sites of COX-1 and COX-2 to rationalize their selective inhibitory activities towards COX-1. It was found that the binding interactions of the designed compounds within the COX-1 active site had remained unaffected by the presence of celecoxib. Molecular modeling and DFT calculations using the B3LYP/6-31+G (d,p) level were performed to study the stability of E-forms with respect to Z-forms for the investigated compounds. A strong correlation was observed between the experimental observations and the quantum chemical descriptors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sulfur-Containing Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry)
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