Synthesis and medicinal chemical characterisation of antiproliferative O,N-functionalised isopulegol derivatives

Benzylation of isopulegol furnished O-benzyl-protected isopulegol, which was transformed into aminodiols via epoxidation followed by ring opening of the corresponding epoxides and subsequent hydrogenolysis. On the other hand, (-)-isopulegol was oxidised to a diol, which was then converted into dibenzyl-protected diol derivatives. The products were then transformed into aminotriols by using a similar method. The antiproliferative activity of aminodiol and aminotriol derivatives was examined. In addition, structure-activity relationships were also explored from the aspects of substituent effects and stereochemistry on the aminodiol and aminotriol systems. The drug-likeness of the compounds was assessed by in silico and experimental physicochemical characterisations, completed by kinetic aqueous solubility and in vitro intestinal-specific parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA-GI) measurements.