Amorphous nickel powder (Ni0) was utilised as a catalyst under mild, aqueous, basic conditions for enhancing the sodium borohydride-mediated reduction of C–N multiplebonds such as oximes, imines, hydrazones and nitriles to produce the corresponding amines in good to excellent yields.
An innovative synthesis of psammaplin-like structure is proposed based on original methodologies using superacid, microwaves, and S-ene chemistry. The new compounds were evaluated as histone deacetylase inhibitors. The results highlight important considerations when using disulfide prodrugs activated under reductive/oxidative conditions that must be carefully selected depending on tumor cell types