Epoxidation of vinyl cyanides by lithium hypochlorite in the presence of Fe3O4@Ag-CTAB as a new eco-friendly catalyst in aqueous medium

To cater to the requirement of environmental protection, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-coated Fe3O4@Ag Nanoparticles as a new hybrid magnetic catalyst was prepared for the one-pot multicomponent epoxidation of a wide range of alkenes by lithium hypochlorite (LiOCl) in aqueous medium. FT-IR, TEM, XRD, EDS and VSM techniques were employed to characterize the structure of the magnetic catalyst. The results obtained revealed that the CTAB modification effectively decreased the particle size and enhanced the dispersion of the particles in solution. Application of this catalyst was studied efficiently in one-pot multicomponent synthesis of epoxide derivatives. The structure of the synthesized epoxides was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and elemental analysis. The main advantages of our work are reusability of the catalyst, easy work-up, Short reaction times and use of water as a green solvent.

Introduction
Organic synthesis in aqueous medium is an important challenge in green chemistry [1]. But, the main disadvantage of using water as a green solvent is the low solubility of most organic compounds. In order to overcome this problem, surfactants can be used [2]. Surfactants, including nonionic, cationic, anionic, nano, and zwitterionic forms improve the solubility of materials by forming micelles, easing the dispersion of organic molecules in water and reducing aqueous interfacial tension [3]. In recent years, various surfactants such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) have been applied in many organic reactions [4][5][6][7][8]. On the other hand, magnetically nanocatalysts have attracted more attention than other nanoparticles in synthesis of organic compounds because of easy separation, their high catalytic activity and improved selectivity [9,10]. For example, lately polymer-supported Fe 3 O 4 11 and Cu 2 O/Fe 3 O 4 @guarana nanocatalysts [12] for the synthesis of imidazole derivatives, Fe 3 O 4 @Cu-β-CD for the synthesis of dihydropyrano [2,3-c]pyrazole derivatives [13], TiO 2 -coated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles for the synthesis of pyrroles [14] and Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-β-CD for the synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones [15] have been applied. In this paper, we have decorated a class of usable hybrid nanocomposites in aqueous medium which shown combining the positive properties of CTAB and magnetic nanoparticles and we used it for epoxidation of vinyl cyanide derivatives by lithium hypochlorite.
Epoxides are an important class of organic compounds which are good raw material and important intermediates for making valuable products in organic synthesis [16][17][18]. Furthermore, epoxide derivatives have been found to be a good precursor for the synthesis of bioactive compounds in many reactions [19][20][21][22]. Based on foregoing, several efforts have been focused on epoxidation of alkenes and various methods have been reported in recent decades. For example, synthesis of epoxides from alkenes with NaOCl and urea H 2 O 2 in the presence of chiral macrocyclicsalen Mn (III) complexes [23], by LiOCl in the presence of Mn(III) porphyrins [24], by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of oxidovanadium (IV) tetradentate schiff base complex [25], by H 2 O 2 in the presence of titaniumsilicalite catalyst [26] and vanadium complex [27], have been reported. Epoxidation of 2-benzylidene malononitrile in the presence of cumyl hydroperoxide (CHP) was also reported in 2015 [28]. However, these methods involve some disadvantages such as long reaction times and use of organic solvents. Table 1 represents the comparative methods for the epoxidation of some alkene derivatives.

Materials
The FeCl 2 ·4H 2 O, FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O, benzaldehyd derivatives, malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacrylate, lithium hypochlorite, solvents and the other reagents were purchased from Merck, Aldrich or Fluka, and were used as received without further purification.

Instruments
The FTIR spectra were run on a Bruker Equinox (model 55, Germany), and the NMR spectra measured by a Bruker AC 400 Avance DPX spectrophotometer, Germany at 500 MHz for 1 H and at 125 MHz for 13 C NMR in CDCl 3 solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed using a Zeiss EM10C with accelerating voltage of 100 kV. EDS analysis was carried out using ZEISS (model SIGMA VP-500, Germany) with Oxford Instrument detector (England). XRD patterns were recorded on a PAN alytical (model X'Pert PRO) X-ray diffractometer. A vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) (model LBKFB, Meghnatis Daghigh Kavir Co, Iran) was used for hysteresis loop determinations. The melting points were determined by a Buchi melting point B-540 B. V.CHI apparatus.

Synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB MNPs
In the first step, the prepared Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles [29] (0.2 g) were dispersed in deionized water (5 mL) and then AgNO 3 solution (5 mL of 0.01 M) was added under ultrasound treatment. Thereafter, NaBH 4 solution (30 mL of 0.02 M) was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was stirred vigorously on a magnetic plate for 20 min. The obtained product was separated with external magnet and then washed

Typical procedure for the preparation of 3-Phenyloxirane-2,2-dicarbonitrile
Benzaldehyde (1 mmol), malononitrile (1 mmol), lithium hypochlorite (1 mmol), Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB (0.05 g) and 10 mL H 2 O were introduced into a test tube equipped with a mechanical stirrer. The mixture constantly stirred at room temperature for 2 h. After completion of the reaction, the catalyst was separated using an external magnet. The solvent of the remained mixture was evaporated and a pure product was obtained by recrystallization from ethanol with yield of 90%. Under optimized conditions, 3-aryloxirane-2-carbonitriles (2a-o) were synthesized. The results are summarized in Table 2.
Reaction of benzaldehyde, malononitrile and oxidant was selected as a model reaction. The model reaction behaviour was studied by adjusting various parameters such as presence of catalyst, type of catalyst, amount of the catalyst and type of oxidant. The results are summarized in Table 3. The model reaction was attempted in the presence of LiOCl without any catalyst and only a 20% yield was obtained ( Table 3, entry 1). To find the true role of metal catalyst in this catalysis, several catalysts such as Fe 3 O 4 , CTAB, Fe 3 O 4 @Ag and Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB were employed. However, it was noticed that the highest yield was achieved in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB as catalyst (Table 3,    NaOCl, NaIO 3 and NaIO 4 were also used. No reaction occurred with these oxidants under optimized conditions and only a 65% yield was obtained by NaOCl (Table 3,  entries 10-12). Finally, we found that this reaction optimally proceeded with LiOCl in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB as catalyst and completed within 2 h to afford the corresponding product in 90% yields.

Results and discussion
FT-IR study Figure 1 shows the FT-IR spectra of Fe 3 O 4 (Fig. 1a), CTAB (Fig. 1b) and Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB (Fig. 1c) In FT-IR spectra of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, Peak at 599.24 cm −1 is attributed to the Fe-O band vibration. The broad band around 3000-3500 cm −1 displays the surface hydroxy stretching vibrations (Fig. 1a). In FT-IR spectra of CTAB, The peak at 1486.97 cm −1 is attributed to CN bond and the peaks at 2849.71 and 2918.15 cm −1 are attributed to two different CH bands vibration of CTAB (Fig. 1b). In FT-IR spectra of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB, observed band at 586.03 cm −1 corresponds to stretching vibration of Fe-O bond. The peaks at 2850.49 and 2919.02 cm −1 are attributed to CH bands vibration of CTAB (Fig. 1c). Any specific signals are not observed for Ag in the FT-IR spectra because silver is a metal element.

