Synthesis, chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, and aqueous solubility of amino acid ester prodrugs of 3-carboranyl thymidine analogs for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors

Various water-soluble l-valine-, l-glutamate-, and glycine ester prodrugs of two 3-Carboranyl Thymidine Analogs (3-CTAs), designated N5 and N5-2OH, were synthesized for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) of brain tumors since the water solubilities of the parental compounds proved to be insufficient in preclinical studies. The amino acid ester prodrugs were prepared and stored as hydrochloride salts. The water solubilities of these amino acid ester prodrugs, evaluated in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at pH 5, pH 6 and pH 7.4, improved 48–6600 times compared with parental N5 and N5-2OH. The stability of the amino acid ester prodrugs was evaluated in PBS at pH 7.4, Bovine serum, and Bovine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The rate of the hydrolysis in all three incubation media depended primarily on the amino acid promoiety and, to a lesser extend, on the site of esterification at the deoxyribose portion of the 3-CTAs. In general, 3′-amino acid ester prodrugs were less sensitive to chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis than 5′-amino acid ester prodrugs and the stabilities of the latter decreased in the following order: 5′-valine > 5′-glutamate > 5′-glycine. The rate of the hydrolysis of the 5′-amino acid ester prodrugs in Bovine CSF was overall higher than in PBS and somewhat lower than in Bovine serum. Overall, 5′-glutamate ester prodrug of N5 and the 5′-glycine ester prodrugs of N5 and N5-2OH appeared to be the most promising candidates for preclinical BNCT studies.

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► l-Val-, l-Glu- & Gly-prodrugs of carboranyl thymidine analogs were synthesized.
► Stability studies conducted in PBS, Bovine serum, and Bovine cerebrospinal fluid.
► Solubility studies conducted in PBS at pH 5, 6 & 7.4.
► 5′-Gly-N5, 5′-Gly-N5-2OH & 5′-Glu-N5 selected for boron neutron capture therapy.