N‐Benzyl‐4‐((heteroaryl)methyl)benzamides: A New Class of Direct NADH‐Dependent 2‐trans Enoyl–Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (InhA) Inhibitors with Antitubercular Activity

Isoniazid (INH) remains one of the cornerstones of antitubercular chemotherapy for drug‐sensitive strains of M. tuberculosis bacteria. However, the increasing prevalence of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) and extensively drug‐resistant (XDR) strains containing mutations in the KatG enzyme, which is responsible for the activation of INH into its antitubercular form, have rendered this drug of little or no use in many cases of drug‐resistant tuberculosis. Presented herein is a novel family of antitubercular direct NADH‐dependent 2‐trans enoyl–acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) inhibitors based on an N‐benzyl‐4‐((heteroaryl)methyl)benzamide template; unlike INH, these do not require prior activation by KatG. Given their direct InhA target engagement, these compounds should be able to circumvent KatG‐related resistance in the clinic. The lead molecules were shown to be potent inhibitors of InhA and showed activity against M. tuberculosis bacteria. This new family of inhibitors was found to be chemically tractable, as exemplified by the facile synthesis of analogues and the establishment of structure–activity relationships. Furthermore, a co‐crystal structure of the initial hit with the enzyme is disclosed, providing valuable information toward the design of new InhA inhibitors for the treatment of MDR/XDR tuberculosis.     

Development of Cyclobutene‐ and Cyclobutane‐Functionalized Fatty Acids with Inhibitory Activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Eleven fatty acid analogues incorporating four‐membered carbocycles (cyclobutenes, cyclobutanes, cyclobutanones, and cyclobutanols) were investigated for the ability to inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msm) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). A number of the analogues displayed inhibitory activity against both mycobacterial species in minimal media. Several of the molecules displayed potent levels of inhibition against Mtb, with MIC values equal to or below those observed with the anti‐tuberculosis drugs D ‐cycloserine and isoniazid. In contrast, two of the analogues that display the greatest activity against Mtb failed to inhibit E. coli growth under either set of conditions. Thus, the active molecules identified herein may provide the basis for the development of anti‐mycobacterial agents against Mtb.     

Preparation of Optically Enriched 3‐Hydroxy‐3,4‐dihydroquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones by Heterogeneous Catalytic Cascade Reaction over Supported Platinum Catalyst

The development of a novel heterogeneous catalytic asymmetric cascade reaction for the synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines from 2‐nitrophenylpyruvates is reported. Optically enriched 3‐hydroxy‐3,4‐dihydroquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones are prepared by enantioselective hydrogenation of the activated keto group over a Cinchona alkaloid‐modified Pt catalyst, reduction of the nitro group and spontaneous cyclization cascade. Acceleration of the enantioselective hydrogenation of the activated keto group over the catalyst modified by Cinchona alkaloids ensured high tetrahydroquinolinone selectivities. The scope of the reaction was checked using twelve substrates. Both yields and enantioselectivities were significantly influenced by the nature and position of the substituents on the phenyl ring. Substituents adjacent to the nitro group considerably increased the product yield, due to their effect on the nitro group′s reduction rate; however, had only a limited effect on enantioselectivities.     

Iron(III) Chloride‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative–Deaminative Functionalization of Phenylglycine: A Tandem Synthesis of Quinazolinones and Benzimidazoles

The first iron(III) chloride‐catalyzed decarboxylative–deaminative functionalization of phenylglycine with o‐substituted nitroarenes was achieved for the synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones and benzimidazoles. The reaction of 2‐nitrobenzonitrile/2‐nitro‐N,N‐diphenylamine with phenylglycine at 120 °C in the presence of potassium carbonate as a base in toluene generated the products in 45–87% yields. Various functional groups like nitro, fluoride, chloride and trifluoromethyl were well tolerated under the present reaction conditions. In this tandem approach, involvement of transfer hydrogenation of the nitro functionality with in situ generated ammonia, imination, nitrile hydration to amide and oxidative cyclization sequences have been established. The process avoids the use of an external hydrogen source, costly catalysts as well as the isolation of amine and amide intermediates.

