Scientists from Lobachevsky University (Nizhny Novgorod State University) have developed a method for introducing aminomethyl groups into the composition of biologically active compounds capable of suppressing tumor cell growth.
“The technology can increase the effectiveness of existing anti-tumor drugs. A product yield of 90% and a purity of the obtained substance exceeding 95% make the method promising for use in the pharmaceutical industry,” the university’s press service reported.
The author of the study, Vasily Otvagin, an associate professor at the Organic Chemistry Subdepartment at Lobachevsky University’s Chemistry Department, explained that these compounds were actively studied in the 1980s, but due to their chemical structure features, they were unstable and quickly decomposed, hindering practical application. “We used zinc chloride as a catalyst, which prevents the molecule from decomposing during synthesis. Given the high yield and product purity, the reaction will be of interest to both scientists and pharmaceutical production,” the scientist said.
Aminomethyl groups can act as pharmacophore fragments that can amplify the therapeutic effect of anti-tumour drugs. The reaction developed by the Nizhny Novgorod scientists allows for such reinforcing elements to be added directly to existing pharmaceutical compounds.
The method also enables the synthesis of other bioactive compounds, including previously unknown ones, such as substances with complex nitrogen-containing heterocycles, which have potential for developing new pharmaceuticals with enhanced efficacy.
Scientists from the A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds in Moscow also participated in the research. The results were published in the international journal Organic Chemistry Frontiers.