Structure–activity relationship studies of atpenin A5 analogs with chemical modification of the side chain moiety

We designed and synthesized new atpenin A5 analogs for SAR study. Most of the analogs lacked one or several functional groups in the side chain of atpenin A5, and the stereoisomers proved to be weak nematode complex II inhibitors. However, we determined that 4-epi-atpenin A5 was a potent nematode complex II inhibitor comparable to atpenin A5. Therefore, 4-epi-atpenin A5 is expected to become a new lead compound in nematicide development.     

An efficient stereocontrolled synthesis of (−)-10-epi-5β,11-dihydroxyeudesmane and (−)-4,10-epi-5β,11-dihydroxyeudesmane

A concise and efficient synthesis of (−)-10-epi-5β,11-dihydroxyeudesmane 1 and (−)-4,10-epi-5β,11-dihydroxyeudesmane 2, via (−)-10-epi-γ-eudesmol 5, was accomplished starting from (+)-dihydrocarvone. The salient feature of our synthesis is the utilization of substrate-directable epoxidation and homogeneous hydrogenation to control the stereochemistry at the C-4 and C-5 positions of the title compounds.     

Protecting-group-free total synthesis of 4-epi-phomonol

A concise first total synthesis of 4-epi-phomonol has been accomplished in 6 steps and 33% overall yield from (R)-1,2-epoxypentane. The key features of the synthesis include an application of protecting-group-free strategy, a prins cyclization to install the tetrahydropyran ring, and a substrate-controlled dihydroxylation to fix the stereocenters at the C3 and C4 positions.     

A concise enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-epi-muricatacin,using asymmetric hydrogenation/intramolecular iodoetherification as key steps

A concise enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-epi-muricatacin, a potent cytotoxic agent, is described. A key feature of this protocol is a catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation and a chiral auxiliary mediated intramolecular iodoetherification to ensure a high degree of distereo- and enantiocontrol.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-gabosine C and (+)-4-epi-gabosine J using acetate migration and RCM reaction

A concise, unified and stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-gabosine C and (+)-4-epi-gabosine J from a common polyhydroxylated cyclohexenol intermediate which was synthesized from readily available D-ribose has been described. The synthetic avenue includes stereoselective Grignard reaction, silyl ether deprotection followed by acetate migration, RCM reaction, oxidative diol cleavage, hydroxymethylation and oxidative rearrangement as key steps.     

Synthesis of dysiherbaine analogue

Synthesis of dysiherbaine analogue 4, which corresponds to 8,9-epi-neodysiherbaine A, is described. The synthesis features a concise route to the bicyclic ether skeleton through stereoselective C-glycosylation to set the C₆ stereocenter and 5-exo ring-closure to form the tetrahydrofuran ring. The results of preliminary biological studies of 4 are also provided.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of 5′-epi-paecilomycin-F

The asymmetric total synthesis of one of the stereoisomers of the naturally occurring 14-membered ring macrolide paecilomycin-F (5′-epi) has been reported in this article. The main highlight of the synthetic strategy involves the successful application of a ring closing metathesis (RCM) reaction at a late stage. Asymmetric Keck allylation, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, and Mitsunobu esterification have also been used successfully for the total synthesis of 5′-epi-paecilomycin-F.     

A concise approach to (+)-1-epi-castanospermine

A concise enantioselective synthesis of (+)-1-epi-castanospermine (2) is described, which featured the use of chiral non-racemic tetramic acid derivative 5 as a synthetic equivalent of the challenging synthon A through a highly diastereoselective vinylogous Mukaiyama type reaction.     

Synthetic studies towards zetekitoxin AB: preparation of 4,5-epi-11-hydroxy-saxitoxinol

A concise synthesis of 4,5-epi-11-hydroxy-saxitoxinol utilizing d-ribose to direct an asymmetric Mannich reaction. This approach allows many modes of reactivity, which can be used to access various analogs of saxitoxin.     

Synthesis of polyhydroxylated pyrrolizidine and indolizidine compounds and their glycosidase inhibitory activities

The synthesis of the natural product 3-epi-casuarine and two tricyclic ether bridged analogues, plus 7-deoxy-3,6-diepi-casuarine, 7-epi-australine, 1-epi-castanospermine and 1,6-diepi-castanospermine is described. The glycosidase inhibitory activities of these compounds, along with that of uniflorine A and other polyhydroxylated pyrrolizidines and indolizidines that we have published before, are reported.     

Inverse stereoselectivity in the nucleophilic attack on five-membered ring oxocarbenium ions. Application to the total synthesis of 7-epi-(+)-goniofufurone

A highly stereoselective nucleophilic substitution at the anomeric position of 1,2-O-isopropylidene furanose derivatives was employed for the synthesis of 7-epi-(+)-goniofufurone and two of its stereoisomers. According to Woerpel's model, the stereoselectivity depends essentially on stereoelectronic factors that lead to a preferred nucleophilic attack on the inside face of the five-membered ring oxocarbenium ion in a folded conformation, whereby the stereochemical outcome generally is controlled by the substituent at the C3 position (OR group). Herein, we developed a strategy for a reverse stereoselective nucleophilic substitution, by placing an acetyl group at the C5 position of the xylofuranose ring, leading now to the nucleophilic approach on the outside face of the respective oxocarbenium ion. With this methodology, starting from diacetone-d-glucose derivative, we were able to achieve in seven steps the total synthesis of the powerful anti-tumor compound 7-epi-(+)-goniofufurone in a remarkable overall yield of 33%.     

