Copyright © 1996, 1997, 2001 by Galen Daryl Knight and VitaleTherapeutics, Inc.

PITFALLS IN SYNTHESIZING VITALETHEINE MODULATORS

by Galen D. Knight, Ph. D., President of VitaleTherapeutics, Inc.

This is a draft of a paper designed to clear up some misconceptions about the vitaletheine modulators and their syntheses. Evolution of this paper to its final form will demonstrate the versatility of this approach to scientific publication in which corrections for inaccuracies and new insights can be readily incorporated into the existing framework of the article.

Abstract

The expected controversy over the vitaletheine modulators has finally emerged with some largely unsupported allegations that the exemplary compounds are sulfonates. This is offset to some extent by reports from another group and by a local chemical company that they have succeeded in repeating the synthesis of at least some of the vitaletheine modulators. In addition, evidence confirming the structural assignments has been generated on samples of the authentic compounds by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratories. While these studies confirming the biological activities of these compounds at a major university and at a national cancer center are being readied for publication, salient features of these compounds and their activities will be mentioned in this report to help researchers overcome any difficulties they may have with their production, characterization, and study of these compounds. By necessity, the major focus of this article will be upon the controversial structures for the sulfenate-linked benzyl derivative and vitaletheine V4, but difficulties in synthesizing and characterizing vitalethine also will be addressed. Since it took approximately five years to develop a synthetic protocol that makes vitalethine, including attempts in about 30 different solvent systems, even minor departures from the established protocol must be considered as something other than a serious effort to make the compound. In developing an understanding of the pitfalls for their syntheses and of other inadvertent interconversions and decompositions by these three substances, one can begin to appreciate their full potential for therapeutic intervention and their value in estimating the environmental hazards of biological and chemical agents that interfere with the activities of the vitaletheine modulators. GO TO:
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