NOVOBIOCIN ANALOGUES AS NEUROPROTECTIVE AGENTS AND IN THE TREATMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/801,473 filed on May 10, 2007; which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention was supported in part by National Institutes of Health COBRE in Protein Structure and Function Grant Nos. NIH 31207, R01CA120458, U01CA39610 (BSJB), and Institute for the Study of Aging and NIH Grant No. AG 12933 (MLM), and the government may have certain rights in the present invention.

[0003] The present invention is directed to the synthesis and identification of novobiocin analogues useful as a class of anticancer agents and/or neuroprotective agents. The compounds of the present invention act by inhibition of the Hsp90 protein-folding machinery.

[0004] The 90 kDa heat shock proteins (“Hsp90”) belong to a family of chaperones that regulate intracellular functions and are required for the refolding of denatured proteins following heat shock, as well as the conformational maturation of a large number of key proteins involved in cellular processes. The Hsp90 family of chaperones is comprised of four different isoforms. Hsp90α (inducible/major form) and Hsp90β (constitutive/minor form) are found predominately in the cytosol, the 94-kDa glucose-regulated protein (“GRP94”) is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, and Hsp75/tumour necrosis factor receptor associated protein 1 (“TRAP-1”) resides mainly in the mitochondrial matrix. These Hsp90s bind to client proteins in the presence of cochaperones, immunophilins, and partner proteins to make the multiprotein complex responsible for conformational maturation of newly formed nascent peptides into biologically active three-dimensional structures.

[0005] As discussed more fully below, Hsp90 is an ATP-dependent protein with an ATP binding site in the N-terminal region of the active homodimer. Disruption of the ATPase activity of Hsp90 results in the destabilization of multiprotein complexes and subsequent ubiquitination of the client protein, which undergoes proteasome-mediated hydrolysis. More specifically, in an ATP-dependent fashion, Hsp70 binds to newly synthesized proteins cotranslationally and/or posttranslationally to stabilize the nascent peptide by preventing aggregation. Stabilization of the Hsp70/polypeptide binary complex is dependent upon the binding of Hsp70 interacting protein (“HIP”), which occurs after Hsp70 binds to the newly formed peptide. Hsp70-Hsp90 organizing protein (“HOP”) contains highly conserved tetratricopeptide repeats (“TPRs”) that are recognized by both Hsp70 and Hsp90, promoting the union of Hsp70/HIP and Hsp90, which results in a heteroprotein complex. In the case of telomerase and steroid hormone receptors, the client protein is transferred from the Hsp70 system to the Hsp90 homodimer with concomitant release of Hsp70, HIP, and HOP. Upon binding of ATP and an immunophilin with cis/trans peptidyl prolyl-isomerase activity (FKBP51, FKBP52, or CyPA), the ensemble folds the client protein into its three-dimensional structure. In a subsequent event, p23 binds Hsp90 near the N-terminal region promoting the hydrolysis of ATP and release of the folded protein, Hsp90 partner proteins, and ADP.

[0006] Examples of proteins dependent upon Hsp90 for conformational maturation include oncogenic and cellular Src kinases (v-Src, Hck, Lck), Raf, p185, mutant p53 (not normal p53), telomerase, steroid hormone receptors, polo-like kinase (“PLK”), protein kinase B (“AKT”), death domain kinase (“RIP”), MET kinase, focal adhesion kinase (“FAK”), aryl hydrocarbon receptor, RNA-dependent protein kinase (“PKR”), nitric oxide synthase (“NOS”), centrosomal proteins, PI3 kinases, androgen receptor (“AR”), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (“MMP2”), and others. In addition, other proteins, such as cyclin dependent kinase 4 (“CDK4”), cyclin dependent kinase 6 (“CDK6”), estrogen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (“Her-2” or “erbB2”) are thought to be client proteins of Hsp90. Of these Hsp90 client proteins, Raf, PLK, RIP, AKT, FAK, telomerase, HER-2, and MET kinase are directly associated with the six hallmarks of cancer: (1) self-sufficiency in growth signals; (2) insensitivity to antigrowth signals; (3) evasion of apoptosis; (4) unlimited replication potential; (5) sustained angiogenesis; and (6) tissue invasion/metastasis. Consequently, Hsp90 is a target for the development of cancer therapeutics because multiple signaling pathways can be simultaneously inhibited by disruption of the Hsp90 protein folding machinery.

[0007] Hsp90 contains two nucleotide-binding sites: the N-terminal ATP binding site is the region to which geldanamycin (“GDA”), 17-(allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (“17-AAG”), herbimycin A (“HB”), and radicicol bind (see Roe et al., Structural Basis for Inhibition of the Hsp90 Molecular Chaperone by the Antitumor Antibiotics Radicicol and Geldanamycin, J. Med. Chem. 42, 260-266 (1999)) and the C-terminus, which was recently shown to bind novobiocin (see Marcu et al., The Heat Shock Protein 90 Antagonist Novobiocin Interacts with a Previously Unrecognized ATP-binding Domain in the Carboxy Terminis of the Chaperone, J. Biol. Chem. 276, 37181 (2000)).

[0008] The C-terminal portion of Hsp90 is required for dimerization and represents a promising target for inhibitors. Unfortunately, the ability of novobiocin to cause degradation of Hsp90 clients is relatively weak (about 700 μM in SKBr3 breast cancer cells). Thus, there remains a need to develop other Hsp90 inhibitors as useful anti-cancer agents. Most preferably, these new Hsp90 inhibitors have decreased toxicity, increased solubility, and/or increased selectivity for Hsp90.

[0009] It is also contemplated that the Hsp90 inhibitors of the present invention will be useful as neuroprotective agents. The accumulation of protein aggregates within or outside neurons is a common characteristic of the two most common age-related neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer's disease, with plaques enriched in β-amyloid peptides (“Aβ”) and neurofibrillary tangles (“NFTs”) containing hyperphsophorylated Tau protein, and Parkinson's disease (“PD”) with Lewy bodies composed primarily of fibrillar α-synuclein. However, even less frequent but equally debilitating nervous system diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”), prion diseases, and the tauopathies also share the characteristic of aggregated protein deposits. A growing body of evidence now indicates that strategies that promote either refolding or degradation of hyperphosphorylated Tau enhance cell survival in the presence of over-expressed Tau or mutant human Tau. See, e.g., Shimura et al., Binding of Tau to heat shock protein 27 leads to decreased concentration of hyperphosphorylated tau and enhanced cell survival, J. Biol. Chem. 279:17957-17962 (2004); Dou et al., Chaperones increase association of Tau protein with microtubules, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100:721-726 (2003); Kosik & Shimura, Phosphorylated tau and the neurodegenerative foldopathies, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1739:298-310 (2005); Shimura et al., CHIP-Hsc70 complex ubiquitinates phosphorylated tau and enhances cell survival, J. Biol. Chem. 279:4869-4876 (2005). Such observations suggest that the cellular machinery needed for removal of misfolded proteins may be compromised in neurodegenerative disorders.

[0010] Cellular stresses such as elevated temperature, abnormal pH, oxidative stress, and malignancy result in the denaturation of native proteins as well as the overexpression of molecular chaperones to refold these structures or target them for degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Upon exposure to these stresses, Hsp90 and Hsp70 levels are increased to assist in the renaturation process. The expression of these heat shock proteins is tightly regulated by the transcription factor heat shock factor 1 (“HSF-1”). Under normal conditions, Hsp90 forms a stable complex with HSF-1 and prevents the transcriptional activation of the heat shock response. Cellular stressors result in destabilization of Hsp90/HSF-1, the subsequent trimerization and phosphorylation of HSF-1, and its translocation to the nucleus, where it induces Hsp expression. Another key protein in the Hsp90 heteroprotein complex is the co-chaperone CHIP (carboxyl terminus of the Hsc70-interacting protein). CHIP binds Hsp70 through its tetratricopeptide repeat (“TPR”) domain and also possesses intrinsic ubiquitin ligase activity, suggesting a direct link between the chaperone and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway which may modulate the cellular equilibrium of protein folding and degradation.

[0011] More specifically, the interaction of Hsp90 with cochaperones that regulate cell-specific responses to stress has led to the identification of Hsp90 and the cochaperones Hsp70 and CHIP (carboxy-terminus of the Hsp70-interacting protein) as strong candidates in determining the fate of neuronal protein aggregates. This has been most clearly demonstrated in the case of the hyperphosphorylated Tau protein in NFTs in Alzheimer's disease and the “tauopathies” due to mutations in the tau gene. Low concentrations of Hsp90 inhibitors appear to up-regulate expression of Hsp90 and co-chaperones that decrease aggregated Tau and increase neuronal survival. However, most of the known Hsp90 inhibitors are toxic to many cell types, limiting their potential for chronic use to delay the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, there remains a need to develop other Hsp90 inhibitors as useful neuroprotective agents.

[0012] Further, the heat shock response suppresses gene expression for nitric oxide synthase, cytokines, and chemokines, all of which have been implicated in autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. The administration of Hsp90 inhibitors thus should lead to a heat shock response due to the dissociation of HSF-1 from Hsp90. Thus, the present invention contemplates that the novel compounds of the present invention are useful in the treatment of autoimmune disorders.

[0013] Additional aspects of the invention, together with the advantages and novel features appurtenant thereto, will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0014] The present invention is directed to novel compounds useful as Hsp90 inhibitors, and in particular as anti-cancer agents, neuroprotective agents, and/or in the treatment of autoimmune disorders. In particular, the present invention is directed to the therapeutic use of such compounds in the treatment and/or prevention of autoimmune or neurodegenerative disorders to a subject in need thereof.

[0015] In one aspect, the neurodegenerative disorder is a beta amyloid disorder, and is most preferably Alzheimer's Disease.

[0016] In another aspect, the autoimmune disorder is mediated by a heat shock response which increases expresses expression of nitric oxide synthase, cytokines, and chemokines. Administration of the Hsp90 inhibitors of the present invention leads to a heat shock response due to the dissociation of HSF-1 from Hsp90.

[0017] In another aspect, neurodegenerative disorder is an autoimmune disorder, such as multiple sclerosis.

[0018] In still another aspect, the compounds of the present invention exhibit neuroprotective effects by upregulation of Hsp70.

[0019] In another aspect, the compounds are not substrates for the P-glycoprotein efflux pumps and are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier.

[0020] In one aspect, the invention encompasses compounds according to Formula I

[0021] wherein R¹ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, aralkyl, carboxyl, amido, amino, sulfanyl, sulfenyl, sulfonyl, or ether; or R¹ together with X² and the atom to which R¹ is attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen; or R¹ together with X⁴ and the atom to which R¹ is attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen; wherein R² is hydrogen, hydroxy, or R⁸—OR⁹, wherein R⁸ is a covalent bond or alkyl, and R⁹ is C-amido or acyl; or R² together with R³ and the atoms to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0022] wherein R³ is hydrogen, hydroxy, or R¹⁰—O—R¹¹, wherein R¹⁰ is a covalent bond or alkyl, and R¹¹ is C-amido or acyl; or R³ together with R² and the atoms to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0023] wherein R⁴ is hydrogen, hydroxy, carboxyl, —R¹²—O—R¹³, or —R¹²—R¹⁴; and wherein R¹² is a covalent bond or alkyl, and R¹³ is C-amido or acyl, and R¹⁴ is N-amido, —POR¹⁵R¹⁶—SO₂R¹⁷, or sulfonamido, and wherein R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷ are independently alkoxy;

[0024] wherein R⁵ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl;

[0025] wherein R⁶ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy or aralkoxy;

[0026] wherein X₁ is —O—, —CO—, or —N—;

[0027] wherein X₂ is —O—, —N—, —NR¹⁸—, —CR¹⁹—, or —CO—; and wherein R¹⁸ and R¹⁹ are hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl; or X₂ together with R¹ and the atom to which R¹ is attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0028] wherein X₄ is —O—, —CR²⁰—, —CO—, or —N—, wherein R²⁰ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or hydroxy; or wherein X₄ together with R¹ and the atoms to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0029] wherein X₅, is —CR²¹— or —N—, wherein R²¹ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl;

[0030] wherein X₆, is —CR²²— or —N—, wherein R²² is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, halogen, or nitro; or X₆ together with X₉ and the carbon at position 7 form a heterocylic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0031] wherein X₈, is —CR²³— or —N—, wherein R²³ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl;

[0032] wherein X₉ is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, ether, secondary or tertiary amino, or sulfanyl; or X₉ together with X₆ and the carbon at position 7 form a heterocylic ring having 4 to 8 ring members with at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen or nitrogen;

[0033] wherein at least one of X₁, X₂, X₄, X₅, X₆, X₈ is not —CR—; and

[0034] wherein n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.

[0035] In another aspect, preferred compounds useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are selected from the group consisting of: N-(7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)acetamide (A1); (2R,3R,4R,5R)-2-(3-acetamido-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (A2); (3R,4S,5R,6R)-6-(3-acetamido-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-5-hydroxy-3-methox-y-2,2-dimethyl tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (A3); N-(7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-py-ran-2-yloxy)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)acetamide (KU-1/A4); 7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3 aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (B1); (3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (B2); (2R,3R,4R,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (B3); 7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (B4); 7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-4-methyl-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-2-one (C1); (3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(4-methyl-2-oxo-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (C2); (2R,3R,4R,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(4-methyl-2-oxo-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (C3); 7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-4-methyl-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-2-one (C4); 8-(7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-ylo-xy)-chromen-2-one (D1); carbamic acid 4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-3-yl ester (D2); carbamic acid 5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-4-yl ester (D3); 8-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (D4); 6-(7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (E1); carbamic acid 5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-4-yl ester (E2); carbamic acid 4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-3-yl ester (E3); and 6-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (E4).

[0036] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds of Formula I that are coumarin compounds wherein X₁ is —O— and X₂ is —CO—.

[0037] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds of Formula I that are isocoumarin compounds wherein X_i is —CO— and X₂ is —O—.

[0038] In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to des(dimethyl) derivatives and analogues of novobiocin in which R⁴ and R⁵ are both hydrogen.

[0039] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to desmethoxy derivatives and analogues of novobiocin in which R⁶ is hydrogen.

[0040] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to the Formula I(F):

[0041] wherein X₄, X₅, X₆, X₈, X₉, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a, R^b and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl; and wherein R^b may also be oxidized to form a carbonyl.

[0042] In still another aspect, the invention encompasses compounds according to the Formula I(F)(i):

[0043] wherein X₉, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0044] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to the Formula I(F)(ii):

[0045] wherein X₄, X₅, X₆, and X₈ are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a, R^b, and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl; and wherein R^b may also be oxidized to form a carbonyl.

[0046] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds encompassed by the Formula I(F)(iii):

[0047] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to the Formula I(G):

[0048] wherein X₅, X₆, X₈, X₉, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a, R^b, and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl; and wherein R^b may also be oxidized to form a carbonyl.

[0049] In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to the Formula I(G)(i):

[0050] wherein X₉, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶ are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a and

[0051] R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0052] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I(G)(ii):

[0053] wherein X₅, X₆, and X₈ are defined as set forth above, and wherein R^a, R^b, and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl; and wherein R^b may also be oxidized to form a carbonyl.

[0054] In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I(G)(iii):

[0055] In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I(H):

[0056] wherein X₄, X₆, X₈, X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above.

[0057] In still a further aspect, the invention comprises compounds according to the Formula I(H)(i):

[0058] wherein X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ are defined as set forth above.

[0059] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I in which R² and R³ form a cyclic carbonate.

[0060] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I in which the sugar ring is modified to include a diol at R² and R³.

[0061] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to Formula I in which sugar is modified to include a 2′-carbamate at R².

[0062] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to the compounds of Formula I in which the coumarin ring is modified to include a lower alkoxy or nitro substitution at the 6-position of the coumarin ring.

[0063] In a further aspect, the present invention encompasses compounds according to Formula I(J):

[0064] wherein X₁, X₂, X₄, X₅, X₈, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above; and wherein R^a and R^b are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl; and wherein R^b may also be oxidized to form a carbonyl.

[0065] In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according Formula I(J)(i):

[0066] wherein X₁, X₂, X₄, X₅, X₈, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, n, and R^a are defined as set forth above.

[0067] In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according to the Formula I(J)(ii):

[0068] wherein X₁, X₂, X₄, X₅, X₈, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, n, and R^a are defined as set forth above.

[0069] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds encompassed by Formula I(K):

[0070] wherein X₄, X₅, X₆, X₈, X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above; and wherein R¹⁸ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl.

[0071] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds encompassed by Formula I(K)(i):

[0072] wherein X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ are defined as set forth above; and wherein R¹⁸ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl.

[0073] In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to 4-deshydroxy derivatives and analogues of novobiocin in which X₄ is —CR²⁰— and R²⁰ is hydrogen.

[0074] In yet a further aspect, the present invention is directed to 8-desmethyl derivatives and analogues of novobiocin in which X₈ is —CR²²— and R²² is hydrogen.

[0075] In still another aspect, the present invention encompasses compounds according to the Formula I(L):

[0076] wherein X₄, X₅, X₆, X₈, X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above.

[0077] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to compounds according Formula I(L)(i):

[0078] wherein X₉, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, and n are defined as set forth above.

[0079] In still another aspect of the present invention, the novobiocin derivatives and analogues of the present invention are modified so that the sugar is modified as set forth below:

[0080] In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to dimers of the foregoing compounds. In particular, exemplary dimers are provided by the formula:

[0081] wherein X is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, alkylaryl, carbocyclic or heterocyclic; and wherein R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ are set forth above.

