Curcumin has demonstrated high bioactive potential with promise in pharmaceutical development as an anti-viral and anti-cancer agent. Poor water solubility is a major limitation and has prohibited it’s use as a drug and, more importantly, hindered its exceptional bioactive abilities. Curcumin’s structure consists of an acetylacetone central linker and two side-arms of benzaldehyde derivatives. The biological properties of curcumin are in large part connected to the central moiety of the resulting molecule, while it’s solubility predominantly depends on the substituents of the side arms.<br/>Herein we present our investigation of the applicability of a tridentate linker towards the formation of curcumin-type compounds using several synthetic methodologies. The data and comparison of biological activities and solubilities of obtained compounds versus curcumin and its close analogs are summarized as well.<br/>Our research was complemented by computational modeling, to probe factors leading to the desired product formation and properties. We explored the thermodynamic preference of substitution on the central linker and the impact of the structures of the intermediates. All calculations were conducted using GAMESS at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory.

Synthesis of novel curcumin Inspired therapeutics with improved water solubilities

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.