Research Interests
The main interests of our research group include the areas of total syntheses, synthetic methodologies, and medicinal chemistry. For the past several years we have been involved in the total synthesis of compounds possessing the lavendamycin skeleton. We have developed efficient and short methods for the synthesis of these derivatives.
These analogs are potent anticancer agents and show high toxicity toward tumor cells compared to normal cells. The in-vitro and in-vivo screening tests of our synthetic compounds are done by our research collaborators at Parke-Davis, Duke University and the National Cancer Institute. Through the synthesis and structure- activity relationship studies, our aim is to design and synthesize compounds which may be potentially useful drugs for the treatment of human cancers. Another one of our research areas related to the above is the synthesis of b-Carbolines and tetrahydro- b-Carbolines. These compounds are well-known neurochemicals with interesting physiological activities.
PublicationsReview: "Diels-Alder Reactions of 1- Azadienes," M. Behforouz and M. Ahmadian,
Tetrahedron,
2000,
56, 5259.
"Methyl 2- Amino- 3- (3- indolyl) butanoate," M. Behforouz, R. J. Morris, J. C. Huffman and J. C. Bolinger,
Acta Cryst., accepted for publication.
"A Comprehensive Investigation of Variation in Melting Ranges and NMR Data of 2,4-DNP Derivative," M. Behforouz, S. F. Tayyari, J. L. Speakman, M. B. Arnold and W. Cai,
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2,
1998, 2195.
"Chemistry of Quinolin- 5,8- Diones, " M. Behforouz, J. Haddad, W. Cai, and Z. Gu,
J. Org. Chem. 1998,
63, 343.
"Diels-Alder Condensations of Silyloxy 1- Azadienes," M. Behforouz, Z. Gu, L. S. Stelzer, M. Ahmadian, M. A. Horn, J. Haddad, and J. A. Scherschel,
Tetrahedron Lett.,
1997,
38, 2211.
"Highly Efficient and Practical Syntheses of Lavendamycin Methyl Ester and Related Quinolinediones," M. Behforouz, J. Haddad, W. Cai, M. A. Arnold, F. Mohammadi, A. C. Sousa and M. A. Horn,
J. Org. Chem.,
1996,
61, 6552.
Patents"Synthesis and antitumor Studies of 7- Amino- 2- methylquinoline- 5,8- dione and its Analogs," M. Behforouz and D. C. Williams (Eli Lilly) Patent Disclosure of Inventors, Approved by BSU, Nov. 17, 1995.
"Quilonline- 5,8- Diones and Methods of Making and Using Them," M. Behforouz and R. L. Merriman, U. S. Patent 5, 712, 289, Jan. 27, 1998, assigned to Ball State University.
"Methods of Using Lavendamycin Analogs," M. Behforouz and R. L. Merriman, U. S. Patent 5, 646, 150, July 8, 1997, assigned to Ball State University.
"Lavendamycin Analogs and Methods of Making and Using Them," M. Behforouz and R. L. Merriman (Eli Lilly), U. S. Patent No. 5, 525.611, June 11, 1996, assigned to Ball State University.
"Lavendamycin Analogs, Quinoline- 5,8- diones and Methods of Using Them," M. Behforouz and N. C. Behforouz, U. S. Patent 6, 030, 983, Feb. 2, 2000 assigned to Ball State University.