[0082] In another aspect, the present invention comprises the in which the linker is a heterocylic pyrole as shown below:

[0083] It is contemplated that one or more compounds of the present invention will be useful for inhibiting heat-shock protein 90 activity by administering one or more of the compounds of the present invention to a cell or subject and observing a decrease in the expression of a heat-shock protein 90 client protein.

[0084] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition, which comprises a therapeutically-effective amount of one or more compounds of the present invention or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, ester or prodrug thereof, together with a pharmaceutically-acceptable diluent or carrier. The compositions may be used to treat cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and/or autoimmune disorders.

[0085] Additional aspects of the invention, together with the advantages and novel features appurtenant thereto, will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0100] Molecular terms, when used in this application, have their common meaning unless otherwise specified. It should be noted that the alphabetical letters used in the formulas of the present invention should be interpreted as the functional groups, moieties, or substituents as defined herein. Unless otherwise defined, the symbols will have their ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art.

[0101] The term “acyl” refers to —COR wherein R used in this definition is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl. Most preferably, R is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0102] The term “amido” indicates either a C-amido group such as —CONR′R″ or an N-amido group such as —NR′COR″ wherein R′ and R″ as used in this definition are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl. A “sulfoamido” group includes the —NR′—SO₂—R″. Most preferably, R′ and R″ are hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0103] The term “amino” signifies a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group of the formula NR′R″ wherein R′ and R″ as used in this definition are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkyenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aralkyl, or other amino (in the case of hydrazide) or R′ and R″ together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a ring having 4 to 8 atoms. Thus, the term “amino,” as used herein, includes unsubstituted, monosubstituted (e.g., monoalkylamino or monoarylamino), and disubstituted (e.g., dialkylamino or aralkylamino) amino groups. Amino groups include —NH₂, methylamino, ethylamino, dimethylamino, diethylamino, methyl-ethylamino, pyrrolidin-1-yl, or piperidino, morpholino, etc. Other exemplary “amino” groups forming a ring include pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, isothiazolyl, isoxazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, indolizinyl, isoindolyl, indolyl, indazolyl, purinyl, quinolizinyl. The ring containing the amino group may be optionally substituted with another amino, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, or hydroxyl group.

[0104] The term “alkyl” refers to a branched or unbranched saturated hydrocarbon group of 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, octyl, decyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, eicosyl, tetracosyl, and the like. Preferred “alkyl” groups herein contain 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Most preferred are “lower alkyl” which refer to an alkyl group of one to six, more preferably one to four, carbon atoms. The alkyl group may be optionally substituted with an amino, alkyl, halo, or hydroxyl group.

[0105] The term “alkoxy” denotes oxy-containing groups substituted with an alkyl, or cycloalkyl group. Examples include, without limitation, methoxy, ethoxy, tert-butoxy, and cyclohexyloxy. Most preferred are “lower alkoxy” groups having one to six carbon atoms. Examples of such groups include methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, isopropoxy, and tert-butoxy groups.

[0106] The terms “alkenyl” and “alkynyl” refer to unsaturated aliphatic groups analogous in length and possible substitution to the alkyls described above, but that contain at least one double bond or triple bond respectively.

[0107] The term “aryl” means a carbocyclic aromatic system containing one, two, or three rings wherein such rings may be attached together in a pendant manner or may be fused. The term “fused” means that a second ring is present (i.e., attached or formed) by having two adjacent atoms in common (i.e., shared) with the first ring. The term “fused” is equivalent to the term “condensed.” The term “aryl” embraces aromatic groups such as phenyl, naphthyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, indane, and biphenyl. The aryl group may optionally be substituted with an amino, alkyl, halo, hydroxyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, or another aryl group.

[0108] The term “aralkyl” embraces aryl-substituted alkyl moieties. Preferable aralkyl groups are “lower aralkyl” groups having aryl groups attached to alkyl groups having one to six carbon atoms. Examples of such groups include benzyl, diphenylmethyl, triphenylmethyl, phenylethyl, and diphenylethyl. The terms benzyl and phenylmethyl are interchangeable.

[0109] The term “aryloxy” embraces aryl groups, as defined above, attached to an oxygen atom. The aryloxy groups may optionally be substituted with a halo, hydroxyl, or alkyl group. Examples of such groups include phenoxy, 4-chloro-3-ethylphenoxy, 4-chloro-3-methylphenoxy, 3-chloro-4-ethylphenoxy, 3,4-dichlorophenoxy, 4-methylphenoxy, 3-trifluoromethoxyphenoxy, 3-trifluoromethylphenoxy, 4-fluorophenoxy, 3,4-dimethylphenoxy, 5-bromo-2-fluorophenoxy, 4-bromo-3-fluorophenoxy, 4-fluoro-3-methylphenoxy, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthyloxy, 3-isopropylphenoxy, 3-cyclopropylphenoxy, 3-ethylphenoxy, 4-tert-butylphenoxy, 3-pentafluoroethylphenoxy, and 3-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy)phenoxy.

[0110] The term “aralkoxy” embraces oxy-containing aralkyl groups attached through an oxygen atom to other groups. “Lower aralkoxy” groups are those phenyl groups attached to lower alkoxy group as described above. Examples of such groups include benzyloxy, 1-phenylethoxy, 3-trifluoromethoxybenzyloxy, 3-trifluoromethylbenzyloxy, 3,5-difluorobenzyloxy, 3-bromobenzyloxy, 4-propylbenzyloxy, 2-fluoro-3-trifluoromethylbenzyloxy, and 2-phenylethoxy.

[0111] The term “carboxyl” refers to R′C(═O)OR″, wherein R′ and R″ as used in this definition are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl or R′ can additionally be a covalent bond. “Carboxyl” includes both carboxylic acids, and carboxylic acid esters. The term “carboxylic acid” refers to a carboxyl group in which R″ is hydrogen. Such acids include formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric acid, 2-methyl propionic acid, oxirane-carboxylic acid, and cyclopropane carboxylic acid. The term “carboxylic acid ester” or “ester” refers to a carboxyl group in which R″ is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0112] The term “carbocyclic” refers to a group that contains one or more covalently closed ring structures, and that the atoms forming the backbone of the ring are all carbon atoms. The ring structure may be saturated or unsaturated. The term thus distinguishes carbocyclic from heterocyclic rings in which the ring backbone contains at least one non-carbon atom. The term carbocylic encompasses cycloalkyl ring systems.

[0113] The terms “cycloalkane” or “cyclic alkane” or “cycloalkyl” refer to a carbocyclic group in which the ring is a cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon, for example, a cyclic alkyl group preferably with 3 to 12 ring carbons. “Cycloalkyl” includes, by way of example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, or cyclooctyl, and the like. The cycloalkyl group may be optionally substituted with an amino, alkyl, halo, or hydroxyl group.

[0114] The term “ether” refers to the group R′—O—R″ wherein R′ and R″ as used in this definition are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl, and R′ can additionally be a covalent bond attached to a carbon.

[0115] The terms “halo” or “halogen” refer to fluoro, chloro, bromo, or iodo, usually regarding halo substitution for a hydrogen atom in an organic compound.

[0116] The term “heterocyclic or heterocycle” means an optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated, aromatic or non-aromatic cyclic hydrocarbon group with 4 to about 12 carbon atoms, preferably about 5 to about 6, wherein 1 to about 4 carbon atoms are replaced by nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Exemplary heterocyclic which are aromatic include groups pyridinyl, furanyl, benzofuranyl, isobenzofuranyl, pyrrolyl, thienyl, 1,2,3-triazolyl, 1,2,4-triazolyl, indolyl, imidazolyl, thiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, pyrimidinyl, oxazolyl, triazinyl, and tetrazolyl. Exemplary heterocycles include benzimidazole, dihydrothiophene, dioxin, dioxane, dioxolane, dithiane, dithiazine, dithiazole, dithiolane, furan, indole, 3-H indazole, 3-H-indole, imidazole, indolizine, isoindole, isothiazole, isoxazole, morpholine, oxazole, oxadiazole, oxathiazole, oxathiazolidine, oxazine, oxadiazine, piperazine, piperidine, purine, pyran, pyrazine, pyrazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrimidine, pyridazine, pyrrole, pyrrolidine, tetrahydrofuran, tetrazine, thiadiazine, thiadiazole, thiatriazole, thiazine, thiazole, thiomorpholine, thiophene, thiopyran, triazine, and triazole. The heterocycle may be optionally substituted with an amino, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, hydroxyl, carbocyclic, thio, other heterocyclic, or aryl group. Exemplary heterocyclic groups include 1-pyrrolyl, 2-pyrrolyl, 3-pyrrolyl, 1-indolyl, 2-indolyl, 3-indolyl, 1-pyridyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 1-imidazolyl, 2-imidazolyl, 3-imidazolyl, 4-imidazolyl, 1-pyrazolyl, 2 pyrazolyl, 3-pyrazolyl, 4-pyrazolyl, 5-pyrazolyl, 1-pyrazinyl, 2-pyrazinyl, 1-pyrimidinyl, 2-pyrimidinyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 1-pyridazinyl, 2-pyridazinyl, 3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridizinyl, 1-indolizinyl, 2-indolizinyl, 3-indolizinyl, 4-indolizinyl, 5-indolizinyl, 6-indolizinyl, 7-indolizinyl, 8-indolizinyl, 1-isoindolyl, 2-isoindolyl, 3-isoindolyl, 4-isoindolyl, 5-isoindolyl.

[0117] The term “hydroxy” or “hydroxyl” refers to the substituent —OH.

[0118] The term “oxo” shall refer to the substituent —OH.

[0119] The term “nitro” means —NO₂.

[0120] The term “sulfanyl” refers to —SR′ where R′ as used in this definition is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0121] The term “sulfenyl” refers to —SOR′ where R′ as used is this definition is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0122] The term “sulfonyl” refers to —SOR′ where R′ as used in this definition is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0123] “Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances in which it does not. “Optionally” is inclusive of embodiments in which the described conditions is present and embodiments in which the described condition is not present. For example, “optionally substituted phenyl” means that the phenyl may or may not be substituted, and that the description includes both unsubstituted phenyl and phenyl wherein there is substitution. “Optionally” is inclusive of embodiments in which the described conditions is present and embodiments in which the described condition is not present.

[0124] The compounds of the present invention can exist in tautomeric, geometric, or stereoisomeric forms. The present invention contemplates all such compounds, including cis- and trans-geometric isomers, E- and Z-geometric isomers, R- and S-enantiomers, diastereomers, d-isomers, l-isomers, the racemic mixtures thereof and other mixtures thereof, as falling within the scope of the invention.

[0125] Also included in the family of compounds of the present invention are the pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, and prodrugs thereof. The term “pharmaceutically-acceptable salts” embraces salts commonly used to form alkali metal salts and to form addition salts of free acids or free bases. The nature of the salt is not critical, provided that it is pharmaceutically acceptable. Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts of compounds of the present invention be prepared from inorganic acid or from an organic acid. Examples of such inorganic acids are hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, nitric, carbonic, sulfuric, and phosphoric acid. Appropriate organic acids may be selected from aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic, araliphatic, heterocyclic, carboxylic and sulfonic classes of organic acids, examples of which are formic, acetic, propionic, succinic, glycolic, gluconic, lactic, malic, tartaric, citric, ascorbic, glucoronic, maleic, fumaric, pyruvic, aspartic, glutamic, benzoic, anthranilic, mesylic, salicylic, p-hydroxybenzoic, phenylacetic, mandelic, embonic (pamoic), methanesulfonic, ethylsulfonic, benzenesulfonic, sulfanilic, stearic, cyclohexylaminosulfonic, algenic, galacturonic acid. Suitable pharmaceutically-acceptable base addition salts of compounds of the present invention include metallic salts made from aluminum, calcium, lithium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc or organic salts made from N,N′-dibenzylethyleneldiamine, choline, chloroprocaine, diethanolamine, ethylenediamine, meglumine (N-methylglucamine) and procain. All of these salts may be prepared by conventional means from the corresponding compounds of by reacting, for example, the appropriate acid or base with the compounds of the present invention.

[0126] As used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable ester” refers to esters which hydrolyze in vivo and include, but are not limited to, those that break down readily in the human body to leave the parent compound or a salt thereof. Suitable ester groups include, for example, those derived from pharmaceutically acceptable aliphatic carboxylic acids, particularly alkanoic, alkenoic, cycloalkanoic and alkanedioic acids, in which each alkyl or alkenyl moiety advantageously has not more than 6 carbon atoms. Examples of particular esters include formates, acetates, propionates, butyrates, acrylates, and ethylsuccinates.

[0127] The term “pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs” as used herein refers to those prodrugs of the compounds of the present invention which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of humans and lower animals without undue toxicity, irritation, allergic response and the like, commensurate with a reasonable risk/benefit ratio, and effective for their intended use, where possible, of the compounds of the invention. The term “prodrug” refers to compounds that are rapidly transformed in vivo to yield the parent compound of the above formulae, for example, by hydrolysis in blood. A thorough discussion is provided in T. Higuchi and V. Stella, Prodrugs as Novel delivery Systems, Vol. 14 of the A.C.S. Symposium Series and in Edward B. Roche, ed., Bioreversible Carriers in Drug Design, American Pharmaceutical Association and Pergamon Press, (1987), both of which are incorporated by reference herein.

[0128] The term “autoimmune disorder” is intended to include disorders in which the immune system of a subject reacts to autoantigens, such that significant tissue or cell destruction occurs in the subject. The term “autoantigen” is intended to include any antigen of a subject that is recognized by the immune system of the subject. Autoimmune disorders include but are not limited to acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Addison's disease, Alopecia universalis, ankylosing spondylitisis, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, aplastic anemia, autoimmune hepatitis autoimmune infertility, autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune neutropenia, Behçet's disease, bullous pemphigoid, Chagas' disease, cirrhosis, Coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, Chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic active hepatitis, dense deposit disease, discoid lupus, dermatitis, luten-sensitive enteropathy, dysautonomia, endometriosis, glomerulonephritis, Goodpasture's disease, Graves' disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hashimoto's disease, Hidradenitis suppurativa, idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, interstitial cystitis, mixed connective tissue disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, neuromyotonia, opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome, optic neuritis, Ord's thyroiditis, pemphigus vulgaris, pernicious anemia, polyarthritis, polymyositis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, Reiter's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, Takayasu's arteritis, temporal arteritis, ulcerative colitis, vitiligo, vulvodynia, warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or Wegener's granulomatosis. In a preferred aspect, the autoimmune disorder is multiple sclerosis or its animal model system termed experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (“EAE”).

[0129] The term “neuroprotection” embraces to inhibition of progressive deterioration of neurons that leads to cell death.

[0130] The term “neurodegenerative disorder” embraces a disorder in which progressive loss of neurons occurs either in the peripheral nervous system or in the central nervous system. Examples of neurodegenerative disorders include, but are not limited to chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, diffuse Lewy body disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (Steel-Richardson syndrome), multisystem degeneration (Shy-Drager syndrome), motor neuron diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”), degenerative ataxias, cortical basal degeneration, ALS-Parkinson's-Dementia complex of Guam, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, synucleinopathies, primary progressive aphasia, striatonigral degeneration, Machado-Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 and olivopontocerebellar degenerations, Gilles De La Tourette's disease, bulbar and pseudobulbar palsy, spinal and spinobulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy's disease), primary lateral sclerosis, familial spastic paraplegia, Wernicke-Korsakoffs related dementia (alcohol induced dementia), Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, Kugelberg-Welander disease, Tay-Sach's disease, Sandhoff disease, familial spastic disease, Wohifart-Kugelberg-Welander disease, spastic paraparesis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and prion diseases (including Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease, Kuru and fatal familial insomnia). Other conditions also included within the methods of the present invention include age-related dementia and other dementias, and conditions with memory loss including vascular dementia, diffuse white matter disease (Binswanger's disease), dementia of endocrine or metabolic origin, dementia of head trauma and diffuse brain damage, dementia pugilistica, and frontal lobe dementia. Also other neurodegenerative disorders resulting from cerebral ischemia or infarction including embolic occlusion and thrombotic occlusion as well as intracranial hemorrhage of any type (including, but not limited to, epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and intracerebral), and intracranial and intravertebral lesions (including, but not limited to, contusion, penetration, shear, compression, and laceration). Thus, the term also encompasses acute neurodegenerative disorders such as those involving stroke, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, peripheral nerve damage, hypoglycemia, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, and anoxia and hypoxia.

[0131] In one aspect, the neurodegenerative disorder is selected from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, age-related memory loss, senility and age-related dementia, most preferably, the neurodegenerative disorder is Alzheimer's disease. Because, most preferably, the neurodegenerative disorder is Alzheimer's disease, also characterized as an amyloidosis, other conditions within the methods of the present invention include the treatment or prevention of other amyloidosis disorders which share features including, but not limited to, hereditary cerebral angiopathy, nonneuropathic hereditary amyloid, Down's syndrome, macroglobulinemia, secondary familial Mediterranean fever, Muckle-Wells syndrome, multiple myeloma, pancreatic- and cardiac-related amyloidosis, chronic hemodialysis arthropathy, and Finnish and Iowa amyloidosis.