Particle size analysis
Analyzing the size of prepared nanoparticles carried out according to TEM technique, in which the dimensions of them were achieved about 30-90 nm (Fig. 2). Also, the results obtained confirmed that the modification of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag nanoparticles using CTAB as a coating material effectively prevented the aggregation of magnetite nanocomposites and led to a better dispersion of the particles in solution.   Figure 4 shows the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy EDS analysis, which confirms the presence of C, N, Fe and Ag species. In EDS spectrum, the intensity of Ag peak is higher than that of Fe, which indicates that Fe particles  Figure 4 also shows the EDX elements mapping images of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB, including the contents of C, N, Ag and Fe elements. As shown in Fig. 4, the contents of C (in yellow), N (in blue), Ag (in brown) and Fe (in red) elements for Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB were 48.23, 40.71, 6.64 and 4.43% respectively. These results confirm the existence of C and N elements in Fe 3 O 4 @ Ag-CTAB.

Mechanism
The positively charged ammonium moiety of CTAB adsorbs on the surface of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag NPs by a strong electrostatic interaction, while the hydrophobic chains point outwards into a solution phase, leading to the formation of hydrophobic hemimicelle. So, organic reactants can be preconcentrated on the surface of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag NPs. First, Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB promotes the Knoevenagel condensation of the benzaldehyde with malononitrile. It should be noted that some knoevenagel reaction could occur in water without the addition of any base [30,31]. We, therefore, proposed a mechanism involving the ionization of malononitrile

Conclusion
In conclusion, we have developed a convenient procedure for the epoxidation of vinyl cyanide derivatives by LiOCl in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-CTAB as a new environmental friendly and reusable catalyst in aqueous medium with good to high yields (70-99%). It seems that CTAB provides a hydrophobic medium to accumulate organic reactants and the Fe 3 O 4 @Ag, as a Lewis acid, catalyzes the reactions.
The remarkable advantages of this method are avoidance of organic solvents, short reaction times, high yields, and easily recoverable heterogeneous magnetic catalyst.


Phytochemical Characterization of Ethanolic Extracts of the Leaves of Zanthoxylum Caribaeum Lam and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity Against Burkholderia Glumae

Phytochemical analysis of the leaf extract of Zanthoxylum caribaeum Lam (Family Rutaceae) collected in the La Garita district, Municipality of Los Patios in Norte de Santander, Colombia, is reported. Ethanolic extracts by simple maceration were concentrated at reduced pressure. Secondary metabolites found in preliminary identification demonstrated the presence of of alkaloids, tannins, carotenoids, anthocyanins, coumarins, cardiotonics, flavonoids, quinones, saponins, sesquiterpenlactones, and triterpenoids. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis identified the presence of ten compounds, with α-trans-farnesene (33.5%) as the main constituent, followed by trans-βcaryophyllene (28.1%), S-cadinene (9.7%), caryophyllene oxide (8.3%) and γ-muurolene (8.1%). Some of these compounds have been reported with biological properties such as antiparasitic, antimicrobial or cytotoxic, so Zanthoxylum caribaeum is a promising species in the Department of North Santander as a source of compounds chemicals with important biological activity.

Introduction
Colombia has a diversity of climates and environmental conditions, which favor the growth and dispersion of different varieties and species of plants. In the department of Norte de Santander, characterized by having a tropical dry forest, some botanical classification studies have been carried out. However, phytochemical studies are relatively scarce. The importance of phytochemical composition studies lies in being able to determine the presence of secondary metabolites with possible biological activity [1]. Plant secondary metabolites are chemical compounds produced by the plant cell through metabolic pathways derived from primary metabolic pathways and have been shown to have different biological effects. Antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral properties have been described. These metabolites are classified according to their chemical structure [2].
Despite the remarkable use of Z. caribeaum and its wide presence in different regions of Norte de Santander, there is a lack of studies related to its phytochemical composition and biological activity that allow in the future the development of medicines or compounds for the control of pathogens that affect the population or crop plants such as Burkholderia glumae, which causes bacterial panicle blight (BPB) in rice crops [13]. In this study by phytochemical analysis of Z. caribeaum extracts, it was possible to determine the presence of compounds such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins and flavonoids among other secondary metabolites being this tree a valuable source of active natural constituents of interest in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry. The ethanolic extracts of Z. caribeaum leaves was investigated against B. Glumae.

Ethanolic extract of Z. caribeaum
Z. caribaeum Lam ( Figure 1) samples with collection number COL:648, were collected at the La Garita, Norte de Santander, at 520 meters above sea level and an average temperature of 28°C. 100 g of dried, powder-free, crushed leaves were used and added in 200mL of ethanol (Merck, Germany). The mixture was left 72h in total darkness on a shaker (MAXQ 4450, Thermo ScientificTM. Marieta, United States), 35°C and 100rpm. The extract was filtered under vacuum with filter paper (Qual. dia. 125mm, BOECO, Germany) using a vacuum pump (DOSIVAC, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The ethanolic extract was concentrated at reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator (IKA®RV10, Wilmington, United States) at 50rpm, 150mbar and 40°C. The concentrated extract was stored in amber bottles at 4°C for further analysis.

Thin layer chromatography (TLC)
To determine the best separation eluent, thin layer chromatography runs of the extract were performed using different mobile phases: Ethyl hexane-acetate (95:5 v/v), ethyl-propanol acetate (9:1) and ethyl petroleum-acetate ether (7:3). All chemical reactants were from Merck, Germany the plates were run with the extract and revealed with ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 254 and 365 nm respectively to determine by fluorescence the presence of secondary metabolites.

Identification of secondary metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
HPLC methanolic extract (80%) from the leaves and bark of Z. caribaeum was analyzed. The chromatographic analysis was performed on an AT 6890 Series Plus gas chromatograph (Agilent Technologies, MSD 5973, Santa Clara, United States), operated in full scan mode. The column used in the analysis was DB-5MS (5%-phenyl-poly (methylsiloxane), 60m x 0.23mm x 0.25μm). The injection was performed in Split mode (30:1) with the SPME device, using the Adams, Wiley and NIST databases

Antimicrobial activity of Z. Caribaeum Lam extracts
The Kirby-Bauer [14] method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of leaves and bark of Z. caribaeum against the pathogenic microorganisms Burkholderia glumae. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extracts of leaves and bark of Z. caribaeum was quantitatively evaluated for the presence of halos of inhibition and was statistically analyzed. In petri dishes with King B medium, the sensidiscs (sterilized filter paper) impregnated with 20 μL of the concentrated extract (T1) and dilutions 1:1 (T2), 1:2 (T3), 1:4 (T4) (concentrated extract: ethanol), positive control (+) (STARNER (oxolinic acid), Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd) and negative control (-) (distilled water) were placed separately. Petri dishes were incubated at 30°C for 36 h, and the diameters of the resulting inhibition halos were measured Statistical analysis (ANOVA) and Tukey's multiple comparison tests α = 0.05 were performed with the SPSS program for MAC version 24. Each trial consisting of 6 repetitions for statistical validation.