     

THE STRENGTH OF MUTAGENICITY, 13C NMR CHEMICAL SHIFTS,AND ELECTRONIC STATES OF NITROBENZANTHRONES

Mutagenic activities of nitrated benzanthrones (NBAs) vary largely with the position and the number of the nitro group. To investigate the structure-activity correlations for NBAs, we have performed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and molecular orbital calculations for the three nitrobenzanthrones, 2-NBA, 3-NBA, 11-NBA; the three dinitrobenzanthrones, 1,9-DNBA, 3,11-DNBA, 3,9-DNBA; and the trinitrobenzanthrone, 3,9,11-TNBA. It was confirmed that the ¹³ C chemical shifts (δ) of the ortho carbon atoms with respect to the nitro group of the compounds tend to be more upfield with decreasing mutagenic activities. The molecular orbital calculations revealed that the LUMO energies of the compounds decrease with mutagenic activities, and that the HOMO and LUMO densities tend to decrease and increase, respectively, with decreasing mutagenic activities. These results indicate that reduction is very important in the metabolism of nitrobenzanthrones.     

Structure‐Guided Design of Thiazolidine Derivatives as Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pantothenate Synthetase Inhibitors

The pantothenate biosynthetic pathway is essential for the persistent growth and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and one of the enzymes in the pathway, pantothenate synthetase (PS, EC: 6.3.2.1), encoded by the panC gene, has become an appropriate target for new therapeutics to treat tuberculosis. Herein, we report nanomolar thiazolidine inhibitors of Mtb PS developed by a rational inhibitor design approach. The thiazolidine compounds were discovered by using energy‐based pharmacophore modelling and subsequent in vitro screening, which resulted in compounds with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of (1.12±0.12) μM . These compounds were subsequently optimised by a combination of modelling and synthetic chemistry. Hit expansion of the lead by chemical synthesis led to an improved inhibitor with an IC₅₀ value of 350 nM and an Mtb minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.55 μM . Some of these compounds also showed good activity against dormant Mtb cells.     

Biological Evaluation of Potent Triclosan‐Derived Inhibitors of the Enoyl–Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase InhA in Drug‐Sensitive and Drug‐Resistant Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

New triclosan (TRC) analogues were evaluated for their activity against the enoyl–acyl carrier protein reductase InhA in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). TRC is a well‐known inhibitor of InhA, and specific modifications to its positions 5 and 4′ afforded 27 derivatives; of these compounds, seven derivatives showed improved potency over that of TRC. These analogues were active against both drug‐susceptible and drug‐resistant Mtb strains. The most active compound in this series, 4‐(n‐butyl)‐1,2,3‐triazolyl TRC derivative 3 , had an MIC value of 0.6 μg mL^?1 (1.5 μM ) against wild‐type Mtb. At a concentration equal to its MIC, this compound inhibited purified InhA by 98 %, and showed an IC₅₀ value of 90 nM . Compound 3 and the 5‐methylisoxazole‐modified TRC 14 were able to inhibit the biosynthesis of mycolic acids. Furthermore, mc²4914, an Mtb strain overexpressing inhA, was found to be less susceptible to compounds 3 and 14 , supporting the notion that InhA is the likely molecular target of the TRC derivatives presented herein.     

Non‐Isothermal Kinetic Study of the Thermal Decomposition of Melamine 3‐Nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one Salt

Study on thermal behavior of 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one (NTO) salts was required to obtain important data for application purposes. These compounds have been shown to be useful intermediates for gun propellant ingredients, high energetic ballistic modifiers for solid propellants and other potential applications. In this paper, thermal decomposition and non‐isothermal kinetics of melamine 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one salt (MNTO) were studied under non‐isothermal conditions by DSC and TG methods. The kinetic parameters were obtained from analysis of the DSC and TG curves by Kissinger and Ozawa methods. The critical temperature of thermal explosion (T_b) was 574 K. The results show that MNTO is thermally more stable than NTO when compared in terms of the critical temperature of thermal explosion. Finally, the values of ΔS^#, ΔH^#, and ΔG^# of its decomposition reaction were calculated.     