[0132] The phrase “pharmaceutically acceptable” is employed herein to refer to those compounds, materials, compositions, and/or dosage forms which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of human beings and animals without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problem or complication, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.

[0133] The phrase “pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier” as used herein means a pharmaceutically-acceptable material, composition or vehicle, such as a liquid or solid filler, diluent, excipient, solvent or encapsulating material, involved in carrying or transporting the analogue or derivative from one organ, or portion of the body, to another organ, or portion of the body. Each carrier must be “acceptable” in the sense of being compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and not injurious to the patient. Some examples of materials which may serve as pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers include: (1) sugars, such as lactose, glucose and sucrose; (2) starches, such as corn starch and potato starch; (3) cellulose, and its derivatives, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate; (4) powdered tragacanth; (5) malt; (6) gelatin; (7) talc; (8) excipients, such as cocoa butter and suppository waxes; (9) oils, such as peanut oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, corn oil and soybean oil; (10) glycols, such as propylene glycol; (11) polyols, such as glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol and polyethylene glycol; (12) esters, such as ethyl oleate and ethyl laurate; (13) agar; (14) buffering agents, such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide; (15) alginic acid; (16) pyrogen-free water; (17) isotonic saline; (18) Ringer's solution; (19) ethyl alcohol; (20) phosphate buffer solutions; and (21) other non-toxic compatible substances employed in pharmaceutical formulations.

[0134] The “patient” or “subject” to be treated with the compounds of the present invention can be any animal, e.g., dogs, cats, mice, monkeys, rats, rabbits, horses, cows, guinea pigs, sheep, and is preferably a mammal, such as a domesticated animal or a livestock animal. In another aspect, the patient is a human.

[0135] The term “inhibit” or “inhibiting” refers to a statistically significant and measurable reduction in neurotoxicity, preferably as measured by one or more of the assays discussed herein, preferably a reduction of at least about 10% versus control, more preferably a reduction of about 50% or more, still more preferably a reduction of about 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or more.

[0136] The term “preventing” as used herein means that the compounds of the present invention are useful when administered to a patient who has not been diagnosed as possibly having the disorder or disease at the time of administration, but who would normally be expected to develop the disorder or disease or be at increased risk for the disorder or disease. The compounds of the invention will slow the development of the disorder or disease symptoms, delay the onset of the disorder or disease, or prevent the individual from developing the disorder or disease at all. Preventing also includes administration of the compounds of the invention to those individuals thought to be predisposed to the disorder or disease due to age, familial history, genetic or chromosomal abnormalities, and/or due to the presence of one or more biological markers for the disorder or disease.

[0137] The term “treating,” as used herein generally means that the compounds of the invention can be used in humans or animals with at least a tentative diagnosis of the disorder or disease. The compounds of the invention will delay or slow the progression of the disorder or disease thereby giving the individual a more useful life span. The term “treatment” embraces at least an amelioration of the symptoms associated with the disorder or disease in the patient is achieved, where amelioration is used in a broad sense to refer to at least a reduction in the magnitude of a parameter, e.g. symptom, associated with the condition being treated. As such, “treatment” also includes situations where the diseased condition or disorder, or at least symptoms associated therewith, are completely inhibited, e.g. prevented from happening, or stopped, e.g. terminated, such that the patient no longer suffers from the condition or disorder, or at least the symptoms that characterize the condition or disorder.

[0138] A “therapeutically effective amount” is an amount of a compound of the present invention or a combination of two or more such compounds, which inhibits, totally or partially, the progression of the condition or alleviates, at least partially, one or more symptoms of the condition. A therapeutically effective amount can also be an amount that is prophylactically effective. The amount that is therapeutically effective will depend upon the patient's size and gender, the condition to be treated, the severity of the condition and the result sought. For a given patient and condition, a therapeutically effective amount can be determined by methods known to those of skill in the art. For example, in reference to the treatment of cancer using the compounds of the present invention, a therapeutically effective amount refers to that amount which has the effect of (1) reducing the size of the tumor, (2) inhibiting (that is, slowing to some extent, preferably stopping) tumor metastasis, (3) inhibiting to some extent (that is, slowing to some extent, preferably stopping) tumor growth, and/or, (4) relieving to some extent (or, preferably, eliminating) one or more symptoms associated with the cancer.

[0139] Several of the compounds of the present invention have been shown to inhibit Hsp90 in vitro. As such, it is contemplated that therapeutically effective amounts of the compounds of the present invention will be useful as anti-cancer agents and/or neuroprotective agents.

[0140] In the context of cancer and neuroprotection, it is contemplated that some of the compounds of the present invention may be used with other Hsp90 inhibitors, chemotherapeutic agents, and/or neuroprotective agents.

[0141] The following examples are provided to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that known variations of the conditions and processes of the following preparative procedures can be used to prepare these compounds.

[0142] The present invention is directed to the use of therapeutically effective amount of one or more of the compounds disclosed herein to treat and/or prevent a neurodegenerative disorder and/or to provide neuroprotection.

[0143] Compositions of the Present Invention

[0144] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition, which comprises a therapeutically-effective amount of one or more compounds of the present invention or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, ester or prodrug thereof, together with a pharmaceutically-acceptable diluent or carrier. The pharmaceutical compositions provide neuroprotection and used to treat and/or prevent neurodegenerative disorders.

[0145] The compositions may be formulated for any route of administration, in particular for oral, rectal, transdermal, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intranasal administration. The compositions may be formulated in any conventional form, for example, as tablets, capsules, caplets, solutions, suspensions, dispersions, syrups, sprays, gels, suppositories, patches, and emulsions.

[0146] Accordingly, the compounds of the present invention are useful in the treatment or alleviation of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, or multiple sclerosis, to name a few, not to mention central or peripheral nervous system damage, dysfunction, or complications involving same stemming from edema, injury, or trauma. Such damage, dysfunction, or complications may be characterized by an apparent neurological, neurodegenerative, physiological, psychological, or behavioral aberrations, the symptoms of which can be reduced by the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the compounds of the present invention.

[0147] The following examples are provided for further illustration of the present invention, and do not limit the invention.

[0148] In an effort to increase the affinity of novobiocin for the C-terminal ATP binding site, a library of novobiocin analogue compounds that contained both modified coumarin and sugar derivatives was prepared. The compounds were prepared as set forth in the scheme below along with a procedure recently developed for the synthesis of noviose. See Yu et al., Synthesis of (−)-Noviose from 2,3-O-Isopropylidene-D-erythronolactol, J. Org. Chem. 69, 7375-7378 (2004), which is incorporated by reference.

[0149] The novobiocin analogues prepared according to the scheme included modification of the coumarin ring by shortening of the amide side chain and removal of the 4-hydroxy substituent (A) (see Madhavan et al., Novel Coumarin Derivatives of Heterocyclic Compounds as Lipid Lowering Agents, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 13, 2547 (2003), which is incorporated by reference), removal of both the 4-hydroxy and amide linker (B), steric replacements of both the 4-hydroxy and benzamide ring (C), and 1,2-positional isomers of the noviosyl linkage (D and E).

[0150] These selected coumarin rings were coupled with trichloroacetimidate of noviose carbonate in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate as shown in scheme below. See Shen et al., Syntheses of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903 (2004). The resulting cyclic carbonates (A1-E1) were treated with methanolic ammonia to provide 2′-carbamoyl (A2-E2), 3′-carbamoyl (A3-E3), and descarbamoyl products (A4-E4) in good yields. See also Yu et al., Hsp90 Inhibitors Identified from a Library of Novobiocin Analogues, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 12778-12779 (2005), which is incorporated by reference.

[0151] wherein R¹ in the above scheme is hydrogen, amido, amino, or aryl; and

[0152] wherein R² in the above scheme is hydrogen, alkyl, or hydroxyl.

[0153] Overall, the following twenty-three (23) analogues of novobiocin were prepared, which are set forth below:

[0154] N-(7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)acetamide (A1). Noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate (180 mg, 0.50 mmol) and 7-hydroxy-3-acetamino-coumarin A (133 mg, 0.60 mmol) were dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (7 mL) before boron trifluoride etherate (30 μL, 0.03 mmol) was added to the suspension at 25° C. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 8 hours and quenched with Et₃N (0.4 mL, 2.8 mmol). The solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (SiO₂, 5% acetone in CH₂Cl₂) to afford A1 (134 mg, 64%) as a colorless solid: [α]²⁵_D=−71.0° (c, 0.1, CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CD₃Cl 400 MHz) δ 8.67 (s, 1H), 8.00 (br s, 1H), 7.46 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.05 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 7.00 (dd, J=2.3, 8.6 Hz, 1H), 5.82 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 5.02 (dd, J=1.5, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 4.94 (t, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (s, 3H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.21 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃Cl 100 MHz) δ 169.7, 159.2, 157.4, 153.5, 151.4, 129.2, 123.9, 122.8, 115.1, 114.6, 104.1, 94.7, 83.4, 78.3, 77.6, 77.5, 61.1, 27.9, 25.2, 22.4; IR (film) ν_max 1819, 1764, 1615, 1560, 1507, 1375, 1300, 1212, 1168, 1107, 1072, 1034, 1002, 969 cm⁻¹, HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 420.1285 (M+H⁺, C₂₀H₂₂NO₉ requires 420.1294).

[0155] (2R,3R,4R,5R)-2-(3-acetamido-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (A2), (3R,4S,5R,6R)-6-(3-acetamido-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (A3) and N-(7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)acetamide (A4). Noviosylated coumarin A1 (20 mg, 0.047 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (7.0 M, 2 mL) at 25° C. and stirred for 24 hours. The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by preparative HPLC (SiO₂, 20% 2-propanol in hexanes) to afford A2 (4.2 mg, 22%), A3 (8.6 mg, 42%) and A4 (3.5 mg, 20%) as colorless solids.

[0156] A2: [α]²⁵_D=−143.2° (c, 0.11, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (50% CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂ 400 MHz) δ 8.58 (s, 1H), 7.44 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 7.01 (s, 1H), 6.97 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 5.59 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 5.03 (dd, J=2.0, 3.6 Hz, 1H), 4.25 (dd, J=3.6, 9.7 Hz, 1H), 3.57 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 1H), 2.19 (s, 3H), 1.31 (s, 3H), 1.13 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (50% CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂ 100 MHZ) δ 168.8, 157.2, 156.4, 155.5, 149.5, 126.9, 122.9, 120.4, 112.6, 112.3, 101.6, 94.8, 82.5, 77.0, 71.9, 64.7, 59.9, 27.0, 22.1, 20.6; IR (film) ν_max 3473, 1716, 1689, 1610, 1540, 1528, 1505, 1375, 1240, cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 437.1565 (M+H⁺, C₂₀H₂₅N₂O₉ requires 437.1560).

[0157] A3: [α]²⁵_D=−116.2° (c, 0.24, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 8.59 (s, 1H), 7.52 (d, J=10.8 Hz, 1H), 7.04 (s, 1H), 7.03 (d, J=10.8 Hz, 1H), 5.56 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 5.25 (dd, J=3.2, 9.8 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (dd, J=2.4, 3.2 Hz, 1H), 3.58 (s, 3H), 3.35 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H), 2.22 (s, 3H), 1.27 (s, 3H), 1.18 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 171.6, 158.8, 158.7, 158.1, 151.8, 128.9, 125.6, 122.5, 114.4, 114.2, 103.1, 99.1, 81.6, 79.0, 71.8, 69.7, 60.1, 27.9, 22.9, 22.4; IR (film) ν_max 3470, 1716, 1686, 1615, 1538, 1523, 1505, 1372, 1242, 1120 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 437.1576 (M+H⁺, C₂₀H₂₅N₂O₉ requires 437.1560).

[0158] A4: As shown in the scheme below, the coumarin ring (2) was constructed by the condensation of commercially available benzaldehyde 1 with glycine in the presence of acetic anhydride. See Madhavan et al., Novel coumarin derivatives of heterocyclic compounds as lipid-Lowering agents, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 13, 2547 (2003). After selective deprotection, the free phenol was coupled with the trichloroacetimidate of noviose carbonate (4) (Yu et al., Synthesis of (−)-Noviose from 2,3-O-Isopropylidene-D-erythronolactol, Org. Chem. 69, 7375-7380 (2004)) in the presence of catalytic boron trifluoride etherate (Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5907 (2004)). KU-1/A4 was furnished in excellent yield by treatment of the cyclic carbonate 5 with triethylamine in methanol, resulting in solvolysis of the carbonate to afford the desired product.

[0159] More specifically, triethylamine (0.2 mL) was added to a solution of noviosylated coumarin (45 mg, 0.10 mmol) in methanol (2 mL) at 25° C. After stirring for 48 hours, the solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, DCM-acetone; 4:1) to afford KU-1/A4 (35 mg, 0.086 mmol, 83%) as a white solid. N-(7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)acetamide (KU-1/A4). [α]²⁵_D=−351.6° (c, 0.06, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 8.58 (s, 1H), 7.51 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.03 (s, 1H), 7.02 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 5.55 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 4.10 (dd, J=3.3, 9.6 Hz, 1H), 4.03 (dd, J=2.4, 3.3 Hz, 1H), 3.60 (s, 3H), 3.38 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 2.21 (s, 3H), 1.30 (s, 3H), 1.13 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 171.6, 158.9, 158.8, 151.8, 128.9, 125.7, 122.5, 114.3, 114.1, 103.1, 99.2, 84.2, 78.8, 71.5, 68.4, 61.1, 28.2, 22.9, 22.4; IR (film) ν_max 3326, 1714, 1674, 1613, 1558, 1553, 1108 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 394.1492 (M+H⁺, C₁₉H₂₄O₈ requires 394.1502).

[0160] 7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (B1). Noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate (90 mg, 0.25 mmol) and 7-hydroxy-coumarin B (48 mg, 0.30 mmol) were dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (2 mL) before boron trifluoride etherate (10 μL, 0.01 mmol) was added to the suspension at 25° C. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 8 hours and quenched with Et₃N (0.1 mL, 0.7 mmol). The solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (SiO₂, 2% acetone in CH₂Cl₂) to afford B1 (66 mg, 73%) as a colorless solid: [α]²⁵_D=−85.6° (c, 1.15, CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CDCl₃ 400 MHz) δ 7.69 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.43 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.05 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 6.95 (dd, J=2.3, 8.6 Hz, 1H), 6.34 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.84 (d, J=1.3 Hz, 1H), 5.03 (dd, J=1.3, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 4.94 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.20 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CDCl₃ 100 MHZ) δ 161.2, 158.9, 155.9, 153.5, 143.5, 129.4, 114.7, 114.4, 113.7, 104.4, 94.6, 83.4, 78.3, 77.8, 77.5, 61.0, 27.9, 22.4; IR (film) ν_max 1809, 1730, 1612, 1171, 1157, 1109 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 363.1083 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₁₉O₈ requires 363.1080).

[0161] (3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (B2), (2R,3R,4R,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (B3) and 7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (B4). Noviosylated coumarin B1 (25 mg, 0.07 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (7.0 M, 2 mL) at 25° C. and stirred for 24 hours. The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 25% acetone in methylene chloride) to afford B2 (4.3 mg, 16%), B3 (14.5 mg, 52%) and B4 (4.0 mg, 17%) as colorless solids.

[0162] B2: [α]²⁵_D=−85.1° (c, 0.71, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.91 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (dd, J=1.3, 9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.04 (s, 1H), 7.03 (d, J=9.0 Hz, 1H), 6.30 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.65 (d, J=2.1 Hz, 1H), 5.04 (dd, J=2.6, 3.4 Hz, 1H), 4.28 (dd, J=3.4, 9.9 Hz, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.39 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.15 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 161.7, 159.7, 157.5, 155.3, 144.1, 129.1, 113.6, 113.4, 112.8, 103.0, 96.4, 83.9, 78.5, 73.4, 66.2, 60.8, 28.0, 21.8; IR (film) ν_max 3438, 2982, 2932, 1731, 1616, 1403, 1338, 1280, 1117, 1002, 963 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 380.1333 (M+H⁺, C₁₇H₂₁O₇ requires 380.1345).

[0163] B3: [α]²⁵_D=−111.8° (c, 0.18, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.91 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.05 (s, 1H), 7.04 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 6.30 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H), 5.59 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 5.25 (dd, J=3.2, 9.8 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (dd, J=2.4, 3.2 Hz, 1H), 3.59 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 3.57 (s, 3H), 1.36 (s, 3H), 1.17 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 161.7, 159.9, 157.7, 155.3, 144.2, 129.1, 113.6, 113.5, 112.7, 102.9, 98.6, 81.1, 78.6, 71.4, 69.3, 60.6, 27.5, 22.0; IR (film) ν_max 3359, 2979, 2937, 1710, 1615, 1317, 1120, 1092, 995 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 380.1327 (M+H⁺, C₁₇H₂₁O₇ requires 380.1345).

[0164] B4: [α]²⁵_D=−129.4° (c, 0.18, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.91 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (dd, J=2.4, 10.4 Hz, 1H), 7.02 (m, 2H), 6.27 (dd, J=4.5, 9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.57 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 4.11 (dd, J=3.3, 9.5 Hz, 1H), 4.03 (dd, J=2.4, 3.3 Hz, 1H), 3.60 (s, 3H), 3.39 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.12 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 161.7, 160.9, 155.4, 144.2, 129.0, 113.5, 113.4, 112.6, 102.9, 98.8, 83.7, 78.4, 71.1, 67.9, 60.7, 27.7, 22.0; IR (film) ν_max 3415, 2984, 2934, 1730, 1718, 1707, 1615, 1118, 999, 957 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 337.11279 (M+H⁺, C₁₇H₂₁O₇ requires 337.1287).

