A small bifunctional chelator that modulates Aβ42 aggregation

Abstract

Multifunctional compounds that can modulate amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and interact with metal ions hold considerable promise as therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction, a novel bifunctional chelator 2-(1-(4-(dimethylamino)benzyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)phenol (L1) was synthesized. L1 contains a bidentate metal-binding unit and a pendant dimethylamino moiety. The product was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS. The metal-binding properties of L1 were probed by UV-vis spectroscopy to determine Cu:L stoichiometry. L1 was determined to limit Aβ aggregation at 48 h via a ThT assay. In addition, L1 complies with Lipinski's rules and calculated logBB values for potential drug likeness and BBB permeability. These results suggest that L1 is a suitable candidate for further study as a multifunctional compound to treat AD.