Synthesis and dissociation of amine‐blocked diisocyanates and polyurethane prepolymers

Substituted N‐methylanilines are shown to act as blocking agents for toluenediisocyanate. N‐methylaniline‐, N‐methyl‐p‐anisidine‐ and N‐methyl‐p‐nitroaniline‐blocked toluene diisocyanates have been prepared and characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies, and nitrogen content analysis. A new method for determining the minimum deblocking temperature of the blocked isocyanate is described. The method has advantages in that it can be used to find the minimum deblocking temperature of even non‐volatile blocking agents. The minimum deblocking temperature of the adducts is found to be in the following order: N‐methyl‐p‐anisidine–TDI adduct < N‐methyaniline–TDI adduct < N‐methyl‐p‐nitroaniline–TDI adduct. The anilines exhibit the same trend when they block a polyurethane prepolymer prepared using polypropylene glycol of molecular weight 2000 g mol^?1 and tolylene‐2,6‐diisocyanate. The deblocking temperatures are lower in the case of blocked prepolymers than in the blocked adducts. The blocked adducts and prepolymers are reacted with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) in dimethylpropylene urea (DMPU) and the evolution of carbon dioxide is monitored to study the completion of imidization. The reaction time is in accordance with the deblocking ability of the adducts. The regeneration of the blocking agent is confirmed by gas chromatography. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Investigation of the Correlations Between Nitro Group Charges and Some Properties of Nitro Organic Compounds

The so‐called nitro group charge method (NGCM) is successfully established to investigate some properties of nitro compounds including the molecular stability measured by total energy (only for isomers), the bond lengths, bond dissociation energies (BDE), and the nitrating activities, in that the method considers the molecular structure. These properties are intrinsically and especially thermodynamically consistent with each other and can be well related qualitatively and even quantitatively with nitro group charges (Q_Nitro). The correlations between Q_Nitro and the properties are: (1) for nitro isomers, the more negative the average Q_Nitro, the lower the total energy and the more stable is the isomer; (2) for any separate group of nitro compounds, the more negative Q_Nitro, the shorter the R‐nitro bond length; (3) for the bond dissociation energy, more negative Q_Nitro corresponds to a higher BDE of the R‐nitro bond; (4) by NGCM, the conditions, the reaction rates and the occurrence ratios of products of some nitration can be predicted and compared: the more negative Q_Nitro of the product, the easier and faster the nitration, and the higher the occurrence ratio of the corresponding product.     

Aza‐Henry Reaction of Isatin Ketimines with Methyl 4‐Nitrobutyrate en Route to Spiro[piperidine‐3,3′‐oxindoles]

A new enantioselective route to spiro[piperidine‐3,3′‐oxindoles] from isatin ketimines is described. The aza‐Henry reaction of N‐Boc‐isatin ketimines with methyl 4‐nitrobutyrate in the presence of a Ph₂BOX‐CuBr₂ complex provided the corresponding nitro amino esters with good diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). The aza‐Henry adducts were transformed into spiro[piperidine‐3,3′‐oxindoles] after reduction of the nitro group to oxime, and cleavage of the N‐Boc group and lactamisation.

     

Novel 1,4‐Substituted‐1,2,3‐Triazoles as Antitubercular Agents

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a pressing unmet medical need, particularly with the emergence of multidrug‐resistant and extensively drug‐resistant tuberculosis. Here, a series of 1,4‐substituted‐1,2,3‐triazoles have been synthesized and evaluated as potential antitubercular agents. These compounds were assembled via click chemistry in high crude purity and in moderate to high yield. Of the compounds tested, 12 compounds showed promising antitubercular activity with six possessing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values <10 μg mL^?1, and total selectivity for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) growth inhibition. A second set of 21 compounds bearing variations on ring C were synthesized and evaluated. This second library gave an additional six compounds displaying MIC values ≤10 μg mL^?1 and total selectivity for Mtb growth inhibition. These compounds serve as an excellent starting point for further development of antitubercular therapies.     