[0165] 7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-4-methyl-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-2-one (C1). Noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate (90 mg, 0.25 mmol) and 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-phenyl-coumarin C (76 mg, 0.30 mmol) were dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (2 mL) before boron trifluoride etherate (10 μL, 0.01 mmol) was added to the suspension at 25° C. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 8 hours and quenched with Et₃N (0.1 mL, 0.7 mmol). The solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (SiO₂, 1% acetone in CH₂Cl₂) to afford C1 (92 mg, 73%) as a colorless solid:

[0166] [α]²⁵_D=−75.8° (c, 1.41, CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CDCl₃ 400 MHz) δ 7.80 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 3H), 7.33 (m, 2H), 7.09 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 7.01 (dd, J=2.4, 5.2 Hz, 1H), 5.84 (d, J=1.3 Hz, 1H), 5.03 (dd, J=1.3, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 4.94 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 2.31 (s, 3H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.20 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CDCl₃ 100 MHZ) δ 161.0, 158.0, 153.9, 153.0, 147.4, 134.3, 130.0 (2C), 128.3 (2C), 128.0, 126.2, 125.2, 115.6, 113.0, 103.7, 94.1, 82.9, 77.8, 76.7, 76.5, 60.5, 27.4, 22.0, 16.5; IR (film) ν_max 1874, 1715, 1612, 1564, 1507, 1383, 1262, 1167, 1130, 1113, 1070, 1033, 1006, 968, 936 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB) m/z 453.1554 (M+H⁺, C₂₅H₂₅O₈ requires 453.1549).

[0167] (3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(4-methyl-2-oxo-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl carbamate (C2), (2R,3R,4R,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(4-methyl-2-oxo-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl carbamate (C3) and 7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-4-methyl-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-2-one (C4). Noviosylated coumarin C1 (25 mg, 0.055 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (7.0 M, 2 mL) at 25° C. and stirred for 24 hours. The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 25% acetone in methylene chloride) to afford C2 (6.3 mg, 25%), C3 (13.7 mg, 53%) and C4 (3.0 mg, 13%) as colorless solids.

[0168] C2: [α]²⁵_D=−72.9° (c, 0.19, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.80 (d, J=9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.43 (m, 3H), 7.32 (m, 2H), 7.10 (m, 2H), 5.69 (d, J=1.8 Hz, 1H), 5.06 (dd, J=2.1, 3.2 Hz, 1H), 4.30 (dd, J=3.2, 9.7 Hz, 1H), 3.63 (s, 3H), 3.40 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 1H), 2.31 (s, 3H), 1.36 (s, 3H), 1.18 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 162.2, 159.7, 158.0, 154.2, 149.2, 135.1, 130.3 (2C), 128.4 (2C), 128.1, 127.0, 124.7, 115.3, 113.7, 103.2, 96.8, 84.4, 78.9, 73.8, 66.7, 61.3, 28.4, 22.3, 15.8; IR (film) ν_max 3474, 2986, 2924, 1713, 1605, 1382, 1355, 1263, 1124, 1001, 967 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 470.1821 (M+H⁺, C₂₅H₂₈NO₈ requires 470.1815).

[0169] C3: [α]²⁵_D=−92.3° (c, 0.28, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.75 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (m, 3H), 7.34 (m, 2H), 7.06 (m, 2H), 5.63 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 5.18 (dd, J=3.2, 9.6 Hz, 1H), 4.18 (dd, J=2.4, 3.2 Hz, 1H), 3.54 (s, 3H), 3.40 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (s, 3H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.16 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃CN 125 MHZ) δ 160.7, 159.0, 156.0, 153.8, 148.0, 135.2, 130.1 (2C), 128.1 (2C), 127.7, 126.7, 124.4, 114.9, 113.1, 103.1, 98.2, 81.0, 78.4, 71.3, 69.0, 60.7, 27.7, 22.4, 15.8; IR (film) ν_max 3459, 3331, 2981, 2925, 1714, 1606, 1379, 1335, 1263, 1124, 1072 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 470.1811 (M+H⁺, C₂₅H₂₈NO₈ requires 470.1815).

[0170] C4: [α]²⁵_D=−86.0° (c, 0.12, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD 400 MHz) δ 7.80 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 3H), 7.33 (m, 2H), 7.09 (m, 2H), 5.60 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 1H), 4.12 (dd, J=3.3, 9.5 Hz, 1H), 4.05 (dd, J=2.4, 3.1 Hz, 1H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 3.40 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 2.32 (s, 3H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.15 (s, 3H); ¹³CNMR (CD₃OD 100 MHZ) δ 161.9, 159.6, 153.8, 149.1, 134.7, 129.9 (2C), 127.9 (2C), 127.7, 126.5, 124.1, 114.7, 113.4, 102.7, 98.8, 83.8, 78.4, 71.1, 68.0, 60.7, 27.8, 22.0, 15.4; IR (film) ν_max 3403, 2977, 2924, 1717, 1607, 1558, 1505, 1381, 1260, 1124, 992 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 427.1750 (M+H⁺, C₂₄H₂₇O₇ requires 427.1757).

[0171] 8-(7-Methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (D1) Noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate (176 mg, 0.49 mmol) and 8-hydroxy-coumarin D (95 mg, 0.59 mmol) were dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (5 mL). Boron trifluoride etherate (20 μL, 0.08 mmol) was added to the suspension at 25° C. The resulting slurry was stirred at 25° C. for 10 hours before the solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (SiO₂, 1% MeOH in CHCl₃) to afford D1 (85 mg, 40%) as a colorless solid: [α]_D³¹=−57° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 500 MHz) δ 7.69 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.31 (t, J=9.1 Hz, 1H), 7.23 (dd, J=2.8 Hz, 9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.16 (d, J=2.8 Hz, 1H), 6.47 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 5.77 (d, J=1.0 Hz, 1H), 5.03 (dd, J=1.2 Hz, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 4.95 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.20 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 160.6, 153.1, 152.1, 149.4, 142.9, 120.8, 119.3, 118.0, 117.4, 113.3, 94.5, 82.9, 77.9, 77.2, 76.5, 60.5, 27.5, 22.0; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1817, 1730, 1572, 1422, 1166, 1112, 1040, 896, 739 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 363.1088 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₁₉O₈ requires m/z 363.1080).

[0172] Carbamic acid 4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-3-yl ester (D2), carbamic acid 5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-4-yl ester (D3), 8-(3,4-Dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (D4) D1 (17 mg, 0.047 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (2.0 M, 5 mL, 10 mmol) at 25° C. and stirred for 5 hours before the solvent was removed. The residue was purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 25% acetone in CH₂Cl₂) to afford D2 (3.8 mg, 21%), D3 (5.5 mg, 31%), and D4 (7.2 mg, 46%) as colorless solids.

[0173] D2: [α]_D³¹=−19° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 500 MHz) δ 7.79 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.26 (m, 3H), 6.43 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 5.59 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 5.05 (dd, J=2.1 Hz, 3.4 Hz, 1H), 4.28 (m, 2H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 3.32 (m, 1H), 1.34 (s, 3H), 1.18 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CDCl₃, 100 MHz) δ 162.1, 158.0, 153.6, 149.3, 144.6, 121.1, 119.9, 117.7, 116.6, 113.6, 97.1, 84.5, 78.8, 74.1, 66.7, 61.4, 28.6, 22.4; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1729, 1422, 896, 739, 705 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 380.1356 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₂₂NO₈ requires m/z 380.1345).

[0174] D3: [α]_D³¹=−69° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 500 MHz) δ 7.84 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (m, 3H), 6.44 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.51 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 5.28 (dd, J=3.2 Hz, 9.8 Hz, 1H), 4.21 (m, 1H), 3.56 (s, 1H), 3.55 (s, 3H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.20 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 161.8, 157.4, 153.3, 148.7, 144.2, 120.8, 119.3, 117.4, 116.2, 113.2, 98.9, 81.3, 78.6, 71.5, 69.5, 60.8, 27.9, 22.3; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1732, 1422, 896, 742 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI¹) m/z 380.1348 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₂₂NO₈ requires m/z 380.1345).

[0175] D4: [α]_D³¹=−91° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 500 MHz) δ 7.82 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.26 (m, 3H), 6.43 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.50 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 4.12 (dd, J=3.4 Hz, 9.3 Hz, 1H), 4.05 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 3.33 (m, 1H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.15 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 161.7, 153.4, 148.6, 144.2, 120.7, 119.3, 117.3, 116.1, 113.1, 98.9, 83.8, 78.3, 71.1, 68.0, 60.9, 28.0, 22.2; IR (film) ν_max 3455, 3053, 2988, 1704, 1568, 1112, 738 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 337.1267 (M+H⁺, C₁₇H₂₁O₇ requires m/z 337.1287).

[0176] 6-(7-Methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (E1) Noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate (150 mg, 0.42 mmol) and 6-hydroxycoumarin E (67 mg, 0.42 mmol) were dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (4 mL). Boron trifluoride etherate (20 μL, 0.06 mmol) was added to the suspension at 25° C. The resulting slurry was stirred at 25° C. for 10 hours before the solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (SiO₂, 1% MeOH in CHCl₃) to afford E1 (63 mg, 42%) as a colorless solid: [α]_D³¹=−59° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CDCl₃, 500 MHz) δ 7.69 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (d, J=9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.23 (dd, J=2.7 Hz, 9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.16 (d, J=2.7 Hz, 1H), 6.47 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 5.77 (m, 1H), 5.02 (dd, J=1.0 Hz, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 4.95 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 1.37 (s, 3H), 1.23 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 160.6, 153.1, 152.1, 149.4, 142.9, 120.8, 119.3, 118.0, 117.4, 113.3, 94.5, 82.9, 77.9, 77.2, 76.5, 60.5, 27.5, 22.0; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1818, 1730, 1422, 896, 739, 705 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 363.1109 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₁₉O₈ requires m/z 363.1080).

[0177] Carbamic acid 5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-4-yl ester (E2), Carbamic acid 4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yloxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-3-yl ester (E3), 6-(3,4-Dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy)-chromen-2-one (E4) E1 (17 mg, 0.047 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (7.0 M, 5 mL, 35 mmol) at 25° C. and stirred for 5 hours before the solvent was removed. The residue was purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 25% acetone in CH₂Cl₂) to afford compound E2 (7.8 mg, 34%), E3 (9.9 mg, 43%), and E4 (4.7 mg, 23%) as colorless solids.

[0178] E2: [α]_D³¹=−45° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂). ¹H NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 500 MHz) δ 7.82 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (m, 3H), 6.44 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.60 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 5.05 (dd, J=2.0 Hz, 3.4 Hz, 1H), 4.28 (m, 1H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 3.32 (m, 1H), 1.34 (s, 3H), 1.18 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 125 MHz) δ 161.6, 157.2, 153.1, 148.8, 143.9, 120.8, 119.3, 117.4, 116.4, 113.2, 96.7, 84.1, 78.4, 73.7, 66.3, 61.3, 28.4, 22.2; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1729, 1422, 896, 738, 705 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI¹) m/z 380.1327 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₂₂NO₈ requires m/z 380.1345).

[0179] E3: [α]_D³¹=−80° (c=0.1, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹HNMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 500 MHz) δ 7.79 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.28 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 2H), 7.25 (s, 1H), 6.43 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.50 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 5.26 (dd, J=3.2 Hz, 9.8 Hz, 1H), 4.21 (t, J=2.7 Hz, 1H), 3.56 (m, 1H), 3.55 (s, 3H), 1.35 (s, 3H), 1.19 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 125 MHz) δ 159.5, 155.0, 151.1, 146.8, 141.8, 118.7, 117.3, 115.4, 114.4, 111.2, 96.7, 79.3, 76.6, 69.6, 67.4, 59.0, 26.0, 20.4; IR (film) ν_max 3054, 2987, 1731, 1422, 1265, 896, 742 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 380.1324 (M+H⁺, C₁₈H₂₂NO₈ requires m/z 380.1345).

[0180] E4: [α]_D³¹=−89° (c=0.05, 50% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 400 MHz) δ 7.83 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.26 (m, 3H), 6.44 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 5.50 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 4.12 (dd, J=3.4 Hz, 9.3 Hz, 1H), 4.05 (d, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 3.33 (m, 1H), 1.34 (s, 3H), 1.14 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CD₃OD in CD₂Cl₂, 125 MHz) δ 162.1, 153.8, 149.2, 144.5, 121.3, 119.8, 117.8, 116.8, 113.5, 99.3, 84.4, 78.8, 71.6, 68.5, 61.6, 28.6, 22.8; IR (film) ν_max 3454, 3054, 2987, 1705, 1568, 1422, 1111, 896, 738 cm⁻¹; HRMS (FAB⁺) m/z 337.1275 (M+H⁺, C₁₇H₂₁O₇ requires m/z 337.1287).

[0181] As discussed more fully below, these compounds were then tested for biological activity with respect to Hsp90 inhibition. Based on the results, various additional modifications to the side chains at R¹ and R² in the above scheme are proposed, as well as modifications to the coumarin ring and sugar moiety.

[0182] Inhibition of Hsp90 results in the degradation of Hsp90-dependent clients via ubiquitination of the unfolded client followed by proteasome-mediated hydrolysis. To test whether Hsp90 client proteins were degraded in the presence of these novobiocin analogues, each member of the library from Example 1 was incubated with SKBr3 breast cancer cells at a concentration of 100 μM. Western blot analysis of the protein lysates demonstrated that several of the compounds were capable of causing the degradation of the Hsp90-dependent oncogenic client protein, phospho-AKT as represented in FIG. 1. Phospho-AKT was chosen as a client protein for this assay because of previous reports indicating that phospho-AKT is a more sensitive indicator of Hsp90 inhibition than AKT. Geldanamycin (GDA, 0.5 μM) was used as a positive control for Hsp90 inhibition.

[0183] As can be seen from FIG. 1, A4/KU-1 (diol) and A3/KU-2 (3′-carbamate) were the most potent novobiocin analogues identified, based on their ability to inhibit Hsp90 and cause the degradation of phosphorylated AKT. As shown in FIG. 1, the most active compound identified in this assay was A4/KU-1 from the scheme above, which contains an N-acetyl side chain in lieu of the benzamide, lacks the 4-hydroxyl of the coumarin moiety, and has an unmodified diol. Structure-activity relationships for these compounds suggests that attachment of the noviose moiety to the 7-position of the coumarin ring is preferred for biological activity (B vs. D and E). Further, incorporation of the amide linker (A) resulted in greater inhibitory activity than the unsubstituted derivative, B. It is likely that the diol (4) mimics the ribose ring in the normal substrate (ATP) and may explain why replacement with a cyclic carbonate (1) or 2′-carbamate (2) resulted in decrease of activity.

[0184] The IC₅₀ for Hsp90 inhibitors is sometimes determined as the concentration of inhibitor required to produce 50% degradation of Her-2, another therapeutically important Hsp90 client protein involved in breast cancer. When KU-1/A4 was incubated with Skbr3 breast cancer cells at concentrations of 100 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM, a rapid decrease in Her-2 was observed between 100 nM and 1 μM, as shown in the Western blot of FIG. 2. These data are normalized against actin, a non-Hsp90 client protein, used as a control for non-specific degradation. These data suggest the IC₅₀ of KU-1/A4 is in the low micromolar range, whereas novobiocin in the same assay produces an IC₅₀ of 700 μM.

[0185] The steroid hormone receptors are also dependent upon the Hsp90 protein folding machinery for activation and hormone binding. To determine whether KU-1/A4 had similar effects on the androgen receptor, KU-1/A4 was tested in both a mutated androgen receptor-dependent prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) and a wild type androgen receptor prostate cancer cell line (LAPC-4). More specifically, the prostate cancer cells were grown in RPMI with 10% fetal calf serum in a standard fashion. Once the cells had reached near confluence, they were treated with vehicle (DMSO) or varying concentrations of KU-1/A4 ranging from 10 nm to 100 μM for 24 hours. Cells were harvested and cell lysates prepared. Western blot analysis was then performed on the cell lysate utilizing commercially available antibodies against the androgen receptor, AKT, HIF-1α, Her2, and Hsp90. Actin was used as the control. More specifically, Western Blot analysis protein concentrations in serum samples were determined by the Pierce BCA protein assay kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. Western blot analysis (100 mg total protein/lane to start) was electrophoresed under reducing conditions on a SDS-PAGE gel. The separated proteins were transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane (Millipore, Bedford, Mass.) for 40 minutes at 80 V. The membranes were blocked for two hours at room temperature in Tris-buffered saline (pH 7.5) containing 0.2% I-block (Tropix, Bedford, Mass.), 1% milk, and 0.1% Tween-20 (TBS-T). The membranes were subsequently be incubated with a primary antibody to the above mentioned proteins (all of which have commercially available antibodies) overnight at 4° C. The next day the membrane was washed three times in TBS-T followed by one hour incubation with an appropriate horseradish peroxidase labeled secondary antibody in blocking buffer (TBS-T). The membranes were again washed in TBS-T and Tris-buffered saline and developed in SuperSignal West Pico Chemiluminescent Substrate (Pierce, Rockford, Ill.) according to manufacturer's instructions. The blots were visualized by exposing the enhanced chemiluminescence-reacted blot to X-ray film.

