• Leslie Jimenez
  • Associate Professor
  • Research Synopsis: Synthesis and characterization of analogues of antitumor antibiotics and coenzymes
  • Phone: (848) 445-0641

 

 

Research Summary

My research interests are in natural products synthesis and the development of new synthetic methodology.

Total synthesis of antitumor natural products and their analogs

jimenez02We are working on the total synthesis of the natural products, FR900482 and mitomycin C. These compounds are of interest to medicinal chemists because of their potent antitumor properties. We also synthesize analogs of these molecules to probe their biological mechanisms in an effort to develop a better understanding of the mode of action of these compounds.

 

Photosensitive azobenzene crown ethers

jimenez03We are also investigating the synthesis and properties of photosensitive azobenzene crown ethers. The (Z) isomer of these crown ethers should bind alkali metal ions, whereas the (E) isomer, which lacks a cavity, will be unable to do so. The conversion of a crown ether "molecular switch" between binding and nonbinding conformations may have important applications in transport processes.

 

Publications

"Synthesis of 1H-2,3-Dihydropyrrolizine Derivatives as Precursors of Bifunctional Alkylating Agents" Rajaraman, Shanthi; Jimenez, Leslie S., Tetrahedron, in press.

"Identification of a Dantrolene-binding Sequence on the Skeletal Muscle Ryanodine Receptor" Paul-Pleter, Kalanethee; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Bhat, Manjunatha B.; Ma, Jianjie; Ikemoto, Noriaki; Jimenez, Leslie S.; Morimoto, Hiromi; Williams, Philip G.; Parness, Jerome J. Biol. Chem. 2002, 277, 34918-34923.

"The Skeletal Muscle Ryanidine Receptor Identifiec as a Molecular Target of [3H]Azidodantrolene by Photoaffinity Labeling" Paul-Pletzer, Kalanethee; Palnitkar, Sanjay S.; Jimenez, Leslie S.; Morimoto, Hiromi; Parness, Jerome Biochemistry, 2001, 40, 531-542.

"A Camphor-Derived Vinylsulfonium Salt as a Reagent for a Cycloannulation" Kim, Kyung-hee; Jimenez, Leslie S. Tetrahedron:Asymmetry, 2001, 12, 999-1005.

"Synthesis of the FR900482 tetracyclic ring system by oxidation of a 2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]indole derivative" W. Zhang, C. Wang, and L. S. Jimenez, Synth. Commun. 2000, 30, 351-366.

"Synthesis of a Fully-Functionalized 7-Methoxyaziridinomitosene", Dong, Weitong; Jimenez, Leslie S. J. Org. Chem. 1999, 64, 2520-2523.

"[3H]Azidodantrolene: Synthesis and Use in Identification of a Putative Skeletal Muscle Dantrolene Receptor", Palnitkar, Sanjay S.; Bin Bin; Jimenez, Leslie S.; Morimoto, Hiromi; Williams, Philip G.; Paul-Pletzer, Kalanethee; Parness, Jerome J. Med. Chem. 1999, 42, 1872-1880.

"Reactivity and Rearrangements of Dialkylvinylsulfonium Salts with Indole-2- and Pyrrole-2-carboxaldehydes", Wang, Yufeng; Zhang, Weihong; Colandrea, Vince, Jimenez, Leslie S., Tetrahedron 1999, 55, 10659-10672.

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