Chromatographic profile by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
TLC profile of the ethanolic extract of Z. Caribaeum leaves was performed using different mobile phases. The best separation was obtained with petroleum ether: ethyl acetate (7:3). The profiles are shown in Table 1. Bands with fluorescent yellow and light blue colorations indicate the presence of flavones, flavonones, isoflavones, certain coumarins and alkaloids; red and fuchsia the presence of sesquiterpenes and terpenoids [15]. Confirmation of the presence of these metabolites was carried out with specific phytochemical assays for these metabolites, the results are shown in

Phytochemical screening of the plant extract
Phytochemical screening of Z. caribaeum leaves was done from ethanolic extracts. Ethanol is a solvent with the ability to extract compounds with a wide range of polarities (polar and non-polar), it is economical and non-toxic. The identification of secondary metabolites was carried out using a modified protocol based on methodologies and qualitative tests [15], which are summarized in Table 2. The phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract of Zanthoxylum caribaeum leaves has a similarity with the reports of Ordaz and collaborators [16], who detected in this same species alkaloids, phenols such as coumarins and tannins such as flavonoids in low proportion. Once the best separation condition of the metabolites was obtained, their Rf values were determined by visualizing them with UV at 302 and 365 nm (Table 3). TLC test showed the presence of flavonoids with the appearance of reddish bands (RF 0.1 -0.9) and celestial bands (RF 0.74), as shown in Table 4. This result was reconfirmed with the phytochemical screening using the Shinoda´s test, obtaining reddish coloration, being positive for the presence of flavonoids type dihydroflavonols, precursors of flavonols. These compounds are used by the plant as a defense mechanism and attraction of pollinators. They also have antioxidant and free radical eliminator properties [17,18].
Trans-β-caryophyllene α-humulene γ-muurolene  (Table 4) are different from what was reported for the same plant sampled in the National Park Restringa in Rio de Janeiro, brazil [7,9]. In example, they found trans-β-karyophyllene, α-humulene, and γ-muurolene in much lower amounts; the trans-β-karyophyllene, was found in a proportion 6 times higher in the samples analyzed from Norte de Santander compared to what was reported in Brazil. Differences in chemical composition and relative quantities between plants of the same species from different localities may be due to geobotanical conditions or soil type [19]. Among the compounds found, trans-β-karyophyllene (relative amount of 28.1% in Z. caribeaum from Norte de Santander) has antiparasitic activity against Leismania and has been suggested as an attractive and safe molecule for the development of drugs against this protiste [20]. Cytotoxic activity of Lippia origanoides essential oil was also reported with a relative amount of 9.4% trans-β-cariophyllene on HeLa cells [21]. Finally, it has been reported that caryophyllene oxide, used as a preservative for food, medicines and cosmetics, has antifungal activity against dermatophytes [22]. The most abundant compound in the leaves of Zanthoxylum caribaeum from Norte de Santander is α-trans-farnesene with a relative amount of 33.5% (Table 4). The α-farnesene is found in the coating of apples and other fruits and is responsible for the characteristic smell of the green apple [23]. Its oxidation by air forms compounds that are harmful to fruit. Oxidation products injure cell membranes that eventually cause death in the outer cell layers of the fruit [24]. The effect of antimicrobial activity against different types of bacteria is attributed to αfarnesene among other compounds [25]. Finally, the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum leaves with the compounds γ-muurolene and α-farnesene, has antibacterial properties against certain pathogens that cause gastroenteritis. It is suggested that the oil alters the cytoplasmic membrane of microorganisms [26].

Effect of ethanolic extracts of Z. caribaeum leaves against Burkholderia glumae
Regarding the antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extract of Z. caribaeum it was found that the greatest halo of inhibition against B. Glumae occurs with dilution E (1:4). Dilutions B (1:0), C (1:1), and D (1:2) showed inhibition halos less than 0.5mm with respect to the positive control with a halo of 10.7mm in diameter (Figure 3). The antimicrobial activity was measured in millimeters (mm), determining as weakly active those extracts that presented 5 to 10 mm in diameter, moderately active those that showed an inhibition of 10 to 20 mm, and highly active those that presented antibacterial activity above 20 mm. Figure   The results indicate that the ethanolic leaf extract of Z. caribeaum has no significant biological activity against B. glumae, a Gram-negative bacterium, confirming recently studies in Gram-positive bacteria pathogenic to man [9].

Conclussions
The present study shows the presence of important secondary metabolites in Z. caribeaum plants in Norte de Santander, Colombia. Although ethanolic leaf extracts have no inhibitory effects on the Gramnegative bacterium B. glumae, the richness of biologically active compounds present in Z. caribeaum samples suggest the high potential of this plant as a source of new drugs or compounds of chemical or pharmaceutical importance. Aknowledgments. We thank to "Fondo de Investigaciones Universitarias" (FINU) from the Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander for financing the project 032-2017


s2fieldsofstudy: Chemistry Biology

text:
Zinc-Mediated Transformation of 1,3-Diols to Cyclopropanes for Late-Stage Modification of Natural Products and Medicinal Agents

A method for incorporating cyclopropane motifs into complex molecules has been developed. Herein we report a zinc dust-mediated cross-electrophile coupling reaction of 1,3-dimesylates to synthesize cyclopropanes. 1,3-Dimesylates can be readily accessed from 1,3-diols, a functionality prevalent in many natural products and medicinal agents. The reaction conditions are mild, such that functional groups, including amides, esters, heterocycles, and alkenes, are tolerated. Notably, we have demonstrated late-stage cyclopropanation of statin medicinal agents.

