The absolute configuration of peroxisomicines A1 and A2

Peroxisomicine A1 is a potentially antineoplastic compound isolated from the seeds of Karwinskia parvifolia. It is considered as a useful chemotype for the preparation of topoisomerase II targeted anticancer cells. Stereochemically, it is characterized by the presence of two stereocenters and a rotationally hindered and thus likewise stereogenic biaryl axis. In this contribution, the absolute configuration of peroxisomicine A1 and its epimer, peroxisomicine A2, was established by means of a five-step degradative procedure giving the respective R- and S-configured methyl 2-(2′-methyl-5′-oxotetrahydrofuryl)acetates. The configuration of the degradation product was obtained by means of optical rotation, ¹H NMR analysis using a chiral displacement reagent, and by experimental and quantum chemical circular dichroism (CD) investigations. Based on the results obtained here and considering our previous work on the relative configuration at centers versus axis of these compounds, peroxisomicine A1 resulted to be the P,3S,3′S-isomer and peroxisomicine A2 the P,3R,3′S-isomer.     

A short and efficient synthesis of (R)-(−)-sporochnol A

A short and efficient synthesis of (R)-(−)-sporochnol A in five steps and 9% overall yield has been developed. The sequence uses as starting material the easily available enantiopure monoketal derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedione and (R,R)-hydrobenzoin that serves as a chiral auxiliary.     

A modular synthesis of chiral aminoindanol-derived imidazolium salts

A modular synthesis of N-substituted chiral imidazolium salts derived from (1R,2S)-(+)-1-amino-2-indanol is described. A wide range of amines are amenable to late stage introduction of the N-substituent to provide N-aryl, N-alkyl, and N-amino imidazolium salts, which serve as precursors to chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). A multi-gram synthesis of the N-mesityl derivative provides an important imidazolium salt for ongoing studies aimed at the development and understanding of NHC-catalyzed annulations. Critical to the success of this synthetic strategy is a chemoselective alkylation, 6-exo-tet ring closure of a formamide onto an epoxide, and a heterocyclic interconversion strategy.     

Absolute configurations of griseorhodins A and C

The known antibiotic and cytotoxic compounds griseorhodin A (1) and griseorhodin C (2) were produced in solid culture by Streptomyces puniceus AB10, which was isolated from the leaf-cutter ant Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus. Their absolute configurations were unambiguously established as 6S,6aR,7S,8S and 6R,6aR,7S,8R, respectively, using vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.     

A novel synthesis of organic diselenapolysulfides

A family of organic polychalcogenides with a common structure of RSeS_xSeR (with x=1, 2, 3 and R=CH₃, Ph, PhCH₂, O₂NC₆H₄CH₂) as well as cyclic 5,5-dimethyl-1,2-dithia-3,7-diselenacycloheptane were synthesized in good yield and high purity from the reaction of Ph₃CS_xCl with corresponding diselenides in chloroform at room temperature. Mechanistic aspects of the insertion involving the formation of an intermediate (RSeS_xCPh₃) are discussed.     

A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol

A general strategy for the synthesis of both trans/syn- and trans/anti-sphenolobane diterpenes has been developed, which utilizes an intramolecular ester enolate alkylation (IEEA) as a key step. A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol (1), an unusual trans/syn-sphenolobane diterpene, was accomplished in 18 steps in 4.1% overall yield from readily available aldehyde 16.     

Total Synthesis of Decahydroquinoline Poison Frog Alkaloids ent-cis-195A and cis-211A

The total synthesis of two decahydroquinoline poison frog alkaloids ent-cis-195A and cis-211A were achieved in 16 steps (38% overall yield) and 19 steps (31% overall yield), respectively, starting from known compound 1. Both alkaloids were synthesized from the common key intermediate 11 in a divergent fashion, and the absolute stereochemistry of natural cis-211A was determined to be 2R, 4aR, 5R, 6S, and 8aS. Interestingly, the absolute configuration of the parent decahydroquinoline nuclei of cis-211A was the mirror image of that of cis-195A, although both alkaloids were isolated from the same poison frog species, Oophaga (Dendrobates) pumilio, from Panama.     