[0186] In the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line, KU-1/A4 induced Hsp90 at the lowest concentrations tested (10 nM, FIG. 3). In contrast, degradation of the Hsp90 client proteins AR and AKT did not occur until 1 μM, providing a therapeutic window of more than 200 fold, suggesting increased levels of Hsps do not correlate directly with client protein degradation for inhibitors of the C-terminal ATP-binding pocket. In addition, KU-1/A4 drastically reduced levels of the androgen receptor at lower concentrations in the wild type androgen receptor prostate cancer cell line (LAPC-4).

[0187] To verify that KU-1/A4 was not affecting other transcriptional or translational processes that could account for decreased protein, Hsp90 levels were determined. Under normal conditions, Hsp90 binds heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1), but in the presence of Hsp90 inhibitors this interaction is lost and HSF-1 is able to induce the expression of Hsp90. As can be seen in FIG. 3 Hsp90 levels are significantly increased in a manner dependent on the concentration of KU-1/A4 consistent with similar results previously obtained by incubation with geldanamycin and radicicol. Both of these data are in contrast to actin, which is not an Hsp90 client protein and thus remains unaffected by Hsp90 inhibitors.

[0188] Since KU-1/A4 was shown to be the most potent C-terminal inhibitor of Hsp90 identified in Example 1, additional derivatives of the KU-1/A4 scaffold will be prepared. Modifications of the amide side chain will allow for an in depth study of the hydrophobic cavity that binds to this portion of KU-1/A4 and the analogous benzamide of novobiocin. As such, analogues of KU-1/A4 that have increasingly larger hydrophobic groups by the use of different commercially available or readily synthesized anhydrides, such as those anhydrides shown in the scheme below. See Khoo, L. E., Synthesis of Substituted 3-Aminocoumarins from Ethyl N-2-Hydroxyarylideneglycinates, Syn. Comm. 29, 2533-2538 (1999), which is incorporated by reference.

[0189] wherein in the scheme R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl, (and most preferably R is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and aralkyl);

[0190] and wherein R′ is hydrogen or CONH₂.

[0191] As part of this example, the amide linkage will also be reversed to determine the optimal profile of this functionality. As set forth in the scheme below, the 7-hydroxy-3-ethyl ester coumarin will be hydrolyzed to afford the corresponding acid, which will be coupled with amines that mimic the same side chains used in the KU-1/A4 amide studies for direct comparison of biological activity. Once coupled, the free phenols will be noviosylated as described earlier to afford the cyclic carbonate products. Treatment of the carbonate with methanolic ammonia will give the diol, 2- and 3-carbamoyl products as shown in the scheme below. See Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5906 (2004), which is incorporated by reference.

[0192] wherein in the scheme R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl;

[0193] and wherein R′ is hydrogen or CONH₂.

[0194] Most preferably, the R in the amide side chain is hydrogen alkyl, aryl, and alkaryl, and the amines used in the above scheme are NH₃, methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, n-butylamine, and phenylamine. However, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogues shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0195] To determine the most favorable interaction of the coumarin lactone with Hsp90, the isocoumarin derivative of the compounds of the present invention will be prepared. For example, with respect to KU-1/A4, the isocoumarin will be prepared from the 4-benzyloxylactone shown in the scheme below. Treatment of the lactone with sodium cyanide, followed by HCl/pyridine is known to produce similar isocoumarins. See Wells et al., Facile synthesis of 3-acylaminoisocoumarins, J. Org. Chem. 36, 1503-1506 (1971), which is incorporated by reference. Acylation of the amine followed by removal of the benzyl-protecting group will provide the phenol, which will be coupled with noviose trichloroacetimidate to afford the cyclic carbonate precursor. Ammoniaolysis of the cyclic carbonate will afford both the diol and 3′-carbamoyl products.

[0196] It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other isocoumarin derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogue shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0197] Modifications to the gem-dimethyl groups and the methyl ether on the noviose moiety will be prepared. In this example, the des(dimethyl) and desmethoxy sugar analogues will be prepared. Using KU-/1/A4 as an example in the scheme below, 2,3-O-isopropylidene-L-erythronolactol will be converted to the corresponding alkene by Wittig olefination. Dihydroxylation will afford the syn diol as noted in the earlier synthesis of noviose. See Yu et al., Synthesis of (−)-Noviose from 2,3-O-Isopropylidene-D-erythronolactol, J. Org. Chem. 69, 7375-7378 (2004). Protection of the primary alcohol, followed by alkylation of the secondary alcohol will afford the orthogonally protected molecule. Selective removal of the benzyl group and oxidation of the resultant alcohol will give the aldehyde. Treatment of this aldehyde with aqueous sulfuric acid will remove the acid-labile protecting groups while simultaneously promoting cyclization. Id.

[0198] Similarly, the desmethoxy compound will be prepared from the appropriately functionalized lactone (Stewart et al., 2-Deoxy-L-Ribose from an L-Arabino-1,5-lactone, Tetrahedron Assym. 13, 2667-2672 (2002)) by the addition of excess methyl Grignard to provide the primary and tertiary alcohol product. Oxidation of the primary alcohol will give the lactone, which will be reduced to the lactol before deprotection with aqueous sulfuric acid to yield the desmethoxy product. Once obtained, these sugars will be treated with carbonyl diimidazole to furnish the cyclic carbonates before coupling with the coumarin phenol. This set of conditions is based on previous work towards the preparation of novobiocin photoaffinity probes. See Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5906 (2004).

[0199] wherein preferably R is lower alkyl; and

[0200] wherein R′ is preferably hydrogen or —CONH₂.

[0201] It will be appreciated that other demethylated and/or dealkoxylated derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the modified KU-1/A4 derivative shown above. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0202] This example involves the modification to of the compounds of the present invention to complement the hydrogen bonding capabilities of the nucleotide bases (adenine and guanine) with those of the coumarin ring system as shown below. As an example, these analogues contain conformationally restricted hydrogen bond donors/acceptors of KU-1/A4 (F and G) and strategically placed hydrogen bond acceptors/donors to complement those found in guanine (H-L). In all cases, the hydrophobic pocket that accommodates the m-substituted benzamide ring of novobiocin will be probed by alteration of the side chain constituents. Although the schemes below are directed to preparing modifications of KU-1/A4, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the same modifications could be made in conjunction with other analogues described herein, such as the A-E compounds of Example 1.

[0203] In this example, the coumarin ring will be modified to create F analogues that resemble guanine and contain a conformationally biased hydrogen-bond donor/acceptor. The synthesis begins with commercially available 4-hydroxy-2-nitrobenzaldehyde following the procedure of Meanwell, et al., Inhibitors of Blood Platelet cAMP Phosphodiesterase. 2. Structure-Activity Relationships Associated with 1,3-Dihydro-2H-imidazo[4,5-b]quinolin-2-ones Substituted with Functionalized Side Chains, J. Med. Chem. 35, 2672-2687 (1992). The phenol will be protected as the benzylether, followed by treatment with hydantoin phosphonate to give the corresponding olefin. See Meanwell et al., Diethyl 2,4-dioxoimidazolidine-5-phosphonate: A Wadsworth-Emmons Reagent for the Mild and Efficient Preparation of C-5 Unsaturated Hydantoins, J. Org. Chem. 56, 6897-6904 (1991). Reduction of the benzylether, nitro, and olefin functionalities will provide the appropriate amine for subsequent addition to the carbonyl upon treatment with iodine. See Meanwell et al., Inhibitors of Blood Platelet cAMP Phosphodiesterase, Structure-Activity Relationships Associated with 1,3-Dihydro-2H-imidazo[4,5-b]quinolin-2-ones Substituted with Functionalized Side Chains, J. Med. Chem. 35, 2672-2687 (1992). As depicted earlier, the unmasked phenol will be coupled with the trichloroacetimidate of noviose carbonate, followed by removal of the carbonate moiety to furnish analogue F.

[0204] It will be readily appreciated to those skilled in the art that the foregoing scheme for the F analogues can be readily modified to prepare the following compounds, in addition to the oxidized imidazole attached to the quinolone shown above, by using commercially available or readily synthesized bases. Thus, the present invention encompasses novobiocin derivatives according to the formula:

[0205] wherein X₄, X₅ X₆ X₈ are preferably each —CH—; and

[0206] wherein R^a, R^b, and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl; or wherein R^b is oxided to form the carbonyl according to the formula:

[0207] In this example, coumarin G will be prepared from 7-benzyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-nitrocoumarin, according to the scheme below. See Buckle et al., Aryloxyalkyloxy- and aralkyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-nitro coumarins which inhibit histamine release in the rat and also antagonize the effects of a slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis, J. Med. Chem. 22, 158-168 (1979). Treatment of the 4-hydroxyl group with phosphorous oxychloride (POCl₃) will afford the corresponding 4-amino derivative upon subsequent exposure to ammonia. See Rassochandran et al., Mild method for the preparation of 4-chloro-3-nitro coumarins, Indian. J. Chem. 25B, 328-329 (1986). Reduction of the nitro group, followed by reaction with triethyl orthoformate in the presence of acid will afford the desired compound. See Trkovnik et al., Synthesis of new heterocyclocoumarins from 3,4-diamino- and 4-chloro-3-nitrocoumarins, Prep. Proced. Int. 19, 450-455 (1987). Treatment of this 3,4-diamine with other commercially or readily available orthoesters (see McElvain et al., Ketene acetals. XVI. Phenylketene diethyl- and dimethylacetals from the pyrolysis of the corresponding orthoesters, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 68, 1917-1921 (1946)) will provide a direct method for exploration of the hydrophobic pocket surrounding this moiety. The orthoesters readily condense with 1,2-diamines to produce the corresponding heterocylic compounds. Once prepared, these compounds will be coupled with noviose carbonate in analogous fashion to that shown in above to afford the corresponding G analogues of KU-1/A4.

[0208] It will be readily appreciated to those skilled in the art that the foregoing scheme can be readily modified to prepare the following compounds, in addition to the imidazole shown above by using different orthoesters.

[0209] wherein X₅ X₆ X₈ are preferably each —CH—; and

[0210] wherein R^a, R^b, and R^c are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocyclic, heterocylic, aryl, or aralkyl; or wherein R^b is oxided to form the carbonyl according to the formula:

[0211] The nitrogen-containing H variants of the coumarin ring will be prepared from 2-methyl-3,5-pyridinediol, by bromination of the benzylic methyl group, followed by hydrolysis and oxidation to the corresponding aldehyde as set forth in the scheme below. See Morisawa et al., Anticoccidal agents. IV. Modification at the 5-position of 4-deoxypyridoxol and α-4-norpyridoxol, Agric. Biol. Chem. 39, 1275-1281 (1975). Using conditions previously employed for the syntheses of other coumarin derivatives by us, the aldehyde will be treated with glycine under basic conditions to yield the azacoumarin ring system. See Billeret et al., Convenient synthesis of 5-azacoumarins, J. Hetero. Chem. 30, 671-674 (1993). Acylation of the amine with various anhydrides will furnish the acylated 7-hydroxyl and 4-amino derivatives, of which the 7-phenolic ester can be readily cleaved by subsequent treatment with potassium carbonate in methanol. The resulting phenol will be coupled with noviose carbonate as described earlier.

[0212] While the scheme above illustrates the modified coumarin of KU-1/A4 with a limited number of amide side chain substitutions, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogues shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0213] The I analogues are directed to other side-chains extending from the coumarin ring. As an example, the KU-1/A4 coumarin ring will be prepared from 2,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde (see Chandrashekhar et al., g-substitution in the resorcinol nucleus, VI. Formylation of 4-nitro and 2-nitro resorcinols, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. 29A, 227-230 (1949)) and 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde (Demyttenaere et al., Synthesis of 6-methoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-7-ol, a character donating component of the fragrance of Wisteria sinensis, Tetrahedron 58, 2163-2166 (2002)) according to the procedure of Khoo et al., Synthesis of substituted 3-aminocoumarins from ethyl N-2-Hydroxyarylideneglycinates, Syn. Commun. 29, 2533-2538 (1999), as generally set forth in the scheme below. The o-hydroxybenzaldehyde will be treated with ethyl glycine under acidic conditions to afford the corresponding free amine upon basic workup. Both the amino and hydroxyl functionalities will be acylated with the same anhydrides as shown above. Subsequent hydrolysis of the phenolic ester will provide the coumarin amide, which can be coupled directly with noviose carbonate as described previously.

[0214] wherein in the scheme R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl;

[0215] wherein X is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, halogen, or nitro.

[0216] Again, while the scheme above illustrates the modified coumarin ring of KU-1/A4 with a limited number of amide side chain substitutions, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogues shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0217] The J analogues will be prepared from 4-chloro-2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde (see Pal et al., New arylsulfonylhydrazones of substituted benzaldehyde as anticancer agents, Neoplasms 30, 551-556 (1983)) by treatment with glycine, acetic anhydride, and sodium acetate as mentioned previously for the preparation of other coumarin derivatives as set forth in the following scheme. See Khoo et al., Synthesis of substituted 3-aminocoumarins from ethyl N-2-Hydroxyarylideneglycinates, Syn. Commun. 29, 2533-2538 (1999). The chloro substituent will undergo nucleophilic aromatic displacement with ammonia as a consequence of the electron withdrawing p-lactone and o-nitro group. Upon formation of the 7-amino-6-nitrocoumarin, the nitro group will be reduced and immediately treated with triethyl orthoformate to produce the imidazole ring that resembles guanine. See Buckle et al., Aryloxyalkyloxy- and aralkyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-nitro coumarins which inhibit hisamine release in the rat and also antagonize the effects of a slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis, J. Med. Chem. 22, 158-168 (1979). Subsequent treatment with lithium diisopropylsilylamide and trimethylsilyl trifluorosulfonic acid will provide the TMS-protected diaza compound. See Vorbruggen et al., Organic Reactions, Volume 55, John Wiley and Sons, NY pp 12-14 (2000) and references therein. The trichloroacetimidate of noviose carbonate will be added to a solution of this TMS-protected coumarin followed by addition of trifluoroacetic acid to afford the coupled product. Upon exposure of the cyclic carbonate to triethylamine in methanol, the resulting diol will be produced in a similar fashion as was used to make KU-1/A4 directly from the corresponding cyclic carbonate.

[0218] wherein R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0219] The K analogues of the KU-1/A4 coumarin moiety will be prepared from 5-methoxy-2-methylbenzonitrile as set forth in the scheme below. See Tomita et al., Schmidt reaction with benzocycloalkenones, J. Chem. Soc. C: Organic 2, 183-188 (1969). Bromination of the benzylic methyl group, followed by displacement with potassium cyanide will furnish the dinitrile product, which is a substrate for acid catalyzed cyclization to form the corresponding 2-bromoisoquinoline. See Johnson et al., The cyclization of dinitriles by anhydrous halogen acids. A new synthesis of isoquinolines, J. Org. Chem. 27, 3953-3958. Acylation of the free amine with the anhydrides shown in Scheme 4 will furnish the amide products, which will be treated with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce the isoquinolone. As before, the free phenol will be coupled with noviose carbonate trichloroacetimidate, followed by removal of the cyclic carbonate to furnish K and its acylated (R) derivatives.

[0220] wherein R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0221] Again, while the scheme above illustrates the modified coumarin ring of KU-1/A4 with a limited number of amide side chain substitutions, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogues shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0222] Quinoline derivatives of, L, will be prepared from 7-hydroxyquinoline, by first bromination of the quinoline ring, see Zymalkowski et al., Chemistry of 3-quinolinecarboxaldehyde, Ann. Chem., Justis Liebigs 699, 98-106 (1966), followed by a copper-catalyzed amination of the halogenated heterocycle as set forth in the scheme below. See Lang et al., Amination of aryl halides using copper catalysis, Tetrahedron Lett. 42, 4251-3254 (2001). Subsequent treatment with various anhydrides (shown previously), followed by hydrolysis of the phenolic ester and coupling with noviose carbonate will ultimately afford these L analogues.

[0223] wherein R is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocylic, heterocyclic, aryl, or aralkyl.

[0224] Again, while the scheme above illustrates the modified coumarin ring of KU-1/A4 with a limited number of amide side chain substitutions, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that other derivatives can be prepared in accordance with the above scheme, in addition to the KU-1/A4 analogues shown. That is, the amide side chain, coumarin ring, and sugar may be modified in accordance with the other examples shown herein.

[0225] This example involves the modification of the carbohydrate reside. More specifically, analogues similar to that of novobiocin's chlorinated pyrollic ester, chlorobiocin, will be prepared.

[0226] As an example, compound KU-1/A4 will be prepared, and then coupled with a variety of acids to selectively afford the equatorial acylated alcohols. Selective acylation is based upon previous studies aimed at the preparation of photolabile derivatives of novobiocin. See Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5906 (2004), which is incorporated by reference. These acids will include the pyrrolic acid found in chlorobiocin as well as several other that are shown in the scheme below. Exemplary acids include pyrrolic acids, indolic acids, pyridinic acids, benzoic acids, salicylic acid, para-hydrobenzoic acid, thiobenzoic acid, and pyrazolic acid. In one aspect, the sugar will be modified to include a functional group according to the formula —R′—OR″, wherein R′ is a covalent bond or alkyl, and R″ is an acyl group. Most preferably, the acyl derivative comprises the group —COR wherein R is alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or an aromatic heterocyclic group. Alkylated, aralkylated, thiolated, halogenated, and hydroxylated pyroles, indoles, pyridines, and pyrazoles are attached to the sugar ring as shown in the scheme below.