N atural products provide the structural frameworks and starting points for the discovery of many medicinal agents; >35% of drugs approved from 1981 to 2019 are natural products and synthetic analogues. 1 Late-stage modification provides a strategy for remodeling the structures of complex scaffolds and altering activity. 2 This field has evolved significantly in the past two decades, with exciting developments in chemoselective and site-selective reactions, including alcohol functionalization and C−H activation. 3−6 Late-stage introduction of cyclopropane moieties would also be desirable, because the cyclopropane motif is important in medicinal chemistry. 7 Alkene cyclopropanation has been employed to introduce cyclopropanes as epoxide isosteres, for example, in epothilone derivatives, 8 and as a derivatization and tagging strategy for chemical biology studies. 9 These strategies require alkenes in the natural product scaffold (Figure 1a).
We envisioned conversion of 1,3-diols to cyclopropanes as an orthogonal approach. The appeal of this strategy is the prevalence of the alcohol functional group in natural products and medicinal agents (Figure 1b). 10 The 1,3-diol motif is central to the backbone of polyketides, secondary metabolites with diverse biological activity ranging from anticancer to antibiotic to cholesterol-lowering activity. 11 1,3-Diols are also found in medicinal agents such as rosuvastatin and lumigan. In addition to modifying the pharmacokinetic properties, transformation of a 1,3-diol moiety to a cyclopropane could be employed to alter the overall conformation and relative orientation of functional groups while retaining a C(sp 3 )-rich backbone. 12 We set out to establish a method that would achieve late-stage synthesis of cyclopropanes from complex 1,3-diols employing mild reagents. On the basis of our prior work in the development of nickel-catalyzed intramolecular cross-electrophile coupling (XEC) reactions of 1,3-dimesylates, 13 we hypothesized that 1,3-dimesylates would undergo a reducing metal-mediated XEC reaction to form cyclopropanes. 14−17 In this work, we report a zinc-mediated conversion of 1,3-dimesylates to cyclopropanes and demonstrate this reaction on several natural product and medicinal agent cores, including a series of statins.
To initiate our investigation, we chose 1,3-dimesylate 1 as a suitable test substrate to identify the reaction conditions for an intramolecular XEC reaction to generate cyclopropane 2 (Table 1). Due to the functional group compatibility of reducing metal reagents, zinc dust was chosen as the reductant. 18 We also included halide salts, including MgX 2 and NaX, in the reaction based on a working hypothesis that these reactions would proceed through 1,3-dihalide intermediates. 19,20 In the presence of zinc dust and magnesium bromide in DMA, 1,3-dimesylate 1 was converted to cyclopropane 2 in 69% yield (entry 1). We observed no product formation in the absence of MgBr 2 (entry 2). Increasing the number of equivalents of MgBr 2 did not significantly impact the yield (entry 3). Diminished yields were observed with the alternative halide salts MgI 2 , NaBr, and NaI (entries 4−6, respectively). Notably, NaI resulted in 49% recovered starting material. Increasing the amount of NaI from 2 to 8 equiv and changing the solvent from DMA to THF provided a moderate increase in conversion from entry 6 (entry 7). Finally, combining MgBr 2 and NaI did not afford a higher yield (entry 8).
With suitable reaction conditions in hand, a variety of monoand disubstituted cyclopropanes were synthesized to demonstrate the functional group compatibility of this transformation. Monosubstituted cyclopropanes 3−8 were synthesized in good to great yields ( Figure 2a). The reaction was tolerant of trifluoromethyl groups (3), PMB-protected diols (4), βbranched substrates (3 and 5), and aryl ethers (6). Cyclopropane derivatives of a terpene, (−)-borneol, and a steroid, β-sitosterol, were synthesized (7 and 8, respectively). We next sought to evaluate the synthesis of aryl-and alkyl-1,2disubstituted cyclopropanes (Figure 2b). Aryl ether and alkyl ether substituents were well tolerated (9, 11, and 12). Notably, cyclopropane 11 containing a pendant ether was synthesized in a 47% yield. Dibenzofuran-substituted cyclopropane 10 and furanyl cyclopropane 12 demonstrate this method's compatibility with heterocyclic motifs. Additionally, a series of 1,2disubstituted cyclopropanes from polyketide scaffolds were   (Figure 2c). An aldol reaction followed by sodium borohydride reduction provides rapid access to the desired diol motifs from commercially available β-ketoesters and the corresponding aldehydes or primary alcohols. 21 To facilitate the XEC reaction toward cyclopropanes 13−15, we found that Zn 0 dust with 8 equiv of NaI in THF provided the best yield for this class of substrate. Cyclopropane 13 was formed in 46% yield. The natural product (S)-citronellal was derivatized into a 1,3-dimesylate to form cyclopropane 14 in 41% yield. Likewise, (R)-nopol was derivatized to form cyclopropane 15 in 43% yield. To determine whether the reaction would be amenable to larger scales, we performed the reaction of 1,3-dimesylate 16 on a 400 mg scale and were pleased to see that the yield improved to 87% (eq 1).
Statins contain or can be rapidly converted into 1,3-diol motifs, making them optimal substrates for our XEC reaction. Natural statins, such as mevastatin and lovastatin, are polyketides isolated from fungal sources. 22 The potent ability of statins to regulate cholesterol metabolism led to the creation of many synthetic variants, such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. 23,24 Many synthetic statins are available as 3,5-dihydroxy carboxylate salts. However, natural statins such as lovastatin and simvastatin are instead available as the βhydroxy lactone. We aimed to perform a late-stage modification on these medicinal agents utilizing mild reaction conditions to form cyclopropane products (Scheme 1). To cyclize these complex diols, the carboxylic acids were protected as esters and 1,3-diols were converted to 1,3-dimesylates. In some cases, a styrene was reduced or arylated prior to the XEC reaction. 25 Derivatives of atorvastatin (17), rosuvastatin (19), fluvastatin (21), pitavastatin (23), and simvastatin (25) provided cyclopropanes 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, respectively. In addition to 1,3-dimesylates, 1-chloro-3-mesylates undergo the reaction. Treatment of pitavastatin methyl ester with mesyl chloride resulted in the formation of allylic chloride 23; this 1chloro-3-mesylate underwent the zinc-mediated reaction to afford cyclopropane 24. 26 In summary, we report a zinc-mediated cross-electrophile coupling reaction to afford alkyl and aryl cyclopropanes for late-stage modification of natural products and medicinal agents. This transformation allows for the synthesis of cyclopropanes from monosubstituted 1,3-dimesylates, 1,2disubstituted 1,3-dimesylates, and polyketide scaffolds. As an application of this method, statin medicinal agents were converted into 1,2-disubstituted cyclopropanes.  (2) For reviews of synthetic modification of natural products, see:


text:
Greener Synthesis of Antiproliferative Furoxans via Multicomponent Reactions

Prostate and bladder cancers are commonly diagnosed malignancies in men. Several nitric oxide donor compounds with strong antitumor activity have been reported. Thus, continuing with our efforts to explore the chemical space around bioactive furoxan moiety, multicomponent reactions were employed for the rapid generation of molecular diversity and complexity. We herein report the use of Ugi and Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé multicomponent reactions under efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly conditions to synthesize a small collection of nitric-oxide-releasing molecules. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was measured against two different human cancer cell lines, LNCaP (prostate) and T24 (bladder). Almost all compounds displayed antiproliferative activity against both cancer cell lines, providing lead compounds with nanomolar GI50 values against the cancer bladder cell line with selectivity indices higher than 10.