Curcumin Inhibits the Sortase A Activity of the Streptococcus mutans UA159

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) forms part of the commensal microflora and is deemed to be the major pathogen responsible for the generation of dental caries. The enzyme, sortase A enzyme, modulates the surface properties and cariogenicity of S. mutans. Curcumin has been reported to be an inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureus sortase A. In this study, inhibition of a purified S. mutans UA159 sortase A by curcumin was evaluated. Curcumin exerted strong inhibitory activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 10.2?±?0.7 μM which was lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration of 175 μM and the minimum bactericidal concentration of 350 μM. These results indicated that curcumin is a S. mutans UA159 sortase A inhibitor and therefore represents as a promising anticaries agent.     

Asymmetric synthesis of passifloricin A: a correction in structure

The structure reported in the literature for the pharmacologically active, natural lactone passifloricin A (δ-lactone of 2Z,5R*S*,7R*,9S*,11S*-tetrahydroxyhexacos-2-enoic acid) is incorrect not only as regards stereochemical issues, but also in the placement of one of the hydroxyl groups of the side chain. By means of an unambiguous synthesis, passifloricin A is shown to be the δ-lactone of 2Z,5R,7S,9S,12S-tetrahydroxyhexacos-2-enoic acid. All of the stereogenic centres were created with the aid of Brown's asymmetric allylation methodology. The lactone ring was made via ring-closing metathesis.     

Isolation of amoenamide A and five antipodal prenylated alkaloids from Aspergillus amoenus NRRL 35600

A new prenylated alkaloid, Amoenamide A (6), was isolated from the fungus Aspergillus amoenus NRRL 35600. Previously, 6 was postulated to be a precursor of Notoamide E4 (21) converted from Notoamide E (16), which was a key precursor of the prenylated indole alkaloids in the fungi of the genus Aspergillus. We previously succeeded in the isolation of two pairs of antipodes, Stephacidin A (1) and Notoamide B (2), from A. amoenus and A. protuberus MF297-2 and expected the presence of other antipodes in the culture of A. amoenus. We here report five new antipodes (7–11) along with a new metabolite (12), which was isolated as a natural compound for the first time, from A. amoenus.     

Alnumycins A2 and A3: new inverse-epimeric pairs stereoisomeric to alnumycin A1

Two new pairs of stereoisomeric alnumycin As, A2 {(2)-(1R,1′RS,4′SR,5′SR)} and A3 {(2)-(1R,1′RS,4′SR,5′RS)}, are described. Similar to alnumycin A1 {(2)-(1R,1′RS,4′RS,5′SR)}, each of these naturally occurring compounds is also a pair of C-1 inverse epimers. The relative configurations of the dioxane ring sidechains were assigned on the basis of ¹H NMR NOE contacts and molecular modeling using density functional theory (DFT) at the M06-2X/6-31G(d) level of theory. The absolute configurations of C-1 and the determination of inverse epimeric relationships were achieved by experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) measurements, with both aspects confirmed by using the chiral derivatizing agent (CDA) Mosher′s acid chloride {α-methoxy-α-trifluorophenylacetyl chloride (MTPACl)} to effect enantiodifferentiation. The absolute configurations of the dioxane ring using the CDA could only be effected in the case of alnumycin A1, the results of which were in agreement with previous assignments. The dioxane ring conformational mobility and the likely interaction between the MTPA groups coupled with the structural novelty of the diols in the dioxane ring with respect to CDA analysis precluded an absolute configuration assignment for alnumycins A2 and A3 based on empirical comparisons or by computational analysis of through-space NMR shieldings (TSNMRS) emanating from the phenyl groups of the MTPA moieties.     

Microbial transformation of (−)-Huperzine A

Five products were yielded from the transformation of (−)-Huperzine A (1) by Streptomyces griseus CACC 200300. Their structures were determined as 16-hydroxyl huperzine A (2), 14α-hydroxyl huperzine A (3), huperzine A 8α,15α-epoxide (4), 13N-formyl huperzine A (5), and 13N-acetyl huperzine A (6) on the basis of their chemical and physical data. It is the first report on the microbial transformation of (−)-Huperzine A and would facilitate further structural modification by chemo-enzymatic method.     

Total synthesis of malayamycin A and analogues

The total synthesis of the bicyclic C-nucleoside malayamycin A is described starting with d-ribonolactone. A new method was developed to obtain preparatively important quantities of β-pseudouridine, which was used as an intermediate. The synthesis of a carba N-nucleoside analogue of malayamycin A is also described.     