[0227] In another aspect, various substituents will be added to the amine of the carbamate side chain. As an example, carbonate KU-9/A1 will be prepared and amines added to provide the 3′-carbamoyl products as generally set forth in the scheme below. Thus, in one aspect the sugar will be modified to include a functional group according to the formula —R′OR″, wherein R′ is a covalent bond or alkyl, and R″ is C-amido. Most preferably, the C-amido group is —CONR′R″ wherein R′ is H, and R″ is alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or an aromatic heterocyclic group. Pyroles, halogenated benzyls and pyridines, and alkyl groups are shown as the modified side chain of the sugar in the scheme below.

[0228] Wherein X is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, hydroxyl, halo, and n is an integer, preferably 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

[0229] In this example, new pyranose and furanose derivatives will be prepared that have affinity with the sugar of GTP and phosphate binding region of Hsp90. These selected compounds are shown in below and include ester, amide, sulfonic ester, phosphonic ester, carbamoyl, sulfonamide, and hydroxyl derivatives. Initial compounds will be coupled with the coumarin ring present in KU-1/A4, but when a more potent analogue is obtained, the best sugar derivative from these studies will be placed onto the optimized ring system.

[0230] The o-acetyl derivative will be prepared from ribose (9.1, Scheme 9). Treatment of the ribose hemiacetal with benzyl alcohol and hydrochloric gas will provide the benzyloxyacetal, 9.2. See Pigro et al., Readily available carbohydrate-derived imines and amides as chiral ligands for asymmetric catalysis, Tetrahedron 58, 5459-5466 (2002).

[0231] Subsequent reaction with carbonyl diimidazole will furnish the 2,3-cyclic carbonate (9.3), (See Peixoto et al., Synthesis of Isothiochroman 2,2-dioxide and 1,2-benzoxathiin 2,2-dioxide Gyrase B Inhibitors, Tetrahedron Lett. 41, 1741-1745 (2000)) allowing the primary alcohol to react with acetyl chloride in the following step. Debenzylation, followed by conversion to the trichloroacetimidate 9.5 (See Peixoto et al., Synthesis of Isothiochroman 2,2-dioxide and 1,2-benzoxathiin 2,2-dioxide Gyrase B Inhibitors, Tetrahedron Lett. 41, 1741-1745 (2000)) will furnish a suitable substrate for coupling with the KU-1/A4 coumarin ring system. As noted in previous work, coupling of trichloroacetimidates with phenols in the presence of catalytic boron trifluoride affords one stereoisomer (9.6), which results from attack of the intermediate oxonium species away from the sterically crowded cyclic carbonate. See Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5906 (2004). It has been previously observed that treatment of similar cyclic carbonates with methanolic triethylamine readily provides the corresponding diol products (9.7) in high yields (>80%).

[0232] The remaining furanose derivatives will be prepared from benzyl-protected ribose carbonate (9.3, Scheme 10). Both the sulfonamide and N-acetyl analogues will be furnished by conversion of primary alcohol (9.3) to the corresponding azide by a Mitsunobu reaction with bis(azido)zinc pyridine complex. See Viaud et al., Zinc azide mediated Mitsunobu substitution, An expedient method for the one-pot azidation of alcohols, Synthesis 130-132 (1990). The resulting azide (10.1) will be reduced, and the primary amine converted to the sulfonamide and N-acetyl functionalities, 10.2 and 10.3, respectively. See Hansson et al., Synthesis of Beta-benzyl N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-erythro-Beta-(benzyloxy)aspartate from (R,R)-(+)-tartaric acid, J. Org. Chem. 51, 4490-4492 (1986). To prepare methyl ester 10.4, the free alcohol will be oxidized directly to the acid, followed by methylation. Carbamate 10.5 will also be prepared from the same alcohol, simply by treatment with trichloroacetyl isocyanate according to the procedure of Kocovsky, Carbamates: a method of synthesis and some synthetic applications, Tetrahedron Lett. 27, 5521-5524 (1986). Both the sulfonic ester and the phosphonic ester will be prepared by conversion of 9.3 to iodide 10.6, followed by generation of the requisite enolate to displace the halide. See Callant et al., An efficient preparation and the intramolecular cyclopropanation of Beta-diazo-Beta-ketophosphonates and Beta-diazophosphonoacetates, Syn. Commun. 14, 155-161 (1984). Subsequent treatment with palladium (0) and an amine will lead to allyl removal followed by decarboxylation to form 10.10 and 10.8. See Guibe, Allyl esters and their use in complex natural product syntheses, Tetrahedron 54, 2967-3041 (1998).

[0233] The pyranose derivatives, which resemble noviose and a ring-expanded ribose ring, will be prepared by our recently reported synthesis of 11.1. See Yu et al., Synthesis of Mono- and dihydroxylated furanoses, pyranoses, and an oxepanose for the Preparation of Natural Product Analogue Libraries, J. Org. Chem. 70, 5599-5605 (2005), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The pyranose derivatives will be prepared in a similar manner from the known dihydropyrone (See Ahmed et al., Total synthesis of the microtubule stabilizing antitumor agent laulimalide and some nonnatural analogues: The power of Sharpless' Asymmetric Epoxidation, J. Org. Chem. 68, 3026-3042 (2003)), which is available in four steps from commercially available triacetyl D-glucal (Roth et al., Synthesis of a chiral synhton for the lactone portion of compactin and mevinolin, Tetrahedron Lett. 29, 1255-12158 (1988)). The pyranose will be furnished by Sharpless asymmetric DI hydroxylation (SAD) of the olefin to give the product in high diastereomer excess (Kolb et al., Catalytic Asymmetric Dihydroxylation, Chem. Rev. 94, 2483-2547 (1994)), which can be converted to the cyclic carbonate at a later time.

[0234] Reduction of the lactone with diisobutyl aluminum hydride will give lactol 11.2, which upon treatment with benzyl alcohol and hydrochloric gas will give the benzyloxyacetal 11.3. Similar studies have been used to prepare noviose from arabinose using an identical sequence of steps. See Peixoto et al., Synthesis of Isothiochroman 2,2-dioxide and 1,2-benzoxathiin 2,2-dioxide Gyrase B Inhibitors, Tetrahedron Lett. 41, 1741-1745 (2000). The corresponding diol will be treated with carbonyl diimidazole to yield cyclic carbonate 11.4. The primary alcohol will be converted to the same functionalities as shown in the scheme above, using the chemistry depicted for the furanose derivatives.

[0235] Once the benzyl protected pyranose derivatives are prepared, they will undergo hydrogenolysis to afford the hemiacetal. Treatment of the lactol with trichloroacetonitrile will furnish the corresponding trichloroacetimidate for subsequent coupling with the requisite coumarin/coumarin analogue. The procedure outlined herein illustrates the success of coupling such compounds with the coumarin phenol and this procedure will be used to prepare the corresponding analogues as described herein.

[0236] Using the foregoing schemes, the syntheses of eight protected pyranose analogues that include mono- and dihydroxylated variants of both ring-expanded and ring contracted analogues. All eight of these compounds were orthogonally protected, such that the hemi-acetal could be coupled directly to the coumarin phenol as used similarly for the construction of A4. Subsequent removal of the protecting group(s) or treatment of the cyclic carbonate with ammonia, will afford the corresponding diol or carbamate products as demonstrated earlier.

[0237] In this example, the 4-deshydroxy and 8-desmethyl variants of novobiocin will be prepared along with the 8-methyl and 4-hydroxy analogues of KU-2/A3 (3′carbamate) as shown below. Not only will the 3′-carbamoyl derivatives of these compounds be prepared, but also the corresponding diols for direct comparison to KU-1/A4 (diol).

[0238] More specifically, 4-deshydroxynovobiocin will be prepared from 3-N-acetyl-7-hydroxy-8-methyl coumarin and the known carboxylic acid as set forth in the scheme below. Spencer et al., Novobiocin. IV. Synthesis of Dihydronovobiocic Acid and Cyclonovobiocic Acid, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 2655-2656 (1956). Coupling of these two substrates will provide the amide, which will be treated with noviose carbonate in analogous fashion to other reported syntheses of novobiocin. See Vaterlaus et al., Die Synthese des Novobiocins, Experientia 19, 383-391 (1963); Vaterlaus et al., Novobiocin III Die Glykosidsynthese des Novobiocins, Helv. Chim. Acta 47, 390-398 (1964). Likewise, 8-desmethyl-novobiocin will be prepared from 4,7-dihydroxycoumarin and the diazonium salt to afford the masked amino group similar to our syntheses of photolabile derivatives. See Shen et al., Synthesis of Photolabile Novobiocin Analogues, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 5903-5906 (2004).

[0239] The 7-hydroxyl will undergo selective noviosylation and the diazine will be reduced. The corresponding amine will be coupled with the known carboxylic acid and the carbonate opened with methanolic ammonia to give both 3-carbamoyl and diol derivatives. 4-Deshydroxy-8-desmethylnovobiocin will be constructed from 3-amino-7-hydroxycoumarin in analogous fashion as depicted in the scheme below. The KU-1/A4 and KU-2/A3 analogues incorporating the same coumarin functionalities will be prepared by an identical method (see Khoo, Synthesis of Substituted 3-Aminocoumarins from Ethyl N-2-Hydroxyarylideneglycinates, Syn. Comm. 29, 2533-2538 (1999)) using acetic anhydride in lieu of the prenylated 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. Des(carbamoyl) derivatives of these compounds will also be prepared by removal of the cyclic carbonate with triethylamine in methanol, which affords similar products in stoichiometric yields.

[0240] The substituted benzamide side chain of novobiocin was prepared from methyl 3-allyl-4-hydroxybenzoate, 5 in the scheme below. Attempts to perform cross-metathesis on this substrate failed as complexation with the Grubbs' catalyst appeared to have occurred with the orthophenol substrate. Therefore, the phenol was temporarily masked as the acetate, which allowed for a productive cross-metathesis reaction between 2-methyl-2-butene and the allyl appendage in excellent yield to provide the prenylated benzoic ester, 7. The ester product (7) was then hydrolyzed and the phenol reprotected as the acetate to prevent subsequent ester formation.⁶¹ Attempts to couple the unprotected phenol as well as the benzoic acid directly with the coumarin amine resulted in the formation of a complex mixture of products that produced only trace amounts of the desired amide. Therefore, acid 9 was converted to the corresponding acid chloride (10) in high yield following standard conditions.

[0241] Preparation of the 4-deshydroxy coumarin ring was achieved by the condensation of 2-methylresorcinol (11) with the CBz-protected vinylagous carbamate 12, which produced the desired coumarin 13, in modest yield in the scheme below. The phenol was then noviosylated with the trichloroacetimidate of noviose (14) in the presence of catalytic amounts of boron trifluoride etherate to generate 15 in good yield. Hydrogenolysis of the benzyl carbonate afforded the amine 16, which was readily coupled with the acid chloride 10 to give 17 in good yield. Both the acetate and the cyclic carbonate were removed and modified, respectively, to give the desired 3′-carbamoyl product, 4-deshydroxynovobiocin (DHN1) in good yield. Alternatively, the acetate and cyclic carbonate could be readily hydrolyzed to yield the desired 3′-descarbamoyl-4-deshydroxynovobiocin product (DHN2) in a single step upon treatment with methanolic triethylamine.

[0242] Methyl 3-allyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (5). A mixture of methyl-4-allyloxy-benzoate (4.74 g, 24.7 mmol) in N,N-diethylaniline (10 mL) was heated at reflux for 48 hours and cooled to room temperature. The mixture was diluted with diethyl ether (50 mL), washed with aqueous HCl (10% v/v, 3×20 mL), dried (Na₂SO₄), filtered and concentrated. The residue was purified by chromatography (10:1→5:1, hexanes:EtOAc) to afford 5 (3.55 g, 75%) as an off-white solid: ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 7.86-7.84 (m, 2H), 6.85 (dd, J=2.8, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 6.07-5.95 (m, 1H), 5.68 (s, 1H), 5.21-5.15 (m, 2H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.45 (d, J=6.3 Hz, 2H).

[0243] Methyl 4-acetoxy-3-allylbenzoate (6). Acetic anhydride (200 μL, 218 mg, 2.13 mmol) was added dropwise to a solution of phenol 5 (315 mg, 1.64 mmol) in pyridine (1.5 mL) at room temperature. The mixture was stirred for 14 hours before the solvent was removed. The residue was purified by chromatography (10:1, hexanes:EtOAc) to afford 6 (337 mg, 88%) as a colorless oil: ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 7.95-7.90 (m, 2H), 7.11 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 1H), 5.92-5.83 (m, 1H), 5.12-5.03 (m, 2H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.33 (d, J=6.5 Hz, 2H), 2.29 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 100 MHz) δ 169.2, 166.8, 153.0, 135.6, 132.7, 132.4, 129.4, 128.4, 123.0, 117.2, 52.6, 35.0, 21.3; IR (neat) ν_max 3080, 3005, 2980, 2953, 2916, 2845, 1765, 1722, 1639, 1609, 1589, 1493, 1437, 1418, 1369, 1285, 1263, 1190, 1163, 1121 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 235.1076 (M+H⁺, C₁₃H₁₅O₄ requires m/z 235.0970).

[0244] Methyl 4-acetoxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzoate (7). Grubbs' second generation catalyst (11 mg, 0.0130 mmol, 1 mol %) was added to a solution of acetate 6 (305 mg, 1.30 mmol) in a 1/10 solution of DCM/2-methyl-2-butene (5.5 mL). The mixture was stirred 14 hours and was concentrated. The residue was purified by chromatography (10:1, hexanes:EtOAc) to afford 7 (339 mg, 99%) as a colorless oil: ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 7.92 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.88 (dd, J=1.9, 8.4 Hz, 1H), 7.07 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 5.22 (td, J=1.3, 7.1 Hz, 1H), 3.87 (s, 3H), 3.25 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 2H), 2.24 (s, 3H), 1.72 (s, 3H), 1.68 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 100 MHz) δ 169.2, 166.9, 153.0, 134.3, 134.1, 132.3, 129.0, 128.3, 122.9, 121.4, 52.5, 29.2, 26.1, 21.2, 18.2; IR (neat) ν_max 2970, 2953, 2916, 2856, 1765, 1724, 1609, 1589, 1493, 1437, 1369, 1285, 1263, 1204, 1192, 1165, 1111 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 263.1296 (M+H⁺, C₁₅H₁₉O₄ requires m/z 263.1283).

[0245] 4-Hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzoic acid (8). Lithium hydroxide (85 mg, 2.02 mmol) was added to a mixture of methyl ester 7 (106 mg, 0.405 mmol) in 0.5 mL of a 3/1/1 THF/MeOH/H₂O solution. The reaction mixture was stirred at reflux for 14 hours, cooled to room temperature, and diluted with THF (1 mL). The solution was acidified the solution to pH=3 by the dropwise addition of 6 M HCl. The layers were separated and the organic phase was dried (Na₂SO₄), filtered, and concentrated to afford acid 8 (63 mg, 75%) as a red oil that was suitable for use without further purification.

[0246] 4-Acetoxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzoic acid (9). Acetic anhydride (1 mL) was added dropwise to a solution of acid 8 (178 mg, 2.00 mmol) in pyridine (3 mL) at room temperature. After stirring for 48 hours, the mixture was poured into water (6 mL) and acidified to pH=2 by the dropwise addition of 6 M HCl. The suspension was extracted with EtOAc (2×10 mL), and the combined organic fractions were dried (Na₂SO₄), filtered and concentrated. The residue was purified by chromatography (5:1, hexanes:EtOAc) to afford acetate 9 (223 mg, 51%) as a white solid: ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 8.01-7.96 (m, 2H), 7.15 (dd, J=3.5, 8.2 Hz, 1H), 5.24 (tt, J=1.3, 7.2 Hz, 1H), 3.30 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.34 (s, 3H), 1.97 (s, 3H), 1.76 (s, 3H).

[0247] Benzyl 7-hydroxy-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl carbamate (13). 2-Methyl rescorcinol (1.20 g, 9.71 mmol) was added to a solution of vinyl carbamate 12 (2.7 g, 9.71 mmol) in acetic acid (50 mL). The mixture was stirred at reflux for 48 hours, cooled to room temperature, and filtered. The solid was recrystallized from methanol and H₂O to afford 13 (1.30 g, 41%) as a yellow solid: ¹HNMR (DMSO, 400 MHz) δ 10.30 (s, 1H), 9.10 (s, 1H), 8.12 (s, 1H), 7.46-7.30 (m, 6H), 6.85 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 5.17 (s, 2H), 2.16 (s, 3H).