Introduction
Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020 [1]. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men. It is a complex disease associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality if not treated optimally. The normal treatment is transurethral resection with chemoradiation, but for some patients first-line chemotherapy cannot control the disease [2]. Prostate cancer is the second most frequent malignancy in men worldwide. Despite advances in knowledge about this disease, an effective therapeutic agent for its treatment is still needed [3]. For these reasons, it is necessary to develop new, safe, and more efficient compounds for the treatment of these pathologies.
Currently one of the key objectives in medicinal chemistry is the search for new drugs following the Green Chemistry guidelines [4,5].
In this context, our group has dedicated the last years to the search for compounds with antitumoral activity via efficient and more environmentally friendly methodologies. A synthetic tool explored by our group is multicomponent reactions (MCR). MCR are those reactions in which the product is formed from three or more reagents in a single reaction step with high atomic efficiency [6]. These reactions are excellent tools in medicinal chemistry for the generation of structural diversity and for hybridizing/conjugating different pharmacophores in the same molecule, hence the importance of their development for our Table 1. Structure of ·NO-donor Ugi derivative 8a with antiproliferative activity against six cancer cells lines and its selectivity index (SI) in comparison to the non-cancer HaCaT human cells [9].
Molecules 2022, 27, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 20 reaction step with high atomic efficiency [6]. These reactions are excellent tools in medicinal chemistry for the generation of structural diversity and for hybridizing/conjugating different pharmacophores in the same molecule, hence the importance of their development for our research group [7]. In this sense, we have previously described a green process for the synthesis of tocopherol analogues via Passerini and Ugi MCR and their antiproliferative activity against a panel of six human solid tumor cell lines [8]. Then, a second-generation focused library of nitric-oxide-releasing compounds was prepared by microwave-assisted Passerini and Ugi reactions. Nearly all compounds displayed potent antiproliferative activities against a panel of human solid tumor cell lines, with compound Ugi-Fx (8a) ( Table 1) exhibiting the strongest activity on the SW1573 lung cell line (GI50 = 21 nM) with a selectivity index of 470. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest a relationship between nitric oxide (·NO) release and antiproliferative activity [9]. Table 1. Structure of ⋅NO-donor Ugi derivative 8a with antiproliferative activity against six cancer cells lines and its selectivity index (SI) in comparison to the non-cancer HaCaT human cells [9]. Among the MCRs, the Ugi and the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé (GBB) reactions have been widely used in medicinal chemistry. The Ugi four-component reaction was first reported in 1959 by Ivar Ugi and is one of the most important MCRs that allows access to peptide-mimetic structures [10]. This reaction combines an amine, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid, and an isocyanide to form a bis-amide derivative ( Figure 1). In 1998, a new variant of the Ugi MCR was independently reported by three researchers from different countries (Katrin Groebke (Switzerland), Christopher Blackburn (USA), and Hugues Bienaymé (France)), named the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé reaction [11][12][13]. This three-component reaction involves an aldehyde, a 2-aminoazine, and an isocyanide, giving a place to a highly substituted and fused imidazole derivative ( Figure 1). Both MCRs are great instruments for drug development [14,15], and they have been explored under green chemistry conditions [8,9,[16][17][18]. Previous studies showed that peptidomimetic structures and imidazoheterocycles obtained by Ugi and GBB multicomponent reactions, respectively, present promising antitumor activities in various models [15,19,20].  Among the MCRs, the Ugi and the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé (GBB) reactions have been widely used in medicinal chemistry. The Ugi four-component reaction was first reported in 1959 by Ivar Ugi and is one of the most important MCRs that allows access to peptide-mimetic structures [10]. This reaction combines an amine, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid, and an isocyanide to form a bis-amide derivative ( Figure 1). In 1998, a new variant of the Ugi MCR was independently reported by three researchers from different countries (Katrin Groebke (Switzerland), Christopher Blackburn (USA), and Hugues Bienaymé (France)), named the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé reaction [11][12][13]. This three-component reaction involves an aldehyde, a 2-aminoazine, and an isocyanide, giving a place to a highly substituted and fused imidazole derivative ( Figure 1). Both MCRs are great instruments for drug development [14,15], and they have been explored under green chemistry conditions [8,9,[16][17][18]. Previous studies showed that peptidomimetic structures and imidazoheterocycles obtained by Ugi and GBB multicomponent reactions, respectively, present promising antitumor activities in various models [15,19,20]. reaction step with high atomic efficiency [6]. These reactions are excellent tools in medicinal chemistry for the generation of structural diversity and for hybridizing/conjugating different pharmacophores in the same molecule, hence the importance of their development for our research group [7]. In this sense, we have previously described a green process for the synthesis of tocopherol analogues via Passerini and Ugi MCR and their antiproliferative activity against a panel of six human solid tumor cell lines [8]. Then, a second-generation focused library of nitric-oxide-releasing compounds was prepared by microwave-assisted Passerini and Ugi reactions. Nearly all compounds displayed potent antiproliferative activities against a panel of human solid tumor cell lines, with compound Ugi-Fx (8a) ( Table 1) exhibiting the strongest activity on the SW1573 lung cell line (GI50 =  21 nM) with a selectivity index of 470. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest a relationship between nitric oxide (·NO) release and antiproliferative activity [9]. Among the MCRs, the Ugi and the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé (GBB) reactions have been widely used in medicinal chemistry. The Ugi four-component reaction was first reported in 1959 by Ivar Ugi and is one of the most important MCRs that allows access to peptide-mimetic structures [10]. This reaction combines an amine, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid, and an isocyanide to form a bis-amide derivative ( Figure 1). In 1998, a new variant of the Ugi MCR was independently reported by three researchers from different countries (Katrin Groebke (Switzerland), Christopher Blackburn (USA), and Hugues Bienaymé (France)), named the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé reaction [11][12][13]. This three-component reaction involves an aldehyde, a 2-aminoazine, and an isocyanide, giving a place to a highly substituted and fused imidazole derivative ( Figure 1). Both MCRs are great instruments for drug development [14,15], and they have been explored under green chemistry conditions [8,9,[16][17][18]. Previous studies showed that peptidomimetic structures and imidazoheterocycles obtained by Ugi and GBB multicomponent reactions, respectively, present promising antitumor activities in various models [15,19,20].  To continue in the line of our previous work, we designed a third series of compounds with the ability to release ·NO, particularly incorporating the furoxan group. Nitric oxide, ·NO, is a free radical that was described by Nobel Prize winners Furchgott, Ignarro, and Murad as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Since then, a wide variety of biological processes in which this compound participates have been described in addition to its application in the area of drug discovery [21]. The role of ·NO in cancer has been extensively studied. It has been determined that its action is variable, sometimes as an antineoplastic agent and others as a proneoplastic agent. This depends mainly on its intracellular concentration but also on the microenvironment, cell type, and the exposure time to ·NO. Some studies suggest that at high levels this radical can exert its antitumor activity through various mechanisms [22,23]. Among the structures capable of releasing ·NO, furoxans are a widely used example in medicinal chemistry [24], especially in the search for anticancer agents [25]. Antitumoral drug discovery efforts have registered an increased application of the molecular hybridization concept in the last years. Several hybrid compounds containing ·NO donor moieties have been reported with significant antiproliferative activity [2,26,27]. In this context, we designed a molecular hybridization strategy combining Ugi and GBB products with the furoxan system as a ·NO-releasing group.
In summary, in this work we report the use of Ugi and Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé multicomponent reactions under efficient, safe, and ecofriendly conditions to synthesize a small collection of nitric-oxide-releasing molecules, using the furoxan system as a pharmacophore and their evaluation as antiproliferative agents in bladder and prostate cancer cells.

Ugi Reaction
In our previous work, we reported the synthesis of the compound Ugi-Fx (8a) according to route A (Scheme 1), where 3,4-bis(phenylsulfonyl)furoxan (2) was previously coupled to 3-hydroxybenzoic acid to yield compound 3. Then, the intermediate 3 was used as a component in the Ugi reaction, obtaining the desired product 8a in an overall yield of 24% [9]. At the beginning of the present work, we decided to study the synthetic strategy according to route B (Scheme 1). In the first step, the Ugi reaction was carried out in an excellent yield, and in the second step, 3,4-bis(phenylsulfonyl)furoxan (2) was linked to Ugi structure 7a, which led to an improvement of almost double the overall yield, obtaining Ugi-Fx (8a) in a 47% yield. It is noteworthy that greener conditions were used in both reaction steps, using green solvents under mild and efficient heating conditions. The Ugi reactions were carried out using a Monowave 50 reactor (Anton Paar). It employs conductive heating of a sealed glass vessel via a stainless-steel heating jacket and includes online temperature and pressure monitoring in addition to magnetic stirring. In this sense, the results obtained using a microwave reactor can be replicated in the simpler, cheaper, and smaller synthesis reactor [28]. For example, the reaction to obtain Ugi-Fx (8a) from compound 3, was previously carried out in a microwave reactor [9], and the yield was the same using the Monowave 50 reactor (63%).
For the coupling between the phenol intermediate 7a and furoxan 2, we decided to look for greener conditions than those previously used. Therefore, the reaction was carried out using 2-MeTHF as a greener solvent (biorenewable) [29] and NaOH as an environmentally friendly base [30].
Once we optimized the synthesis of the lead compound Ugi-Fx (8a), we varied the different components of the reaction to obtain new derivatives and expand the chemical space studied. We changed the relative position of the furoxan group on the aromatic ring ( Figure 2, 8b and 8c), the amine and aldehyde from aromatic to aliphatic (Figure 2, 8d-f), and we also changed the furoxan group from the carboxylic acid component to the aldehyde component ( Figure 2 Once we optimized the synthesis of the lead compound Ugi-Fx (8a), we varied the different components of the reaction to obtain new derivatives and expand the chemical space studied. We changed the relative position of the furoxan group on the aromatic ring ( Figure 2, 8b and 8c), the amine and aldehyde from aromatic to aliphatic (Figure 2, 8d-f), and we also changed the furoxan group from the carboxylic acid component to the aldehyde component ( Figure 2, 8g) using the reaction conditions of route B. For both reaction steps, we obtained moderate to very good yields.