Development of Potent Adenosine Monophosphate Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) Activators

Previously, we reported the identification of a thiazolidinedione‐based adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, compound 1 (N‐[4‐({3‐[(1‐methylcyclohexyl)methyl]‐2,4‐dioxothiazolidin‐5‐ylidene}methyl)phenyl]‐4‐nitro‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonamide), which provided a proof of concept to delineate the intricate role of AMPK in regulating oncogenic signaling pathways associated with cell proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells. In this study, we used 1 as a scaffold to conduct lead optimization, which generated a series of derivatives. Analysis of the antiproliferative and AMPK‐activating activities of individual derivatives revealed a distinct structure–activity relationship and identified 59 (N‐(3‐nitrophenyl)‐N′‐{4‐[(3‐{[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl}‐2,4‐dioxothiazolidin‐5‐ylidene)methyl]phenyl}urea) as the optimal agent. Relative to 1 , compound 59 exhibits multifold higher potency in upregulating AMPK phosphorylation in various cell lines irrespective of their liver kinase B1 (LKB1) functional status, accompanied by parallel changes in the phosphorylation/expression levels of p70S6K, Akt, Foxo3a, and EMT‐associated markers. Consistent with its predicted activity against tumors with activated Akt status, orally administered 59 was efficacious in suppressing the growth of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN)‐null PC‐3 xenograft tumors in nude mice. Together, these findings suggest that 59 has clinical value in therapeutic strategies for PTEN‐negative cancer and warrants continued investigation in this regard.     

Catalytic Non‐Enzymatic Kinetic Resolution

While tremendous advances have been made in asymmetric synthesis, the resolution of racemates is still the most important industrial approach to the synthesis of chiral compounds. The use of enzymes for the kinetic resolution (KR) of racemic substrates to afford enantiopure compounds in high enantioselectivity and good yield has long been a popular strategy in synthesis. However, transition metal‐mediated and more recently organocatalyzed KRs have gained popularity within the synthetic community over the last two decades due to the progress made in the development of chiral catalysts for asymmetric reactions. Many catalytic non‐enzymatic procedures have been developed providing high enantioselectivity and yield for both products and recovered starting materials. Indeed, the non‐enzymatic KR of racemic compounds based on the use of a chiral catalyst is presently an area of great importance in asymmetric organic synthesis. The goal of this review is to provide an update on the principal developments of catalytic non‐enzymatic KR covering the literature since 2004. This review is subdivided into seven sections, according to the different types of compounds that have been resolved through catalytic non‐enzymatic KR, such as alcohols, epoxides, amines, alkenes, carbonyl derivatives, sulfur compounds and ferrocenes. Abbreviations: Ac: acetyl; acac: acetylacetone; AQN: anthraquinone; Ar: aryl; Atm: atmosphere; BINAM: 1,1′‐binaphthalenyl‐2,2′‐diamine; BINAP: 2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphanyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl; BINEPINE: phenylbinaphthophosphepine; BINOL: 1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol; Bmim: 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium; Bn: benzyl; Boc: tert‐butoxycarbonyl; Box: bisoxazoline; BSA: bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide; Bu: butyl; Bz: benzoyl; c: cyclo; CBS: Corey–Bakshi–Shibata; Cbz: benzyloxycarbonyl; COD: cyclooctadiene; COE: cyclooctene; Cy: cyclohexyl; Dba: (E,E)‐dibenzylideneacetone; DBU: 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene; DCC: N,N′‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide; de: diastereomeric excess; DEAD: diethyl azodicarboxylate; Dec: decanyl; DHQD: dihydroquinidine; Difluorphos: 5,5′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐2,2,2′,2′‐tetrafluoro‐4,4′‐bi‐1,3‐benzodioxole; DIPEA: diisopropylethylamine: DKR: dynamic kinetic resolution; DMAP: 4‐dimethylaminopyridine; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid; DOSP: N‐(dodecylbenzenesulfonyl)prolinate; DTBM: di‐tert‐butylmethoxy; ee: enantiomeric excess; Et: ethyl; equiv.: equivalent; Fu: furyl; Hex: hexyl; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; HMDS: hexamethyldisilazide; KR: kinetic resolution; L: ligand; LDA: lithium diisopropylamide; MAO: methylaluminoxane; Me: methyl; Ms: mesyl; MTBE: methyl tert‐butyl ether; Naph: naphthyl; nbd: norbornadiene; NBS: N‐bromosuccinimide; NIS: N‐iodosuccinimide; Pent: pentyl; Ph: phenyl; Piv: pivaloyl; PMB: p‐methoxybenzoyl; Pr: propyl Py: pyridyl; r.t.: room temperature; s: selectivity factor; Segphos: 5,5′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐4,4′‐bi‐1,3‐benzodioxole; (S,S′,R,R′)‐Tangphos: (1S,1S′,2R,2R′)‐1,1′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐(2,2′)‐diphospholane; TBS: tert‐butyldimethylsilyl; TBDPS: tert‐butyldiphenylsilyl; TCCA: trichloroisocyanuric acid ; TEA: triethylamine; TEMPO: tetramethylpentahydropyridine oxide; THF: tetrahydrofuran; Thio: thiophene; Tf: trifluoromethanesulfonyl; TMS: trimethylsilyl; Tol: tolyl; Ts: 4‐toluenesulfonyl (tosyl)     

