A complete gene cluster from Streptomyces nanchangensis NS3226 encoding biosynthesis of the polyether ionophore nanchangmycin

The PKS genes for biosynthesis of the polyether nanchangmycin are organized to encode two sets of proteins (six and seven ORFs, respectively), but are separated by independent ORFs that encode an epimerase, epoxidase, and epoxide hydrolase, and, notably, an independent ACP. One of the PKS modules lacks a corresponding ACP. We propose that the process of oxidative cyclization to form the polyether structure occurs when the polyketide chain is still anchored on the independent ACP before release. 4-O-methyl-L-rhodinose biosynthesis and its transglycosylation involve four putative genes, and regulation of nanchangmycin biosynthesis seems to involve activation as well as repression. In-frame deletion of a KR6 domain generated the nanchangmycin aglycone with loss of 4-O-methyl-L-rhodinose and antibacterial activity, in agreement with the assignments of the PKS domains catalyzing specific biosynthetic steps.     

Divergent synthesis of the tetracyclic ethers of 6-X-7-6 ring systems

Ladder-shaped polyether natural products show diverse biological activities with extreme potency. As the initial phase of detailed SAR studies of bioactive polyethers, we set out to construct structurally simple mimics. This paper details the divergent synthesis of 6-X-7-6 tetracycles (X=7, 8, or 9) starting from a simple 6-membered ether. Key reactions in the synthesis include (i) the direct formation of an O,S-acetal by the coupling of an alcohol with an α-chlorosulfide, (ii) the construction of a 7-membered ring by radical cyclization, and (iii) cyclization to the 7, 8 or 9-membered ring via a ring-closing metathesis reaction. The neutral reaction conditions of our strategy enable the synthesis of a wide variety of substrates. The results of this study can be applied for the rapid construction of artificial polyether compounds with diversified molecular shapes and sizes.     

Oxidatively generated electrophiles as initiators of epoxide cascade cyclization processes

Oxidatively generated oxocarbenium ions are shown to be effective promoters of polyepoxide cascade cyclization reactions to form polyether compounds. The reaction conditions are neutral, ensuring that background acid-mediated processes are not operative and that other acid-sensitive functional groups, such as acetals, can be incorporated into cyclization substrates. While 5-exo pathways are more common that 6-endo pathways, a rational design has been employed to access tetrahydropyranyl ethers.     

Critical Switching of Cyclization Modes of Polyepoxides in Acidic Aqueous Media and Neutral Water: Synthesis and Revised Structure of a Nerolidol‐Type Sesquiterpenoid

Biomimetic epoxide‐opening cascades of polyepoxides enable the efficient and rapid construction of polyether frameworks. Herein, we show that the epoxide‐opening cascade cyclization that affords tetrahydrofuran products in acidic aqueous media produces tetrahydropyran (THP) in neutral water. THP formation proceeded by simply heating polyepoxides in neutral water and followed a different cyclization mode from those observed so far. The novel cascade cyclization in H₂O was applied to the synthesis of a new nerolidol‐type sesquiterpenoid, resulting in revision of the proposed structure and determination of the absolute configuration.     

Bis- and tetracalix[4]arenes in the partial cone conformation: synthesis, structure and RCM reactions

The synthesis, structure and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reactions of polyether bridged biscalix[4]arenes 6 in the partial cone conformation with upper rim allyl substituents are reported. The RCM reaction modes depend on the length of polyether chain. Diethylene glycolic chain produced the dimer 7a and linear oligomer 7a′ with multi-cavities, whereas triethylene and tetraethylene glycolic chains allowed direct cyclization through intramolecular head-to-tail pattern to yield novel bridged biscalix[4]arenes 7b-c.     

Gambieroxide,a novel epoxy polyether compound from the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus GTP2 strain

A novel epoxy polyether compound named gambieroxide was isolated from the benthic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus (GTP2 strain) collected at Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia and its structure comprising of a ladder-frame polyether with twelve contiguous trans-fused ether rings (6/7/6/6/6/7/6/8/6/6/6/6), a sulfate ester group, an epoxide, and two olefines in side chains was elucidated by detailed NMR and MS analysis. It is interesting that the structure strikingly resembles yessotoxin, one of lipophilic toxins in shellfish originating from the dinoflagellate Protoceratium reticulatum.     

端噁唑啉聚醚对环氧树脂的固化与增韧作用的研究

用IR、DSC等分析方法研究了端2-噁唑啉聚环氧丙烷(活性聚醚)与环氧树脂的固化反应,对固化机理作了讨论。并考察了不同分子量活性聚醚对环氧树脂的增韧作用。结果表明,此活性聚醚对环氧树脂增韧效果明显,固化树脂综合性能较好。     

