Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of p-carborane-based non-secosteroidal vitamin D analogs

1 alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-3 [1 alpha,25(OH)(2)D-3: 1] is a specific modulator of nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR), and novel vitamin D analogs are therapeutic candidates for multiple clinical applications. We recently developed non-secosteroidal VDR agonists bearing a p-carborane cage (a carbon-containing boron cluster) as a hydrophobic core structure. These carborane derivatives are structurally quite different from classical secosteroidal vitamin D analogs. Here, we report systematic synthesis and activity evaluation of carborane-based non-secosteroidal vitamin D analogs. The structure-activity relationships of carborane derivatives are different from those of secosteroidal vitamin D derivatives, and in particular, the length and the substituent position of the dihydroxylated side chain are rather flexible in carborane derivatives. The structure-activity relationships presented here should be helpful in development of non-secosteroidal vitamin D analogs for clinical applications. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.