Total synthesis of (−)-jaspine B and its 4-epi-analogue from d-xylose

The total synthesis of the HCl salts of (−)-jaspine B ent-1 and its 4-epi-congener ent-4 was accomplished starting from the common template 13 derived from d-xylose. The cornerstone of our synthesis was [3,3]-heterosigmatropic rearrangements, which effectively provided scaffolds with a chiral amino group. A subsequent Wittig olefination installed a C₁₄ alkyl side chain and acid-mediated ring-closing reaction established the tetrahydrofuran core.     

An intramolecular conjugate addition of γ-trichloroacetimidoyloxy-α,β-unsaturated esters: a very concise route to daunosamine, acosamine, ristosamine and 3-epi-daunosamine precursors

A new and very concise strategy has been formulated for the synthesis of 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxyhexoses, daunosamine, acosamine, ristosamine and 3-epi-daunosamine, via cis- and trans-oxazoline intermediates assembled by a novel intramolecular conjugate addition of γ-trichloroacetimidoyloxy-α,β-unsaturated esters in an acyclic system.     

[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement approach to iminosugar C-glycosides: 5-epi-ethylfagomine, 2-epi-5-deoxyadenophorine and formal synthesis of indolizidine 167B and 209D

A new strategy for the synthesis of 1,2-dideoxy iminosugar C-glycosides and indolizidines involving highly stereoselective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement from Garner aldehyde has been developed. This rearrangement yielded an optically pure, highly functionalized key intermediate, which has been further utilized for the synthesis of 5-epi-ethylfagomine, 2-epi-5-deoxyadenophorine, and 5-hydroxymethyl indolizidine.     

An asymmetric approach to 5-O-carbamoyl-2-epi-polyoxamic acid and the total synthesis of 2′′-epi-polyoxin J

A stereospecific synthetic approach to 5-O-carbamoyl-2-epi-polyoxamic acid has been developed. The asymmetric nucleophilic addition of 2-lithiofuran to a tert-butanesulfinyl imine was employed as the key step to construct the C-2 stereocenter and 2′′-epi-polyoxin J has been synthesized for the first time. Significantly, the synthesis provides a facile method for the large scale and stereoselective preparation of 5-O-carbamoyl-2-epi-polyoxamic acid and some related diastereoisomers of polyoxins and its analogues because of its simple operation, excellent yield, and high stereoselectivity. This will be convenient for research of the polyoxins’ structure–activity relationship and to search for more potent and effective anticandidal agents.     

5-epi-Sinuleptolide from Soft Corals of the Genus Sinularia Exerts Cytotoxic Effects on Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines via the Inhibition of JAK2/STAT3, AKT,and ERK Activity

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal malignancies: more than half of patients are diagnosed with a metastatic disease, which is associated with a five-year survival rate of only 3%. 5-epi-Sinuleptolide, a norditerpene isolated from Sinularia sp., has been demonstrated to possess cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. However, the cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cells and the related mechanisms are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-pancreatic cancer potential of 5-epi-sinuleptolide and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The inhibitory effects of 5-epi-sinuleptolide treatment on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells were determined and the results showed that 5-epi-sinuleptolide treatment inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest, and suppressed the invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. The results of western blotting further revealed that 5-epi-sinuleptolide could inhibit JAK2/STAT3, AKT, and ERK phosphorylation, which may account for the diverse cytotoxic effects of 5-epi-sinuleptolide. Taken together, our present investigation unveils a new therapeutic and anti-metastatic potential of 5-epi-sinuleptolide for pancreatic cancer treatment.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide and (+)-3-epi-cardiobutanolide from diacetone d-glucose

A chiron approach starting with 3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-xylo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanose utilizing a Grignard reaction, Mitsunobu stereoinversion, ethyl diazoacetate addition, and selective reduction of the ketone is employed as a key step for the total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide described; a similar strategy is also reported for the first total synthesis of (+)-3-epi-cardiobutanolide.     

Enantioselective Total Syntheses of (−)-20-epi-Vincamine and (−)-20-epi-Eburnamonine by Ir-Catalyzed Asymmetric Imine Hydrogenation/Lactamization Cascade

The Eburnamine-Vincamine alkaloids have been studied intensively over the past six decades for their outstandingly potent vasorelaxation activity. Stereocontrolled assembly of the C20/C21 adjacent chiral centers has been a formidable challenge in the synthesis of this family. Herein, we report a concise stereoselective total synthesis of two trans-ring-fused non-natural analogues, (−)-20-epi-Vincamine and (−)-20-epi-Eburnamonine, that features the following key steps: a) a continuous-flow oxidation/lactam alcoholysis cascade producing the symmetrical dihydro-β-carboline diester precursors, and b) a highly stereoselective Ir/f-Binaphane-catalyzed hydrogenation/lactamization cascade leading to the privileged trans-(20R, 21S) lactam ester scaffold with high-level enantio- and diastereocontrol.     

Intramolecular conjugate addition of γ- and δ-trichloroacetimidoyloxy-α,β-unsaturated esters in an acyclic system

An intramolecular conjugate addition of γ- and δ-trichloroacetimidoyloxy-α,β-unsaturated esters, a new way to construct 1,2-amino or 1,3-amino alcohol moieties in an acyclic system, is described. Very concise synthesis of d-vancosamine and 3-epi-d-vancosamine derivatives was also achieved utilizing this methodology.     

A divergent approach for the synthesis of some polyhydroxy pyrrolidines and piperidines from ribosylamine

A simple and efficient synthesis of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-ribitol, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-l-lyxitol, N-benzyl derivative of d-ribitol, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-piperidine, l-4-epi-isofagomine and d-3-epi-isofagomine, which are glycosidase inhibitors has been described from the commercially available d-ribose as a starting material.