[0248] Benzyl-7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxotetrahydrdo-3aH-[1.3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-ylcarbamate (15). Boron trifluoride etherate (61 μL, 69 mg, 0.49 mmol, 30 mol %) was added dropwise to a solution of (3aR,4S,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-tetrahydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yl 2,2,2-trichloroacetimidate (14, 588 mg, 1.62 mmol) and benzyl 7-hydroxy-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl carbamate (13, 527 mg, 1.62 mmol) in DCM (16 mL). After the mixture stirred for 14 hours, three drops of Et₃N were added and the mixture concentrated. The residue was purified by chromatography (DCM→100:1, CH₂Cl₂:acetone) to afford 15 (670 mg, 81%) as a yellow foam: [α]²²_D=−19.7° (c=1.54, 20% MeOH in DCM); ¹HNMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 8.27 (s, 1H), 7.85 (s, 1H), 7.55-7.35 (m, 5H), 7.29 (d, J=2.9 Hz, 1H), 7.11 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 1H), 5.77 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 1H), 5.23 (s, 2H), 5.05 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 1H), 4.95 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 3.30 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (s, 3H), 1.34 (s, 3H), 1.19 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 100 MHz) δ 159.0, 155.2, 153.6, 153.6, 149.2, 136.0, 129.1 (2C), 129.0, 128.7 (2C), 125.8, 122.6, 122.1, 115.2, 115.1, 111.6, 94.8, 83.3, 78.4, 77.6, 77.0, 67.9, 61.0, 27.9, 22.6, 8.8; IR (film) ν_max 3402, 3319, 3063, 3034, 2984, 2939, 2839, 1817, 1709, 1634, 1609, 1587, 1522, 1456, 1383, 1366, 1331, 1296, 1263, 1229, 1205, 1175 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 526.1688 (M+H⁺, C₂₇H₂₈NO₁₀ requires m/z 526.1713).

[0249] 3-Amino-7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxo oxotetrahydrdo-3aH-[1.3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-8-methyl-2H-chromen-2-one (16). Palladium on carbon (10%, 67 mg) was added to a solution of carbamate 15 (670 mg, 1.31 mmol) in THF (13 mL). The suspension stirred for 6 hours under a hydrogen atmosphere and was filtered through a plug of silica gel. The solvent was removed and the residue purified by chromatography (100:1→50:1, CH₂Cl₂:acetone) to afford 16 (425 mg, 83%) as a pale yellow foam: [α]²³_D=−26.4° (c=0.780, 20% MeOH in DCM); ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 7.10 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.05 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H), 6.68 (s, 1H), 5.73 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 5.04 (dd, J=2.0, 7.9 Hz, 1H), 4.95 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 4.11 (s, 2H), 3.54 (s, 3H), 3.29 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (s, 3H), 1.34 (s, 3H), 1.21 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 200 MHz) δ 159.6, 153.3, 153.0, 148.1, 130.2, 122.7, 116.1, 114.8, 111.9, 111.0, 94.5, 83.0, 78.0, 77.3, 76.4, 60.6, 27.5, 22.2, 8.6; IR (film) ν_max 3462, 3362, 2984, 2937, 2839, 1807, 1707, 1636, 1595, 1497, 1387, 1371, 1331, 1263, 1169, 1109, 1078, 1036 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 392.1357 (M+H⁺, C₁₉H₂₂NO₈ requires m/z 392.1346).

[0250] 4-((7-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-7-Methoxy-6,6-dimethyl-2-oxotetrahydrdo-3aH-[1.3]dioxolo[4,5-c]pyran-4-yloxy)-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-ylcarbamoyl)-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)phenyl acetate (17). Oxalyl chloride (15 mg, 119 μmol) was added to a solution of benzoic acid 9 (28 mg, 113 μmol) in CH₂Cl₂ (0.5 mL), followed by the addition of catalytic DMF. After stirring for 2.5 hours, the acid chloride (10) was concentrated. The yellow solid was redissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (0.5 mL) and added dropwise over 3 min to a stirred solution of aniline 16 (34 mg, 87 μmol) in pyridine (0.5 mL) at 0° C. The resulting solution was stirred at room temperature for 3.5 hours and concentrated. The residue was purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 40:1, CH₂Cl₂:acetone) to afford 17 (31 mg, 57%) as a colorless solid: [α]²²_D=−21.7° (c=0.840, 20% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 500 MHz) δ 8.72 (s, 1H), 8.64 (s, 1H), 7.73 (d, J=2.5 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (dd, J=2.5, 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H) 7.11 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.07 (d, J=9.0 Hz, 1H), 5.72 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 5.18-5.14 (m, 1H), 4.99 (dd, J=1.5, 7.5 Hz, 1H), 4.89 (t, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 3.53 (s, 3H), 3.26-3.22 (m, 3H), 2.27 (s, 3H), 2.23 (s, 3H), 1.70 (s, 3H), 1.66 (s, 3H), 1.29 (s, 3H), 1.13 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 167.9, 164.4, 158.1, 154.1, 152.2, 151.1, 148.1, 133.6, 133.3, 131.0, 128.6, 124.9, 123.1, 122.0 (2C), 121.2, 119.6, 113.8, 113.7, 110.2, 93.3, 81.9, 76.9, 76.3, 75.6, 59.5, 27.8, 26.5, 24.7, 21.1, 19.9, 16.9, 7.4; IR (film) ν_max 3400, 2982, 2935, 2856, 1811, 1763, 1715, 1674, 1634, 1607, 1526, 1489, 1437, 1369, 1250, 1202, 1175, 1111, 1090 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 622.2277 (M+H⁺, C₃₃H₃₆NO₁₁ requires m/z 622.2289).

[0251] (3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-Hydroxy-6-(3-(4-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzylamino)-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-3-methoxy-2,2-dimethyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ylcarbamate (DHN1). A solution of carbonate 17 (32 mg, 52 μmol) in 7 M methanolic ammonia (2 mL) was stirred for 14 hours. The solvent was removed and the residue purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 25:1, CH₂Cl₂:methanol, developed 7 times) to afford DHN2 (2.5 mg, 9%) and 4-deshydroxynovobiocin (DHN1, 17.5 mg, 57%) as colorless solids; DHN1: [α]³¹_D=−20.3° (c=0.300, 10% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂); ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 8.70 (s, 1H), 7.62 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 7.56 (dd, J=2.3, 8.4 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H), 7.13 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H), 6.81 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 5.50 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 5.34-5.25 (m, 2H), 4.25 (t, J=2.6 Hz, 1H), 3.53-3.51 (m, 1H), 3.50 (s, 3H), 3.34 (dd, J=3.2, 8.9 Hz, 2H), 2.99 (s, 1H), 2.94 (s, 1H), 2.27 (s, 3H), 1.74 (s, 3H), 1.71 (s, 3H), 1.33 (s, 3H), 1.13 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 166.3, 159.6, 158.9, 156.8, 155.9, 149.0, 133.9, 129.0, 128.6, 126.4, 125.6, 124.6, 124.1, 121.8, 121.4, 114.9, 114.4, 114.1, 111.2, 98.3, 81.4, 78.9, 72.2, 69.6, 61.5, 29.7, 29.3, 27.2, 22.6, 17.9, 8.2; IR (film) ν_max 3400, 3379, 3360, 2978, 2928, 2853, 1709, 1659, 1632, 1605, 1528, 1504, 1367, 1254, 1136, 1117, 1086 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 597.2434 (M+H⁺, C₃₁H₃₇N₂O₁₀ requires m/z 297.2448).

[0252] N-(7-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-Dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6-dimethyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-8-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)-4-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzylamide (DHN2). A solution of carbonate 17 (12 mg, 19.3 μmol) in 10/1 methanol/Et₃N (220 μL) was stirred for 14 hours. The solvent was removed and the residue purified by preparative TLC (SiO₂, 10:1, CH₂Cl₂:methanol) to afford DHN2 (8 mg, 75%) as a colorless solid: [α]³¹_D=−12.9° (c=0.310, 10% MeOH in DCM); ¹H NMR (CDCl₃, 400 MHz) δ 8.78 (s, 1H), 8.66 (s, 1H), 7.71 (d, J=2.2 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (dd, J=2.2, 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.33 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H), 7.19 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H), 6.90 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 6.05 (s, 1H), 5.61 (d, J=1.6 Hz, 1H), 5.33 (t, J=7.1 Hz, 1H), 4.27-4.23 (m, 2H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 3.45-3.35 (m, 3H), 2.77 (s, 1H), 2.67 (s, 1H), 2.05 (s, 3H), 1.80 (s, 3H), 1.79 (s, 3H), 1.38 (s, 3H), 1.14 (s, 3H); ¹³C NMR (CDCl₃, 125 MHz) δ 165.9, 159.5, 158.3, 155.9, 149.0, 135.8, 129.5, 127.5, 126.9, 125.9, 125.8, 124.2, 122.0, 120.9, 115.9, 114.2, 114.1, 111.2, 97.7, 84.3, 78.6, 71.2, 68.6, 62.0, 29.6, 29.3, 25.8, 22.5, 18.0, 8.2; IR (film) ν_max 3402, 2974, 2928, 2854, 1717, 1701, 1645, 1605, 1526, 1506, 1367, 1254, 1088 cm⁻¹; HRMS (ESI⁺) m/z 554.2363 (M+H⁺, C₃₀H₃₆NO₉ requires m/z 554.2390).

[0253] It is contemplated that the C-terminal nucleotide binding sites are in close proximity to the one another along the Hsp90 dimer interface, and therefore dimeric inhibitors of the compounds of the present invention should provide compounds with enhanced inhibitory activity. This is based on the fact that the dimeric compound, coumermycin A1, was shown to be approximately 10 times more active than the monomeric compound, novobiocin.

[0254] The present invention thus includes dimers of the compounds disclosed herein. In one aspect, a dimeric inhibitor of KU-1/A4 will be prepared. As set forth in the scheme below, the Cbz group will be removed to furnish the aniline for subsequent coupling with bifunctional linkers to prepare dimeric inhibitors. The dimer containing pyrazole linker found in Coumermycin A1 will be prepared following the procedure developed by Olson et al., Tetrahedron Letters, Volume Date (2003) 44(1), 61-63 (2002). The diacid will be coupled with two equivalents of the coumarin amine using O-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU) to furnish the cyclic carbonate precursor to the KU-1/A4 dimer. The carbonate will be removed upon treatment with methanolic triethylamine to provide the tetraol product. See Yu et al., Hsp90 Inhibitors Identified from a Library of Novobiocin Analogues, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127: 12778-12779 (2005). Similar to this method, a number of dimeric linkers will be used to perturb the dimeric angle and to extend the dimeric tether in an effort to elucidate structure-activity relationships. As such, ortho, meta, and para dibenzoic acids will be used in lieu of the pyrole biscarboxylic acid to determine optimal angles. Linker length will be probed by the use of about 3-10 carbon dicarboxylic acids. If the studies support that both angle and linker length are important, then combinations of these linkers will be prepared and coupled to furnish the conformationally biased, extended compounds such as that shown below.

[0255] This example involves the in vivo effect of the compounds of the present invention using a prostate cancer mouse model. More specifically, four to six week old BALB/c nu/nu nude mice will be obtained commercially and maintained in ventilated cages under Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval. Separate male mice will be inoculated subcutaneously with 10⁶ LNCaP cells suspended in 0.25 mL of Matrigel (BD, Bioscience, Bedford Mass.). Stable serum testosterone levels will be maintained in the mice by the implantation of 12.5 mg 90-day sustained release testosterone pellets (Innovative Research, Sarasota, Fla.) subcutaneously prior to inoculation with tumor. Tumor volume will be measured twice a week with vernier calipers with tumor volumes calculated using the formula [length×width×height×0.52]. Mice with established tumor volumes of 5 mm will be selected for KU-1/A4 administration. Utilizing the paradigm for administration of 17-AAG (another Hsp90 inhibitor), animals will be treated with both continuous and intermittent dosing schedules. A control animal will be treated with vehicle alone (DMSO). For the continuous dosing schedule, mice will receive intraperitoneal injections of vehicle or the test compounds (e.g., KU-1/A4) for 5 days per week for 3 weeks. The intermittent group will receive one 5 day cycle and then monitored for progression.

[0256] Differing doses of the test compound (e.g., KU-1/A4) will be utilized based on pharmacokinetic information obtained from toxicity studies. When progression occurs, as defined by an increase in tumor size, the mice will receive a second 5 day cycle of the test compound (e.g., KU-1/A4). Response to the test compound will be assessed by measuring tumor volume and serum PSA levels using the PSA Assay Kit (American Qualex Antibodies, San Clemente, Calif.). Further response will be assessed by harvesting the tumor at euthanasia and performing immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of the Hsp90's client proteins known to be involved in cancer cell survival mechanisms such as signal transduction (e.g., AKT, Her2, PI3kinase), angiogenesis (e.g., HIF-1α), and metastasis (AR, MMP2). Each dose and control will be repeated three times to confirm results.

[0257] Statistical analysis will be performed to compare the average tumor volume over time between the different doses of the test compound and the control animals. The null hypothesis which is that KU-1/A4 will cause no change in tumor volume over time will be tested by the squared difference between mean tumor volume summed over all time points. We will use a Wilcoxon sum-rank test to compare PSA levels in the treatment and control group. Immunohistochemistry results will be assessed qualitatively based on staining intensity graded on a scale of 1 to 5.

[0258] To investigate toxicity, four to six week old BALB/c nu/nu nude mice will be obtained commercially and maintained in ventilated cages under Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval. Intraperitoneal injections of the test compound (e.g., KU-1/A4) will be given to non-tumor bearing mice at ranges of 25 mg/kg to 200 mg/kg five days a week for 3 weeks based on similar concentrations used for 17AAG. Serum samples will be obtained on days 5, 10, and 15. Serum chemistry and liver function analysis will be performed. Serum concentrations of test compound (e.g., KU-1/A4) will be determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). At sacrifice by CO₂ euthanasia, a complete blood count, gross necropsy and liver and kidney histopathology will be performed on the animals to determine toxicity. The maximal tolerated dose will be calculated using up/down toxicity studies that will be used as the upper limit of dose for treatment.

[0259] Recently, low concentrations of the Hsp90 inhibitor GDA were reported to induce expression of both Hsp70 and Hsp90, with a concomitant reduction in phosphorylated Tau (Dou et al., (2003)). In this example, KU-1/A4, a novel C-terminal Hsp90 inhibitor, was tested for protective effects against A13 toxicity in primary neurons. See protocols in Michaelis M L, Ansar S, Chen Y, Reiff E R, Seyb K I, Himes R H, Audus K L, Georg G I, B-Amyloid-induced neurodegeneration and protection by structurally diverse microtubule-stabilizing agents, J Pharmacol Exp Ther 312:659-668 (2005), which is incorporated by reference.

[0260] As is shown in FIG. 4, concentrations of KU-1/A4 as low as 5 nM protected the neurons against Aβ, and the drug alone produced no toxicity. GDA partially protected the neurons against Aβ, but the drug alone was toxic to the neurons at concentrations above 20 nM. Thus, although GDA can increase Hsp90 levels, the result may be the degradation of client proteins essential for neuronal survival. This lack of KU1 toxicity in both proliferating and post-mitotic cells suggested that further exploration of its mechanism(s) of action is warranted.

[0261] Treatment of brain and neuronal cell cultures with Aβ_25-35 produces distinct morphological changes and eventual cell death (Pike et al., Structure-Activity Analyses of β-Amyloid Peptides: Contributions of the β25-35 Region to Aggregation and Neurotoxicity, J. Neurochem., 64, 253-265 (1995)). Pretreatment with neuroprotective agents can reduce or abolish these effects. In this example, the neuroprotective effects of KU-1/A4 were determined in primary neurons derived from embryonic rat brain exposed to Aβ (10 μM) in the presence or absence of the test compound for 48 hours. The percentage of surviving neurons was determined by labeling with the fluorescent dyes calcein-AM and propidium iodide as previously described. See Michaelis et al., β-Amyloid-Induced Neurodegeneration and Protection by Structurally Diverse Microtubule-Stabilizing Agents, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 312, 659-668 (2005); Michaelis et al., Protection Against β-Amyloid Toxicity in Primary Neurons by Paclitaxel (Taxol), J. Neurochem. 70, 1623-1627 (1998). The numbers of calcein-labeled live cells and propidium iodide-labeled dead neurons in several fields were visualized via fluorescence microscopy and counted as described.

[0262] More specifically, primary cortical neurons were recovered from embryonic day 18 rat brains as described previously (Michaelis et al., Immunological Localization And Kinetic Characterization Of A Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger In Neuronal And Nonneuronal Cells, Brain Res. 661, 104-116 (1994)). Briefly, about 10 to 16 brains were removed from fetuses delivered by cesarean section, and the cortices dissected out. The neurons were isolated and suspended in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS and plated on sterile dishes or cover slips coated with 10 μg/ml poly-D-lysine and 5 μg/ml mouse laminin. After 24 hours, the serum-containing medium was removed, and neurons were maintained in Neurobasal medium (Gibco) with 2% B-27 supplements (Gibco). Cells were maintained in culture at 37° C. in 5% CO₂ and 97% humidity for 7 to 8 eight days in vitro (DIV) before use. Neurons were exposed to 0.004% DMSO or the indicated concentrations of GA or KU-1/A4 for 2 hours before the addition of 10 μM Aβ_25-35 for either 24 or 48 hours as indicated. Stock solutions of Aβ were prepared in sterile water at a concentration of 1.3 mM and stored at −20° C. Aliquots of the stock solutions were diluted to 1 mM in sterile 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, and incubated at 37° C. for 24 hours to promote oligomerization of the peptides prior to treatment of the neurons. The effects of KU-1/A4, GA, Aβ, or the indicated combinations on neuronal viability were determined by monitoring cell survival using the Live-Dead assay as previously described. Following drug treatment in the presence or absence of Aβ peptides for either 24 or 48 hours as indicated, neurons were labeled with 20 μM propidium iodide and 150 nM calcein acetoxy-methylester and placed on a fluorescent microscope stage. Digital images from 6 fields per dish were captured, and the number of viable (green) and dead (red) cells counted. All experiments were conducted with duplicate dishes from at least two neuronal preparations for each treatment, with about 1,000 cells analyzed/treatment condition. The data are expressed as the fraction of viable cells calculated from the total number of neurons counted under each treatment condition. The significance of differences between cultures exposed to various treatment conditions was determined using Student's t-test.