Iron‐Catalyzed Oxidative Mono‐ and Bis‐Phosphonation of N,N‐Dialkylanilines

The dehydrogenative α‐phosphonation of substituted N,N‐dialkylanilines by dialkyl H‐phosphonates was achieved under mild conditions by using environmentally benign iron(II) chloride as catalyst and tert‐butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. The reaction proceeded in the presence of electron‐donating (methoxy, methyl, benzyl) and electron‐withdrawing ring‐substitutents (bromo, carbonyl, carboxyl, m‐nitro) in moderate to good yields. The X‐ray crystal structure of N‐(5,5‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2λ⁵‐[1,3,2]dioxaphosphinan‐2‐yl‐methyl)‐N‐methyl‐p‐toluidine was determined. Bis‐(4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl)methane and bis‐4,4′‐(dimethylamino)benzophenone underwent bisphosphonation selectively by respective monophosphonation at the remote dimethylamino groups. Furthermore, the use of excess dialkyl H‐phosphonate and oxidant allowed us to functionalize both methyl groups of N(CH₃)₂ in N,N‐dimethyl‐p‐toluidine and N,N‐dimethylaminomesidine, respectively, to obtain α,α′‐bisphosphonatoamines in high yield.     

Substrate Fragmentation for the Design of M. tuberculosis CYP121 Inhibitors

The cyclo‐dipeptide substrates of the essential M. tuberculosis (Mtb) enzyme CYP121 were deconstructed into their component fragments and screened against the enzyme. A number of hits were identified, one of which exhibited an unexpected inhibitor‐like binding mode. The inhibitory pharmacophore was elucidated, and fragment binding affinity was rapidly improved by synthetic elaboration guided by the structures of CYP121 substrates. The resulting inhibitors have low micromolar affinity, good predicted physicochemical properties and selectivity for CYP121 over other Mtb P450s. Spectroscopic characterisation of the inhibitors′ binding mode provides insight into the effect of weak nitrogen‐donor ligands on the P450 heme, an improved understanding of factors governing CYP121–ligand recognition and speculation into the biological role of the enzyme for Mtb.     

