Importance

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Abstract

Onium salts of taxo-diterpenoid-C.sup.n,2-O-aza-arenes form water soluble self-assembling nanostructures above a critical aggregation concentration. The onium salt of aza-arene includes a delocalized charge which renders derivatized taxo-diterpenoids amphoteric, enhances their solubility in water, and promotes self-assembly of water soluble nanostructures, e.g., helical fibular structures and spherical micellular structures. These same onium salts of taxo-diterpenoid-C.sup.n,2-O-aza-arenes are employed as water soluble prodrugs. For example, taxol-2'-methylpyridinium tosylate (MPT) is characterized by an elevated aqueous solubility, rapid activation by serum protein, good stability in most other aqueous solutions, formation of a protein:taxol intermediate and good retention within the circulatory system. The toxicity of the activated form is comparable or greater than underivatized taxol. Furthermore, taxol-2'-MPT can be synthesized by a simple one step reaction between taxol and 2-fluoro-1-MPT. The invention is applicable to taxol and taxol memetics having hydroxyls that are reactive with onium salts of 2-halogenated-aza-arenes. For example, taxol, C-2 substituted taxol and Taxotere each have reactive hydroxyls at the 2' and 7 positions. The invention is also applicable to a wide array of 2-halogenated-aza-arenes.

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First Claim