N-Methylhydroxylamine hydrochloride

Hydroxylamine and N-methylhydroxylamine prevented the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by the endogenous activator as well as by nitroso compounds such as N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or nitroprusside, while other derivaties of hydroxylamine were ineffective. Hydroxylamine and N-methylhydroxylamine did not alter the basal guanylate cyclase activity of purified enzyme preparations. Kinetics analysis indicated that N-methylhydroxylamine competes with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for guanylate cyclase. The activation of guanylate cyclase by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and its inhibition by N-methylhydroxylamine were reversible reactions. These effects of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and N-methylhydroxylamine were observed with guanylate cyclase from other tissues. N-Methylhydroxylamine prevented the increase of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) levels in cerebellar slices of guinea pig by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, veratridine and adenosine, while the elevations of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate by these agents were not effected. N-Methylhydroxylamine also blocked the increases of cyclic GMP levels by carbachol, prostaglandin E1 and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in neuroblastoma N1E 115 cells. Thus N-methylhydroxylamine prevents the activation of guanylate cyclase and the increased synthesis of cyclic GMP in response to transmitters without blocking the synthesis of cyclic GMP via basal enzyme activity.

N-alquil nitrones 1c and 3-6 were prepared from aromatic aldehydes and N-tert-butylhydroxylamine or N-methylhydroxylamine in good yields and soft conditions. Their protective effect against microvascular damages caused by ischemia/reperfusion in 'hamster cheek pouch' assay was investigated and compare with that observed for nitrones 1a,b and 2, previously studied. Nitrones 3b, 4b and 4c were the most active ones in inhibiting macromolecular permeability increase induced by ischemia/reperfusion when administered by gavage and intravenous, while 3a and 4a were active only after intravenous administration. N-tert-butylhydroxylamine and Nt-methylhydroxylamine, products of the hydrolysis of these nitrones, were weakly active when administered by gavage or intravenous. Nitrone (4a) was the most potent in inhibiting macromolecular permeability increase induced by histamine. In this case, N-tert-butylhydroxylamine was as active as 4a. The lypophylicity in nitrones, specially in N-methyl nitrones, play an important role on the protective action when compounds were administered by gavage.

Azetidinones and β-amino acids serve as useful building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry and their structural motifs are often found in biologically active compounds. Due to the importance of these compounds, several synthetic strategies have been developed and availability of new synthetic approaches is highly desirable. In this account, we describe the development of an original method that allows the preparation of β-lactam and β-homoproline derivatives not easily accessible through traditional processes. The serendipitous discovery made in our lab in 2000 involved the formation of a β-lactam by heating a mixture of an alkylidenecyclopropane tethered to a formyl group with N-methylhydroxylamine hydrochloride. Investigation of the process resulted in disclosing an alternative synthetic method of azetidinones based on an acid induced fragmentative rearrangement of cycloadducts of nitrones with suitable methylenecyclopropane derivatives. Herein, the scope of this process is reviewed. In addition, both experimental and computational studies of the mechanism for this peculiar fragmentative rearrangement are presented.