Synthesis,Antitubulin, and Antiproliferative SAR of C3/C1‐Substituted Tetrahydroisoquinolines

The syntheses and antiproliferative activities of novel substituted tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives and their sulfamates are discussed. Biasing of conformational populations through substitution on the tetrahydroisoquinoline core at C1 and C3 has a profound effect on the antiproliferative activity against various cancer cell lines. The C3 methyl‐substituted sulfamate (±)‐7‐methoxy‐2‐(3‐methoxybenzyl)‐3‐methyl‐6‐sulfamoyloxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline ( 6 b ), for example, was found to be ～10‐fold more potent than the corresponding non‐methylated compound 7‐methoxy‐2‐(3‐methoxybenzyl)‐6‐sulfamoyloxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline ( 4 b ) against DU‐145 prostate cancer cells (GI₅₀ values: 220 nM and 2.1 μM , respectively). Such compounds were also found to be active against a drug‐resistant MCF breast cancer cell line. The position and nature of substitution of the N‐benzyl group in the C3‐substituted series was found to have a significant effect on activity. Whereas C1 methylation has little effect on activity, introduction of C1 phenyl and C3‐gem‐dimethyl substituents greatly decreases antiproliferative activity. The ability of these compounds to inhibit microtubule polymerisation and to bind tubulin in a competitive manner versus colchicine confirms the mechanism of action. The therapeutic potential of a representative compound was confirmed in an in vivo multiple myeloma xenograft study.     

Protein Arginine N‐Methyltransferase Substrate Preferences for Different Nη‐Substituted Arginyl Peptides

Protein arginine N‐methyltransferases (PRMTs) catalyze methyl‐group transfer from S‐adenosyl‐L ‐methionine onto arginine residues in proteins. In this study, modifications were introduced at the guanidine moiety of a peptidyl arginine residue to investigate how changes to the PRMT substrate can modulate enzyme activity. We found that peptides bearing Nη‐hydroxy or Nη‐amino substituted arginine showed higher apparent k_cat values than for the monomethylated substrate when using PRMT1, whereas this catalytic preference was not observed for PRMT4 and PRMT6. Methylation by compromised PRMT1 variants E153Q and D51N further supports the finding that the N‐hydroxy substitution facilitates methyl transfer by tuning the reactivity of the guanidine moiety. In contrast, Nη‐nitro and Nη‐canavanine substituted substrates inhibit PRMT activity. These findings demonstrate that methylation of these PRMT substrates is dependent on the nature of the modification at the guanidine moiety.     

Synthesis of new soluble aromatic poly(amide imide)s from unsymmetrical extended diamine containing phthalazinone moiety

The preparation of a new unsymmetrical kink non‐coplanar heterocyclic diamine, 1,2‐dihydro‐2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐4‐[4‐(3‐phenyl‐4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐(2H)phthalazin‐1‐one (3), from a readily available unsymmetrical phthalazinone bisphenol‐like (1) was described. The diamine can be directly polymerized with various aromatic bis(trimellitimide)s (4a–e) by using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents to give a series of new aromatic poly(amide imides) (5a–e) containing the kink non‐coplanar phthalazinone heterocyclic units with inherent viscosities of 0.57–1.06 dL/g. The polymers were readily soluble in a variety of solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, dimethylsulfoxide, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, and even in pyridine and m‐cresol and could be cast to form flexible and tough films. The glass transition temperatures were in the range of 315–340°C, and the temperatures for 5% weight loss in nitrogen were in the range of 487–512°C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 1516–1520, 2004     

Photofading of phenylazo‐aniline, ‐pyridone and ‐quinolone disperse dyes on a nylon 6 substrate

The photofading of phenylazo‐aniline, ‐pyridone and ‐quinolone disperse dyes on nylon fabric was analysed using the Kubelka–Munk (K/S) spectra of fabrics exposed to a carbon arc in air. The exposure of dyed fabric through ultraviolet and coloured filters, which do not shield the main absorption band, showed a large decrease in the initial rate (K_PA) of fading. Compared with the K_PA values without filters, the values using filters were half as large for dyes without the nitro groups and a quarter as large for dyes with the nitro groups. The K_PA values may be qualitatively explained by the sum of azo scission (decrease of K/S value at λ_max) and the conversion of nitro groups to nitroso groups. These phenomena occur, respectively, via thermal disproportionation reactions between hydrazinyl radicals (from the azo group) and the reaction between hydrazinyl and N‐centred nitrosyl hydroxide radicals (from the nitro group). The azo scission is promoted by N‐centred nitrosyl hydroxide radicals via the latter reactions.