GBB Reaction
To broaden the chemical diversity even further, we decided to synthesize hybrid compounds incorporating the furoxan group into structures derived from the GBB MCR. First, we studied the optimal synthesis pathway for the desired compounds, considering

GBB Reaction
To broaden the chemical diversity even further, we decided to synthesize hybrid compounds incorporating the furoxan group into structures derived from the GBB MCR. First, we studied the optimal synthesis pathway for the desired compounds, considering the synthetic methodologies used to obtain Ugi-Fx (8a, Scheme 1). The synthetic procedure for the GBB target compounds was initially studied for the product 12a. We explored a route analogous to the one optimized for Ugi-Fx (8a), (route A, Scheme 2), with the multicomponent reaction as a first step and subsequent coupling with the furoxan system. The GBB reaction was performed using 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde (6c) as the aldehyde component, tert-butyl isocyanide, and 2-aminopyridine under greener conditions. Catalytic amounts of TFA (20 mol%) in EtOH and mild temperature conditions were used in the Monowave 50 reactor to obtain GBB product 10 with a good yield. When this reaction was carried out by heating at 120 • C for 20 min, a slightly improved yield was observed. Phenol 10 was then coupled to 3,4-bis(phenylsulfonyl)furoxan (2) in a subsequent step using NaOH and 2-MeTHF to give the desired compound 12a in low yield. Based on this result, we decided to explore derivative 12a synthesis using another route (route B, Scheme 2) by reversing the steps of route A (Scheme 2). Aldehyde intermediate 11a was obtained in 28% yield under greener conditions (NaOH and 2-MeTHF, 24 h). Due to this low yield, the reaction was also assayed according to the procedure described in the literature [8], obtaining 11a in 60% yield. In the second step, the GBB reaction was carried out under the same conditions described in route A. When the reaction was heated at 60 • C for 2 h, product 12a was obtained in a 54% yield after precipitating in the crude reaction mixture. On the other hand, when the reaction was performed at higher temperatures (120 • C) and shorter times (20 min) a higher yield was obtained for the desired GBB derivative 12a (75%). In this case, 12a did not precipitate in the crude reaction mixture, and column chromatography purification was needed.

Scheme 2.
Synthetic routes explored for the synthesis of GBB derivative 12a.
Analyzing the results in both synthetic pathways, route B was chosen for the synthesis of the GBB-furoxan derivatives 12b-12e (Scheme 3). Classical conditions were selected for the intermediate aldehyde synthesis. Mild temperatures were chosen for the GBB reaction, considering the greener purification procedure. Under these reaction Scheme 2. Synthetic routes explored for the synthesis of GBB derivative 12a.
It is well-known that the GBB reaction could follow two possible pathways leading to two regioisomers, but the amidine building blocks used in the present work usually tend to form only one regioisomer [15]. The presence of the most common regioisomer in GBB derivatives 10 and 12a was evidenced by the 2D-NOESY-NMR (see Supporting Information).
Analyzing the results in both synthetic pathways, route B was chosen for the synthesis of the GBB-furoxan derivatives 12b-12e (Scheme 3). Classical conditions were selected for the intermediate aldehyde synthesis. Mild temperatures were chosen for the GBB reaction, considering the greener purification procedure. Under these reaction conditions, route B gave a higher global yield, 32% versus 14-16% for route A.

Scheme 2. Synthetic routes explored for the synthesis of GBB derivative 12a.
Analyzing the results in both synthetic pathways, route B was chosen for the synthesis of the GBB-furoxan derivatives 12b-12e (Scheme 3). Classical conditions were selected for the intermediate aldehyde synthesis. Mild temperatures were chosen for the GBB reaction, considering the greener purification procedure. Under these reaction conditions, route B gave a higher global yield, 32% versus 14-16% for route A. Scheme 3 shows the results obtained in the GBB reaction for each aldehyde-furoxan and 2-aminoazine employed. To synthesize aldehydes 11b and 11c, as for 11a, classical conditions and greener conditions were tested, obtaining higher yield using classical ones (16 % vs. 5%, 18% vs. 2%) [31]. As can be observed for the aldehydes substituted in the ortho and para positions, coupling with furoxan derivative 2 gave lower yields (16 and 18%, respectively, Scheme 3). The meta-substituted compound (12a) gave the best global yield, followed by the para-substituted (12c), and, finally, the ortho-substituted (12b) (32, 12 and 6% correspondingly).
To widen the scope of the GBB reaction, we explored other amidines, maintaining the isocyanide and aldehyde 11a, which showed the best performance. For this purpose, 2-aminopirazine and 2-aminothiazole were used to obtain the corresponding products 12d and 12e in 47 and 25% yields, respectively (Scheme 3). It is noteworthy that this is the first time that a GBB reaction is described using furoxan derivatives.

Antiproliferative Activity
In vitro antiproliferative activity of the compounds was determined in cells derived from bladder cancer (T24) and prostate cancer (LNCaP). The cells were incubated in the presence of the compounds for 48 h. The antiproliferative activity was determined using the sulforhodamine B assay [32]. The results were expressed as GI 50 , which is the drug concentration resulting in a 50% reduction of cellular net growth when compared with the values of untreated control cells. The standard anticancer drug cisplatin was used as a positive control, and furoxan 3 and 11a were also included as ·NO donor reference  Table 2 for the Ugi product 7a, Ugi-Fx (8a) and 8b-g Ugi-furoxan derivatives, and GBB product 10 and 12a-e GBB-furoxan derivatives. The results show that every compound containing the coupled furoxan moiety exhibited better antiproliferative activity than the cisplatin and furoxan reference compounds (3 and 11a) in the T24 bladder cancer cell line ( Table 2). Compounds Ugi-Fx (8a), 12b and 12e stand out, with GI 50 values in the sub-micromolar range. On the other hand, most compounds in the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP were less active, except for compounds 12b and 12d, which displayed GI 50 values two times lower than the drug reference cisplatin and three to four times lower than furoxan 3 and 11a. When analyzing the antiproliferative activity of Ugi derivatives 8a-8g on the bladder cancer cell line, we can conclude that the different structural changes introduced did not improve the activity of the leader Ugi-Fx (8a). On the same cancer cell line (T24), the GBB derivatives 12a-e also did not overcome the leader's activity Ugi-Fx (8a), although compounds 12b and 12e displayed a similar GI 50 . The structure-activity relationship (SAR) study revealed that modifications in Ugi products were not a critical factor for modulating the activity, although there are some points to be considered. The change in the relative position of the furoxan group on the acid component (8b and 8c derivatives, Figure 2) produces a two-to three-fold decrease relative to the parent compound Ugi-Fx (8a) on the antiproliferative activity in the T24 cell line (Table 2). However, the same order activity was observed for all three compounds on the LNCaP cell line. The substitution of the aryl group of Ugi-Fx (8a) by hydrogen in the aldehyde component (derivatives 8d and 8f) and/or by an alkyl group in the amine component (derivatives 8e and 8f) produced a decrease in activity, mainly in the bladder cancer line ( Table 2). A similar response was observed when the furoxan group was introduced into the Ugi structure via the aldehyde component (8g). In the GBB group of compounds, the presence of a furoxan group in the ortho position of the substituent (12b) improved antiproliferative activity in both tumor cell lines (derivatives 12a-c, Table 2). In fact, 12b, an imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivative, was approximately three to four times more active than the anticancer drug cisplatin. The GBB compounds 12d and 12e, which incorporate an imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine and imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole system, showed similar GI 50 values when compared to 12b for the LNCaP and T24 tumor cell line, respectively. It is worth mentioning that compounds 7a and 10, derived from the reaction of Ugi and GBB, respectively, which do not contain the coupled furoxan moiety, were inactive (GI 50 > 100 µM) on both cell lines studied.