Total synthesis of (-)-gambierol

The first total synthesis of (-)-gambierol (1), a marine polycyclic ether toxin, has been achieved. Key features of the successful synthesis include (1) a convergent union of the ABC and EFGH ring fragments (5 and 6, respectively) via our developed B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling strategy leading to the octacyclic polyether core 4 and (2) a late-stage introduction of the sensitive triene side chain by use of Pd(PPh(3))(4)/CuCl/LiCl-promoted Stille coupling. The ABC ring fragment 5 was synthesized in a linear manner (B --> AB --> ABC), wherein the A ring was formed by intramolecular hetero-Michael reaction and the C ring was constructed via 6-endo cyclization of hydroxy epoxide 7. An improved synthetic entry to the EFGH ring fragment 6 is also described, in which SmI(2)-induced reductive cyclization methodology was applied to the stereoselective construction of the F and H rings, leading to 6 with remarkable overall efficiency. Stereoselective hydroboration of 5 and subsequent Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with 6 provided endocyclic enol ether 45 in high yield, which was then converted to octacyclic polyether core 4. Careful choice of the global deprotection stage was a key element for the successful total synthesis. Functionalization of the H ring and global desilylation gave (Z)-vinyl bromide 2. Finally, cross-coupling of 2 with (Z)-vinyl stannane 3 under Corey's Pd(PPh(3))(4)/CuCl/LiCl-promoted Stille conditions completed the total synthesis of (-)-gambierol (1).     

An Endo-Selective Epoxide-Opening Cascade for the Fast Assembly of the Polycyclic Core Structure of Marine Ladder Polyethers

The rapid synthesis of marine ladder polyethers from polyepoxide precursors (in analogy with the biosynthetic pathway hypothesized by Nakanishi) is hampered by the fact that the exo-selective epoxide-opening cyclization cascade that gives THF-type polyethers is preferred over the endo-selective cascade that gives the desired products. We found that perfluoro-tert-butanol (PFTB) cooperating with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM]BF₄) can promote endo-selective epoxide-opening cyclization reactions of trisubstituted epoxy alcohols. Starting from readily accessible homochiral polyepoxy alcohols with a methyl group at all the endo-cyclization sites, we were able to construct polyethers up to five consecutive fused 6-, 7-, and/or 8-membered rings in one step. Notably, molecules with the 7/7/6/6 and 7/7/6/7/6 polyether frameworks of hemibrevetoxin B and brevenal, respectively, could be synthesized in 40 % and 17 % chemical yields.     

Radical oxidative cyclization of spiroacetals to bis-spiroacetals: an overview

The use of iodobenzene diacetate and iodine under photolytic conditions provides and efficient method for the oxidative cyclization of spiroacetals bearing an hydroxyalkyl side chain to bis-spiroacetals. An overview is provided of the use of this reaction for the synthesis of several bis-spiroacetal containing natural products such as the polyether antibiotics salinomycin and CP44,161 and the shellfish toxins, the spirolides.     

Pnictogen-Bonding Catalysis: An Interactive Tool to Uncover Unorthodox Mechanisms in Polyether Cascade Cyclizations

Pnictogen-bonding catalysis and supramolecular σ-hole catalysis in general is currently being introduced as the non-covalent counterpart of covalent Lewis acid catalysis. With access to anti-Baldwin cyclizations identified as unique characteristic, pnictogen-bonding catalysis appeared promising to elucidate one of the hidden enigmas of brevetoxin-type epoxide opening polyether cascade cyclizations, that is the cyclization of certain trans epoxides into cis-fused rings. In principle, a shift from S_N2- to S_N1-type mechanisms could suffice to rationalize this inversion of configuration. However, the same inversion could be explained by a completely different mechanism: Ring opening with C−C bond cleavage into a branched hydroxy-5-enal and the corresponding cyclic hemiacetal, followed by cascade cyclization under conformational control, including stereoselective C−C bond formation. In this report, a pnictogen-bonding supramolecular Sb^V catalyst is used to demonstrate that this unorthodox polyether cascade cyclization mechanism occurs.     

Synthesis of a bistetrahydrofuran C17-C32 fragment of the polyether antibiotic ionomycin

A Zn-initiated triepoxide cascade cyclization reaction was employed for the synthesis of the bistetrahydrofuran core segment of the polyether ionophore antibiotic ionomycin.     

含有聚醚链段的可溶性聚酰亚胺气体分离膜材料及其性能

将4,4'-六氟亚异丙基-邻苯二甲酸酐(6FDA)和1,3-苯二胺(mPDA)与二端氨基聚醚缩聚, 得到含有聚醚柔性链段的聚酰亚胺气体分离膜材料. 所合成的共聚聚酰亚胺在N-甲基吡咯烷酮(NMP)和四氢呋喃(THF)等有机溶剂中具有良好的溶解性能. 研究了O2, N2, H2, CH4和CO2在聚酰亚胺均质膜中的渗透性能, 考察了二端氨基聚醚的含量、链长和化学结构对气体渗透性能的影响. 结果表明, 聚醚链段的引入增大了气体的扩散系数, 气体的渗透系数显著增大; 聚醚链段与CO2相对较强的相互作用, 增大了对CO2/N2的溶解选择性, CO2/N2的分离性能优于CO2/CH4, 同时CO2比H2优先透过膜.     

Applications of phthalimide photochemistry to macrocyclic polyether, polythioether, and polyamide synthesis.