[0263] In the studies, treatment of primary cortical neurons with Aβ alone (10 μM) represented the basal level for neuronal survival. Pretreatment of neuronal cells with KU-1/A4 prevented Aβ-induced toxicity in a dose-dependent fashion, with an EC₅₀ value of about 6 nM (FIG. 5). While there were minor neuroprotective effects associated with KU-1/A4 concentrations as low as 0.5 nM, significant protection was not demonstrated until 5 nM. Treatment of neuronal cells with KU-1/A4 alone at 20× the EC₅₀ value (100 nM) did not result in any observed neurotoxicity.

[0264] In a similar study, the pretreatment of neuronal cells with the 8-methyyl derivative of KU-1/A4 (denominated KU-32) also prevented Aβ-induced toxicity in a dose-dependent fashion, but was more potent. The EC₅₀ value of KU-32 was about 0.9 nM (data not shown).

[0265] Inhibition of Hsp90 induces overexpression of both Hsp90 and Hsp70 through dissociation of Hsp90-HSF-1 complexes and subsequent translocation of HSF-1 to the nucleus. Induction of both Hsp90 and Hsp70 by GA in cultured cells was reported to result in decreased levels of aggregated tau and increased levels of soluble tau, indicating that Hsp90 inhibitors can reduce toxic tau aggregates. Thus, in this example, an immunoblot analysis of neuronal cells was performed for Hsp70.

[0266] Primary cortical neurons were prepared as described herein. Cells were incubated (37° C. in 5% CO₂) with the indicated concentrations of GA or KU-1/A4 for 24 or 48 hours. Cells were washed three times with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), followed by addition of a cell lysis buffer (50 mM Tris-HCL, 150 mM NaCl, 5 mM EDTA, 5 mM EGTA, 1% NP40, 10% Glycerol, 1 mM Na₃VO₄, 10 mM sodium molybdate, 40 mM NaF, and 10 ul/ml of Calbiochem protease inhibitor cocktail III. Cells were collected by scraping the dishes and aspirating all contents. The protein concentration of each sample was determined using a bicinchoninic acid assay from Pierce Biotechnology, Inc. Aliquots containing 25 μg total protein in reducing sample buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl pH 6.8, 6.7% glycerol, 2.7% SDS, 0.05% Bromphenol Blue), resolved by SDS-PAGE, and transferred to PVDF membranes as previously described (Michaelis et al., Effects of reactive oxygen species on brain synaptic plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase, Free Radic. Biol. Med. 27, 810-821 (1999)). The membranes were probed with the indicated primary HSP70 antibody (1:500, Upstate Biotechnology) and immunoreactive proteins detected using the Lumiglo Western Blot Protein Detector Kit (KPL). The immunoblots were scanned using a Kodak Image Station 2000R to determine the pixel density of the bands and imported into Photoshop and analyzed as described in Zaidi et al., Oxidative inactivation of purified plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by hydrogen peroxide and protection by calmodulin, Biochem. 42, 12001-12010 (2003). All blots were re-probed with antibodies to β-actin I-19R (Santa Cruz) as a loading control and the data are presented as the ratio of Hsp70 to actin in each lane. Cells from at least three separate cultures for each treatment condition were examined, and the significance of differences in the immunoreactivities of the bands observed under the various treatment conditions was assessed by Student's t-test for unpaired samples.

[0267] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in the neuronal cultures of the present invention, KU-1/A4 significantly increased Hsp70 levels at a concentration of 0.2 μM. However, concentrations of KU-1/A4 as low as 1 nM also led to increases in Hsp70 levels, compared to DMSO controls after 48 hours incubation. Hsp70 induction at 0.2 μM was comparable to that seen upon treatment with GA at the same concentration, suggesting KU-1/A4 could potentially attenuate tau aggregation in a manner similar to that reported for GA. In addition, incubation with higher concentrations of KU-1/A4 (1 and 10 μM) did not significantly increase Hsp70 levels, suggesting that the maximal neuroprotective effects of KU-1/A4 can be elicited at concentrations significantly lower than any potential cytotoxic effects.

[0268] For most Hsp90 inhibitors, efficacy in degrading client proteins, such as Her2 and AKT, in two distinct cancer cell lines, SkBr3 and MCF-7, correlates well with their anti-proliferative effects (Dai et al., HSP90: a rising star on the horizon of anticancer targets, Future Oncol. 1, 529-540 (2005)). The anti-proliferative effect of GA treatment in these cell lines is well established, and almost complete cytotoxicity with GA at 1 μM was confirmed. GA elicited dose-dependent anti-proliferation in both cell lines, and the IC₅₀ values were comparable to those reported previously (18 and 133 nM, respectively). In contrast, KU-1/A4 demonstrated no anti-proliferative effects in either cell line up to 100 μM (FIGS. 7A and 7B), a concentration well above that necessary for complete neuroprotection, suggesting that C-terminal inhibitors possess a mechanism of action distinct from GA and other inhibitors of the N-terminus. When the effects of GA and KU-1/A4 alone were examined in neuronal cells, GA induced significant cytotoxicity at 10 μM after 24 hours (FIG. 7C). Lower concentrations of GA led to substantial cytotoxicity after 72 hours of incubation (data not shown). In contrast, 10 μM of KU-1/A4 caused no toxic effects even after incubation for 72 hours, clearly indicating a novel utility for C-terminal inhibitors.

[0269] The BBB expresses high levels of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an efflux pump responsible for the extrusion of numerous drugs and other xenobiotics from cells. The rhodamine 123 assay is often used to predict whether a compound is a potential substrate for P-gp. In this assay, rhodamine 123 is used as a surrogate P-gp substrate. If a test compound (KU-1/A4) is a substrate for P-gp, then its addition will increase rhodamine 123 uptake relative to the negative control determined by monitoring intracellular fluorescence. Taxol (paclitaxel), a microtubule-stabilizing agent that exhibits neuroprotective effects both in vitro and in vivo, is hampered as a CNS therapeutic because it is a known P-gp substrate. Thus, in this example, a rhodamine 123 uptake assay was performed as described in Silverstein et al., Utilization of uptake studies for evaluating activity of efflux transporters, Current Protocols in Pharmacology 7, 7.1 (2003).

[0270] Used as a positive control, Taxol significantly increased rhodamine 123 uptake in BMECs, while addition of KU-1/A4 had no effect on uptake even up to 50 μM, indicating it is not a substrate for P-gp (FIG. 8A).

[0271] The ability to partition across the blood-brain barrier is an essential property of drugs that are designed to elicit their effects on neuronal cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Transport across primary cultures of BMECs in vitro provides a strong correlation to the BBB permeability of a compound in vivo.

[0272] In this example, BMECs were grown on 0.4 μm polycarbonate membranes in a petri dish coated with rat tail collagen and fibronectin. Once cells had formed a confluent monolayer as determined by light microscopy, the membranes were transferred to Side-bi-Side™ diffusion chambers as previously described by Silverstein et al., Utilization of uptake studies for evaluating activity of efflux transporters, Current Protocols in Pharmacology 7.7.1-7.7.14 (2003); Audus et al., Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cell Culture Systems in Model Systems Used for Biopharmaceutical Assessment of Drug Absorption and Metabolism, Plenum: New York, 239 (1996). Briefly, each chamber was filled with 3 mL of PBSA and the donor chamber included KU-1/A4 (10 μM). A temperature of 37° C. was maintained with an external circulating water bath and chamber contents were stirred with Teflon coated magnetic stir bars driven by an external console. At various time points (5, 15, 30, 45, and 90 minutes), 100 μL aliquots were removed from the receiver side and replaced with 100 μL of blank PBSA warmed to 37° C. Samples of the donor solution were also taken for analysis. All samples were analyzed for concentration by RP-HPLC analysis using a Shimadzu dual pump HPLC system equipped with an Alltech (C18, 4.6 mm×150 mm) column. The solvent system consisted of H₂O (solvent A) and methanol (solvent B). Analytical samples were eluted with 20% solvent B over 10 minutes at a flow rate of 0.90 mL/min and UV detection at 208 nm. The concentration of KU-1/A4 in each sample was determined by direct comparison of the area under the curve (“AUC”) for each injection with the average AUC (five injections) of a standard KU-1/A4 solution (10 μM). The integrity of the cell monolayer was tested post experiment by monitoring the permeability of [¹⁴C]-sucrose, a low permeability marker. Radioactive samples were analyzed by liquid scintillation counting.

[0273] Not only was KU-1/A4 not a P-gp substrate, it also exhibited time-dependent linear transport across BMECs for up to 90 minutes (FIG. 8B). The concentration of KU-1/A4 at 90 minutes in the receiving chamber (1.2 μM) was 200-fold greater than the concentration necessary (5 nM) for 50% neuroprotection from Aβ-induced toxicity. These data suggest that pharmacologically active amounts of KU-1/A4 should penetrate the BBB and avoid efflux via P-gp.

[0274] In sum, KU-1/A4 induces Hsp70 and provides complete protection against Aβ-induced toxicity at non-cytotoxic concentrations. In fact, no toxicity was observed in the assays even at 20,000× the EC₅₀ (100 μM) in non-neuronal cells, a concentration at which GA is severely toxic. In addition, KU-1/A4 increases Hsp90 levels at concentrations about 200-fold less than those required for client protein degradation. This provides a large therapeutic window for treatment of several disorders in which chaperones provide a protective effect. These attributes make KU-1/A4, and related compounds, an ideal compound for development as a novel chemotherapeutic for the treatment of AD and other neuron degenerative disorders. Further, the time-dependent linear transport of KU-1/A4 across BMECs in vitro provides strong evidence that significant concentrations of the drug will be available to the CNS in vivo. Within 15 minutes, the concentration of KU-1/A4 present in the abluminal chamber was enough to provide full neuroprotective effects as demonstrated in vitro, suggesting that in vivo neuroprotection could be fast-acting. KU-1/A4 is also not a substrate for P-gp and is not expected to be removed by active efflux from the CNS.

[0275] The neurodegenerative disorder multiple sclerosis is often studied in an animal model system termed experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (“EAE”). EAE is an inflammatory condition characterized by multifocal perivascular CNS inflammatory infiltrates that primarily include T cells and monocytes. Bar-Or et al., Molecular pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, Journal of Neuroimmunol. 100:252-259 (1999). EAE can be induced in animals by injection of immunodominant peptides from myelin proteins such as myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), or by transfer of CD4+ MHC class II-restricted T-cells reactive with these peptides. Mokhtarian et al., Nature 309: 312-314 (1984); Zamvil et al., T-cell clones specific for myelin basic protein induce chronic relapsing paralysis and demyelination, Nature 317:355-358 (1985). The EAE models are frequently used to study the pathogenesis of MS and to test novel therapeutic strategies aimed at treating MS.

[0276] Heat shock response suppresses inflammatory gene expression for nitric oxide synthase, cytokines and chemokines, all of which have been implicated in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). HSR can be induced by a variety of stresses, including hyperthermia, oxidative stress, heavy metals, viral infection, and UV irradiation. Administration of Hsp90 inhibitors also leads to a HSR due to the dissociation of HSF-1 from Hsp90. Therefore, KU-32, an 8-methyl derivative of KU-1, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor was evaluated in a murine autoimmune disease model (Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis; EAE) to determine if disease severity and disease incidence is diminished.

[0277] To evaluate the in vivo activity, SJL/J female mice at 6 to 8 weeks of age were divided into three groups with ten mice in each group. The first group was the negative control For the KU-1 treated and positive control groups, at the initiation state (Day 0), all mice (10/group) were immunized by intradermal (i.d.) inoculation with 200 μg of proteolipid protein (“PLP” in a 0.2 mL emulsion with equal volumes of phosphate buffered saline (“PBS”) and complete Freund's adjuvant (“CFA”) (Difco, Detroit, Mich.). The injection volume was 100 μL at each injection site. Then, each mouse in KU-32 treated group received intravenous (i.v.) injections of 0.5 mg/kg of KU-32 on day 0 and on day 10.

[0278] Disease progression was evaluated using a clinical scoring scale ranging from 0 to 5 as shown in the Table below:

TABLE 4
The score of disease progression in the mouse EAE model
Score	Gross Pathology
0	No clinical disease
0.5	Tail weakness
1	Tail completely flaccid
2	Paraparesis (weakness, incomplete paralysis of one or two
	hind limbs)
3	Paraplegia (complete paralysis of two hind limbs)
4	Paraplegia with forelimb weakness or paralysis
5	Moribund or death

[0279] All of the immunized mice were scored blindly for about 7 weeks by the same observer. Mean daily clinical scores were calculated by adding the grades of each mouse individually divided by the number of mice in each group. All animals were observed daily and, upon signs of paralysis and weakness, moistened food was provided to the animals to prevent dehydration.

[0280] The results are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The results from a pilot studies showed that the disease onset was delayed and disease severity was reduced following administration of KU-32. The negative control group gradually increased in weight as expected.

[0281] A second study demonstrated that KU-32 administration given early in the EAE immunization protocol reduced disease relapse, whereas KU-32 administration a week into the immunization protocol reduced disease severity and inhibited disease relapse. The experiment was the same as the foregoing except that KU-32 was administered on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 for the early treatment regimen showed no change in disease onset or disease severity. FIG. 11 shows the results of this second study where KU-32 for the early treatment regimine showed no change in disease onset or disease severity. In the late treatment regimen, KU-32 was injected IV on days 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14. This treatment resulted in an earlier onset of symptoms; however the duration of symptoms was notably less than in the positive control group, and the clinical scores returned to baseline compared to the control group and the early treatment group where the clinical score remained around 0.5. FIG. 12 is a graph showing the corresponding body weight data for the second study described in FIG. 11.

[0282] Previous studies have demonstrated that novobiocin manifests weak activity against the Hsp90 protein folding process as demonstrated by its ability to induce degradation of ErbB2 in SkBr3 breast cancer cells at about 700 μM concentration. In this example, cells were washed once with cold phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.0), and lysed by scraping in TMNS (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH7.5, 20 mM Na₂MoO₄, 0.1% NP-40, 150 mM NaCl) supplemented with 20 μg/mL aprotinin, 20 μg/mL leupeptin, and 1 mM phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride. Cell lysate was clarified by centrifugation at 14,000 rpm at 4° C. for 15 minutes, and protein concentration was determined by using the BCA method (Pierce, Rockford, Ill.). Twenty μg total protein from cell lysates were separated by 4-20% gradient SDS-PAGE (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif.). Western-blotting for ErbB2 was performed as described previously. Blotting for α-tubulin was used to verify equal loading of lanes.

[0283] As shown in FIG. 13, both DHN1 and DHN2 compounds exhibited improved activity as compared to novobiocin. Western blot analyses of Hsp90-dependent client proteins ErbB2 (Her2) and p53 were investigated as well as the related heat shock protein, Hsp70. As can be seen in lane 6, DHN1 induced the degradation of both ErbB2 and p53 between 5 and 10 μM (lanes 5 and 6), whereas DHN2 induced the degradation of these clients between 0.1 and 1.0 μM (lanes 9-12), clearly indicating that DHN2 is more effective than DHN1, which itself is about 70 times more active than novobiocin. Levels of actin were unaffected by inhibitor concentration in these immunoblot assays (data not shown).

[0284] N-terminal inhibitors of Hsp90 may induce the degradation of client proteins at concentrations that mirror that needed for anti-proliferative activity. Therefore, both DHN1 and DHN2 were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of SKBr3 breast cancer cell lines. Cell growth was monitored using methylthiazol-tetrazolium (MTT). Briefly, cells (5×10³) were plated in 96-well microtiter plates (Costar) in a volume of 0.1 mL DMEM containing 0.1% FBS. After 12 hours, cells were exposed to drugs (final volume 0.2 mL/well). At various times after drug addition, 20 μL of 5 mg/mL MTT solution in PBS was added to each well for 4 hours. After removal of medium, 0.1 mL of DMSO was added to each well to dissolve the formazan crystals. Absorbance at 562 nm was determined using an ELx 808 microplate reader (Bio-Tek, Winooski, Vt.). Six wells were assayed at each concentration and the mean absorbance was determined. Absorbance at 562 nm is directly proportional to viable cell number.

[0285] As shown in FIG. 14, neither treatment with DHN1 nor DHN2 resulted in substantial cytotoxicity, suggesting that C-terminal inhibitors of Hsp90 exhibit a mechanism of action that differs from N-terminal inhibitors or perhaps that a different set of client proteins that are responsible for cell growth are selectively targeted by inhibitors of the N-terminus.

[0286] Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this pertains. The references disclosed are also individually and specifically incorporated by reference herein for the material contained in them that is discussed in the sentence in which the reference is relied upon.

[0287] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objectives herein-above set forth, together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention. Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. While specific embodiments have been shown and discussed, various modifications may of course be made, and the invention is not limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts and steps described herein, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims. Further, it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.