Selectivity Index
As a first approximation of the safety profile of the synthesized compounds and to determine the cytotoxic selectivity against cancer cells, the antiproliferative activity in non-cancer cells was studied. This evaluation was carried out in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with 0.4-100 µM of the test compounds using the sulforhodamine B assay. The selectivity index (SI) was calculated for these compounds by dividing the GI 50 for HaCaT by the GI 50 for each cancer cell line. The results presented in Table 3 show that all compounds were selective toward T24 cancerous cell, showing better selectivity than the reference compound cisplatin. The derivatives Ugi-Fx (8a) and 12e stand out, with selectivity indices of 14.5 and 10.8, respectively. These compounds exhibited much better selectivity than the furoxan derivative 2 and the furoxan reference compounds 3 and 11a, confirming that the conjunction with a structure derived from MCRs improves the activity as well as the toxicity. Concerning the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line, as for the reference drug, no selectivity was observed. Despite these results being obtained in an unspecific mammalian cytotoxicity model, it is interesting to note that imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine 12d presented an SI value 10 times higher than the reference drug cisplatin (SI 1.2 vs. 0.1). Therefore, this new GBB-furoxan derivative can be a starting point in the design of new structures with improved selectivity.

Assessment of ·NO Release
The compounds developed in this work contain the furoxan moiety as an antitumor pharmacophore since it is well known that it is capable of releasing high amounts of ·NO through a thiol-dependent mechanism [34]. In this context, the ·NO production capacity of these derivatives was determined in physiological solution and in T24 and LNCaP supernatants using the Griess assay. The results are presented as nitrite production in Table S1 and Figure 3. The furoxan precursors 2, 3, and 11a were included for comparison, and the Ugi derivative 7a and GBB product 10 were included as negative controls. molecules with the concomitant displacement of the phenylsulfonyl group, leading to a cytotoxic adduct accumulation in the cell milieu [37][38][39][40]. This fact should explain that some compounds described herein present a significant antiproliferative activity but a low NO release (i.e., 12b and 12e) or high antiproliferative activity even in the presence of a ⋅NO scavenger (Ugi-Fx 8a). Further studies to elucidate the possible mechanisms of action involved will be performed.  The ability to release ·NO in physiological solution was determined by the Griess reaction after incubation for 1 h and 3 h at 37 • C in a pH 7.4 buffered water-methanol mixture in the presence of L-cysteine (5-fold molar excess). The results depicted in Table S1 show that all new furoxans were able to induce nitrite formation at levels ranging from 13.50% to 38.45%. Although the furoxan ring is present in all compounds substituted at position 3 by a phenylsulfonyl group, some differences were observed. In general, Ugi derivatives produced higher NO levels than GBB derivatives, except for 12b, which exhibited comparable NO-releasing activity.
The ·NO production was also measured in T24 cell supernatants ( Figure 3A) and LNCaP supernatants (Figure 3B) exposed to 100 µM of each compound for 3 h, which was defined as the optimal time point to measure this species by furoxan-derived compounds according to our previous studies [33,35]. Almost every compound was capable of releasing several levels more ·NO than the control cell medium, both in the bladder cancer cells and in the prostate cancer cells. An analysis of the data of both assessments also showed that the NO-releasing capacity of the products in cell milieu differs from that in physiological conditions, suggesting that they present different physicochemical properties and reactivity towards thiols in the cellular environment (Table S1 and Figure 3).
In this context, we next decided to study the effect of ·NO on their antiproliferative activity against T24 cells after incubation with an ·NO scavenger (Hb, hemoglobin) [36]. For this purpose, T24 cells were pretreated for 1 h with 0 or 50 µM of Hb and then the ·NO-donor compounds were added at 10 µM for 48 h. As seen in Figure 4, the compounds markedly inhibited the growth of T24 cells in the absence of Hb, but this antiproliferative effect was decreased by pretreatment with Hb. These results indicate that the release of nitric oxide is involved in the antiproliferative activity against cancer cells. However, while for some compounds, such as 8d, ·NO release seems to be crucial for the antiproliferative activity, for others, such as Ugi-Fx (8a), other mechanisms would account for its anticancer effect. It is well-known that the action of 3-phenylsulfonylfuroxan derivatives is connected to ·NO release due to their interaction with free intracellular thiols or thiol groups of proteins. However, this action may also involve a covalent bond to thiol biomolecules with the concomitant displacement of the phenylsulfonyl group, leading to a cytotoxic adduct accumulation in the cell milieu [37][38][39][40]. This fact should explain that some compounds described herein present a significant antiproliferative activity but a low NO release (i.e., 12b and 12e) or high antiproliferative activity even in the presence of a ·NO scavenger (Ugi-Fx 8a). Further studies to elucidate the possible mechanisms of action involved will be performed.

General Experimental Information
The mass spectra (MS) were recorded on a Shimadzu GC-MS QP 1100 EX instrument using the electron impact mode (70 eV). A Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer was employed for high-resolution mass analysis using MeOH as a solvent. The NMR spectra were obtained in different deuterated solvents on a Bruker Avance DPX-400 instrument. The proton chemical shifts (δ) are reported in ppm downfield from TMS as an internal reference, and the carbon chemical shifts are reported in ppm relative to the center line of the corresponding solvent. Analytical TLC was performed on silica gel 60F-254 plates and was visualized with UV light (254 nm) and/or vanillin in an acidic ethanolic solution. Flash column chromatography was performed using silica gel (Kieselgel 60, EM reagent, 230-400 mesh). The chemicals and reagents were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich and were used as received. All GBB and Ugi reactions were carried out in a commercial Anton Paar Monowave 50 reactor using 10 mL borosilicate glass vials with silicone caps. The temperature was monitored by an external contact sensor placed at the cavity bottom and measuring the surface temperature of the reaction vessel.

Experimental Procedures and Characterization Data for the Compounds
General procedure for Ugi products (7a-7g). Method A (aromatic amine). A glass tube was charged sequentially with aldehyde (1.0 mmol), amine (1.0 mmol), acid (1.0 mmol), isocyanide (1.0 mmol), and 1.5 mL EtOH. The sealed test tube was heated for 30 min at 60 °C using Monowave 50 reactor. The vial was allowed to cool, and the EtOH was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography (SiO2 and Hexane/EtOAc). Method B (aliphatic amine). A glass tube was charged with aldehyde (1.0 mmol), amine (1.0 mmol), and 1.0 mL EtOH and the reaction mixture was magnetically stirred for 3 h at room temperature. Subsequently, the acid (1.0 mmol), the isocyanide (1.0 mmol), and 0.5 mL EtOH were added. The sealed test tube was heated for 30 min at 60 °C using Monowave 50 reactor. The vial was allowed to cool, and The results are expressed as the percentage of cell growth inhibition relative to the control cells. The data are the means ± SD obtained from three determinations. Statistical analysis: a two-way ANOVA followed by a Bonferroni multiple comparison test: **** p < 0.0001.