Irradiation of phthalimides which contain N-linked omega-trimethylsilylmethyl-substituted polyether, polythioether, and polysulfonamide chains results in efficient production of the corresponding macrocyclic polyether, polythioether, and polysulfonamide products. These photocyclization reactions follow sequential single electron transfer (SET)-desilylation pathways. Only in the cases of phthalimides, bearing mixed ether-thioether N-substituents, do these excited-state cyclization reactions proceed with lower degrees of regioselectivity. This is a result of competitive desilylation and alpha-to-sulfur deprotonation reactions of the zwitterionic diradical intermediates formed by initial SET.     

Synthetic entry to the ABCD ring fragment of gymnocin-A, a cytotoxic marine polyether

Synthetic entry to the ABCD ring fragment of gymnocin-A, a cytotoxic marine polyether, has been achieved based on the B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura coupling-based strategy and radical cyclization for the construction of the tetrahydrofuran ring A.     

Evidence for the role of the monB genes in polyether ring formation during monensin biosynthesis

Ionophoric polyethers are produced by the exquisitely stereoselective oxidative cyclization of a linear polyketide, probably via a triepoxide intermediate. We report here that deletion of either or both of the monBI and monBII genes from the monensin biosynthetic gene cluster gave strains that produced, in place of monensins A and B, a mixture of C-3-demethylmonensins and a number of minor components, including C-9-epi-monensin A. All the minor components were efficiently converted into monensins by subsequent acid treatment. These data strongly suggest that epoxide ring opening and concomitant polyether ring formation are catalyzed by the MonB enzymes, rather than by the enzyme MonCII as previously thought. Consistent with this, homology modeling shows that the structure of MonB-type enzymes closely resembles the recently determined structure of limonene-1,2-epoxide hydrolase from Rhodococcus erythropolis.     

Convergent total synthesis of gymnocin-A and evaluation of synthetic analogues

The first total synthesis of gymnocin-A (1), a cytotoxic polycyclic ether isolated from a notorious red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia mikimotoi, has been accomplished. The synthesis relies heavily on the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling-based methodology to assemble the tetradecacyclic polyether skeleton. Convergent union of the GHI (5) and KLMN (6) rings, both of which were prepared from a common intermediate 7, and the subsequent ring closure of the J ring delivered the GHIJKLMN ring. The crucial coupling between the ABCD and FGHIJKLMN ring fragments (3 and 4, respectively) and stereoselective installation of the C17 hydroxyl group, followed by cyclization of the E ring gave rise to the tetradecacyclic polyether skeleton 2. Finally, incorporation of the 2-methyl-2-butenal side chain completed the total synthesis of gymnocin-A. The convergent nature of the synthesis, which employs three fragments of comparable complexity, is well-suited for preparation of various structural analogues of gymnocin-A to explore the structure-activity relationship. The results of preliminary structure-activity relationship studies of several synthetic analogues are also provided.     

异苯橡胶环化反应动力学研究及产物微细结构表征

本文采用红外光谱法研究了前无报导的聚异苯橡胶环化反应动力学,测定了标题反应的动力学参数:反应级数n=1;活化能E_a=53.2kJ·mol^-1;指前因子A=2.24×10⁶min^-1,确立了该反应速率常数k_T与s反应温度T之间的函数关系为:Ln(k_T/min^-1)=14.62-6.40×10³K/T并采用核磁共振法分析了标题反应的产物环化异苯橡胶的微细结构,提出了标题反应的可能机理,并对活化能及指前因子进行了分析讨论。     

Ruthenium(II)-catalyzed cyclization of azabenzonorbornadienes with alkynes

The ruthenium-catalyzed cyclization of azabenzonorbornadienes with alkynes leads to an unanticipated dihydrobenzoindole framework. Depending on the structure of the alkyne and the Ru catalyst, either a dihydrobenzoindole and/or a [2+2] cycloaddition product could be formed. Cp*Ru(COD)Cl was found to be an active catalyst for the cyclization of an azabenzonorbornadiene with a propargylic alcohol to produce the dihydrobenz[g]indole as a single regio and stereoisomer in good yield. For other alkynes, selective formation of the dihydrobenz[g]indole is possible by using a cationic Ru catalyst, [Cp*Ru(CH3CN)3]PF6.     

Insights into polyether biosynthesis from analysis of the nigericin biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces sp. DSM4137

Nigericin was among the first polyether ionophores to be discovered, but its biosynthesis remains obscure. The biosynthetic gene cluster for nigericin has been serendipitously cloned from Streptomyces sp. DSM4137, and deletion of this gene cluster abolished the production of both nigericin and the closely related metabolite abierixin. Detailed comparison of the nigericin biosynthetic genes with their counterparts in the biosynthetic clusters for other polyketides has prompted a significant revision of the proposed common pathway for polyether biosynthesis. In particular, we present evidence that in nigericin, nanchangmycin, and monensin, an unusual ketosynthase-like protein, KSX, transfers the initially formed linear polyketide chain to a discrete acyl carrier protein, ACPX, for oxidative cyclization. Consistent with this, deletion of either monACPX or monKSX from the monensin gene cluster effectively abolished monensin A biosynthesis.