ERIC Number: EJ918276
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Benzodiazepine Synthesis and Rapid Toxicity Assay
Fletcher, James T.; Boriraj, Grit
Journal of Chemical Education, v87 n6 p631-633 Jun 2010
A second-year organic chemistry laboratory experiment to introduce students to general concepts of medicinal chemistry is described. Within a single three-hour time window, students experience the synthesis of a biologically active small molecule and the assaying of its biological toxicity. Benzodiazepine rings are commonly found in antidepressant therapeutics, including Valium and Xanax. This experiment involves the one-step synthesis of a 1,5-benzodiazepine derivative via the condensation-cyclization of "ortho"-phenylenediamine with two equivalents of acetone. Following its isolation, the toxicity of the benzodiazepine product is evaluated via a brine shrimp assay, which allows students to rapidly observe differences in biological activity among varying benzodiazepine concentrations. (Contains 1 figure and 1 scheme.)
Descriptors: Organic Chemistry, Laboratory Experiments, College Science, Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Medicine, Drug Use, Biology, Molecular Structure
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A