General Experimental Information
The mass spectra (MS) were recorded on a Shimadzu GC-MS QP 1100 EX instrument using the electron impact mode (70 eV). A Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer was employed for high-resolution mass analysis using MeOH as a solvent. The NMR spectra were obtained in different deuterated solvents on a Bruker Avance DPX-400 instrument. The proton chemical shifts (δ) are reported in ppm downfield from TMS as an internal reference, and the carbon chemical shifts are reported in ppm relative to the center line of the corresponding solvent. Analytical TLC was performed on silica gel 60F-254 plates and was visualized with UV light (254 nm) and/or vanillin in an acidic ethanolic solution. Flash column chromatography was performed using silica gel (Kieselgel 60, EM reagent, 230-400 mesh). The chemicals and reagents were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich and were used as received. All GBB and Ugi reactions were carried out in a commercial Anton Paar Monowave 50 reactor using 10 mL borosilicate glass vials with silicone caps. The temperature was monitored by an external contact sensor placed at the cavity bottom and measuring the surface temperature of the reaction vessel.

Experimental Procedures and Characterization Data for the Compounds
General procedure for Ugi products (7a-7g). Method A (aromatic amine). A glass tube was charged sequentially with aldehyde (1.0 mmol), amine (1.0 mmol), acid (1.0 mmol), isocyanide (1.0 mmol), and 1.5 mL EtOH. The sealed test tube was heated for 30 min at 60 • C using Monowave 50 reactor. The vial was allowed to cool, and the EtOH was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography (SiO 2 and Hexane/EtOAc). Method B (aliphatic amine). A glass tube was charged with aldehyde (1.0 mmol), amine (1.0 mmol), and 1.0 mL EtOH and the reaction mixture was magnetically stirred for 3 h at room temperature. Subsequently, the acid (1.0 mmol), the isocyanide (1.0 mmol), and 0.5 mL EtOH were added. The sealed test tube was heated for 30 min at 60 • C using Monowave 50 reactor. The vial was allowed to cool, and the EtOH was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography (SiO 2 and Hexane/EtOAc).  , 1H), and 1.14 (s, 9H). 13

Cell Culture
The T24 cells were grown in McCoy's 5A (Biological Industries) supplemented with 10% FBS (Capricorn Scientific). The cells were passaged twice per week, and the culture medium was changed with the same frequency. The LNCaP cells were maintained in RPMI media (Biological Industries) supplemented with 10% FBS (Capricorn Scientific) and 10% of its own conditioned medium (complete media). The cells were passaged once per week, and the medium was changed with the same frequency. The HaCaT cells (immortalized human keratinocytes) were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (Biological Industries) supplemented with 10% FBS (Capricorn Scientific). The cells were passaged twice per week, and the medium was changed with the same frequency. The cell cultures were maintained under a humidified 5% CO 2 atmosphere at 37 • C.

Antiproliferative Activity
For viability assays, cells were treated with a 0.25% Trypsin-0.05% EDTA solution and plated in 96-well plates in complete medium the day before the experiment. The cells were seeded in a 96-well plate at densities of 8 × 10 3 cells per well for T24 cells, 12.5 × 10 3 cells per well for LNCaP cells, and 10 × 10 3 cells per well for HaCaT cells. The cultures were allowed to attach for 24 h in a humidified 5% CO 2 atmosphere at 37 • C. Then, the cells were treated with increasing concentrations of the compounds (0.4-100.0 µM) prepared in complete medium using stock solutions in DMSO and were kept for 48 h in a CO 2 incubator. Wells with only media or 0.5% DMSO were added as controls. The antiproliferative activity of the compounds was assayed using the SRB method in at least three independent experiments [33].

Nitric-Oxide-Releasing Activity
The NO-releasing ability of the synthesized compounds was determined in T24 and LNCaP cell cultures as we previously described [32]. Cells were seeded in a 96-well plate at densities of 8 × 10 3 and 12.5 × 10 3 cells per well, respectively, and were allowed to attach for 24 h in a humidified 5% CO 2 atmosphere at 37 • C. Afterward, the culture milieu was removed, and the solubilized compounds in DMSO were added at the final concentration of 100 µM diluted in fresh culture medium in triplicate. Controls with medium and 0.5% DMSO were included in each experiment. The cells were further incubated for 3 h at 37 • C and 5% CO 2 , and the NO production was measured as the nitrite content in the culture medium by the Griess reaction. To develop this assay, 50 µL of culture medium was transferred to a new multi-well plate. At the same time, a standard curve with NaNO 2 was performed at serial dilutions between 0 and 100 µM in 50 µL of culture medium. Then, 50 µL of 1% sulfanilamide solution in 5% phosphoric acid was added to each well and incubated for 10 min while protected from light. Then, 50 µL of 0.1% N-1-naphthylethylendiamine dihydrochloride in water was added, and the plates were incubated for another 10 min in the dark. The absorbance was measured at 540 nm using a microplate spectrophotometer (Varioskan Flash Microplate spectrophotometer; Thermo Fisher, Vantaa, Finland). The NO concentration for each condition was determined in at least three independent experiments.

Antiproliferative Activity with Hemoglobin
To investigate the contribution of ·NO to the antiproliferative activity of the studied compounds, we tested their effect on T24 bladder cancer cell growth in the absence and presence of Hb. Cells were seeded into a 96-well plate at 8 × 10 3 cells per well and were allowed to attach for 24 h. The cultures were pretreated with Hb (0 µM or 50 µM) for 1 h and then treated with 10 µM of the selected compounds for 48 h. Then, the antiproliferative activity was assessed by the SRB assay in at least three independent experiments. A statistical analysis was carried out using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Conclusions
In conclusion, we report the synthesis of 12 compounds derived from furoxan and its precursors via the multicomponent reactions of Ugi and GBB under greener conditions. These MCRs were performed under mild temperature conditions and short reaction times using the Monowave 50 reactor and EtOH as a green solvent with yields of 25-96%. The minilibrary of compounds obtained was assayed against two human cancer cell lines, with most of them displaying the ability to inhibit cell growth. Higher activity was observed in the T24 bladder cancer line than in the LNCaP prostate cancer line. Our studies showed that every compound was able to release ·NO in the presence of T24 and LNCaP cells. The antiproliferative activity of the compounds declined in the presence of an ·NO scavenger (hemoglobin), suggesting that ·NO release is partially involved in their anticancer mechanism. Compounds Ugi-Fx (8a) and 12e exhibited the most potent activity (GI 50 of 730 and 830 nM, respectively), being more active than the reference drug cisplatin on the T24 cell line and similar to it on the LNCaP cell line. Both compounds proved to have a ten-fold higher selectivity for T24 cancer cells than for non-cancer cells HaCaT, surpassing cisplatin and also the furoxan derivative 2. Our results demonstrate that coupling the furoxan system to structures derived from multicomponent reactions can enhance antiproliferative activity and selectivity, particularly in the T24 bladder cancer line. Concerning the LNCaP cell line, it is worth mentioning that imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine 12d stands out, with an SI value 10 times higher than the reference drug cisplatin, and was, hence, identified as starting point in the design of new GBB furoxan derivatives with improved selectivity. Additional studies are being performed to further explore the anticancer mechanism of compounds 8a, 12d, and 12e. The results will be reported in due course.