Synthetic studies on jadomycins: synthesis of dimethyljadomycin A

Dimethyljadomycin A was synthesized as the first example for the construction of 8H-benzo[b]oxazolo[3,2-f]phenanthridine skeleton.     

Versicolactones A and B: total synthesis and structure revision

To further determine absolute configurations of versicolactones A and B, total synthesis of versicolactones A and B and their six stereoisomers were reported in this Letter. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the synthetic erythro-stereoisomers matched perfectly with those of the natural products. Combined with the comparison of the specific rotations, the absolute configuration of versicolactones A and B were revised as (4Z,6R,7S)- and (4E,6R,7S)- from the corresponding (4Z,6R,7R)- and (4E,6R,7R)-6,7-dihydroxyocta-2,4-dien-4-lactone, respectively.     

A convergent and stereoselective synthesis of a seco-precursor of macrolactin A

A seco-precursor of macrolactin A was synthesized by coupling two advanced segments. Wittig reaction and Horner-Emmons reaction were utilized to construct the three characteristic E,Z and E,E dienes. The C₁-C₁₀ segment was synthesized through Horner-Emmons reaction with phosphonate reagent. The α-alkylation of sulfone stabilized anion with allyl bromide followed by desulfonation gave the C₁₁-C₂₄ segment.     

Formal total synthesis of aspergillides A and B

The formal total synthesis of the cytotoxic 14-membered macrolides, aspergillides A and B is described. A combination of a chiron approach and an asymmetric synthesis is adopted for the synthesis of the target macrolides. The required 2,6-syn and 2,6-anti tetrahydropyrans were constructed via a tandem Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and 6-exo cyclization on δ-hydroxy allylic alcohols, as the key steps. The requisite chiral synthon was prepared from l-ascorbic acid.     

Classification of oxide glasses: A polarizability approach

A classification of binary oxide glasses has been proposed taking into account the values obtained on their refractive index-based oxide ion polarizability α_O2−(n₀), optical basicity Λ(n₀), metallization criterion M(n₀), interaction parameter A(n₀), and ion's effective charges as well as O1s and metal binding energies determined by XPS. Four groups of oxide glasses have been established: glasses formed by two glass-forming acidic oxides; glasses formed by glass-forming acidic oxide and modifier's basic oxide; glasses formed by glass-forming acidic and conditional glass-forming basic oxide; glasses formed by two basic oxides. The role of electronic ion polarizability in chemical bonding of oxide glasses has been also estimated. Good agreement has been found with the previous results concerning classification of simple oxides. The results obtained probably provide good basis for prediction of type of bonding in oxide glasses on the basis of refractive index as well as for prediction of new nonlinear optical materials.     

Ipertrofan Revisited—The Proposal of the Complete Stereochemistry of Mepartricin A and B

Being a methyl ester of partricin, the mepartricin complex is the active substance of a drug called Ipertrofan (Tricandil), which was proven to be useful in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Nevertheless, no direct structural evidence on the stereochemistry of its components has been presented to date. In this contribution, we have conducted detailed, NMR-driven stereochemical studies on mepartricins A and B, aided by molecular dynamics simulations. The absolute configuration of all the stereogenic centers of mepartricin A and B was defined as 3R, 7R, 9R, 11S, 13S, 15R, 17S, 18R, 19S, 21R, 36S, 37R, and 38S, and proposed as 41R. The geometry of the heptaenic chromophore of both compounds has been established as 22E, 24E, 26E, 28Z, 30Z, 32E, and 34E. Our studies on mepartricin ultimately proved that partricins A and B are structurally identical to the previously described main components of the aureofacin complex: gedamycin and vacidin, respectively. The knowledge of the stereochemistry of this drug is a fundamental matter not only in terms of studies on its molecular mode of action, but also for potential derivatization, aiming at improvement of its pharmacological properties.     

Total synthesis of diaportheone A

Diaportheone A (1), a chromone natural product was previously isolated from the endophytic fungi Diaporthe sp. P 133. Its structure was established by spectroscopic methods, however, its absolute configuration remained undefined. This study dealt on the total synthesis of diaportheone A (1) utilizing the cyclization and in situ thermal syn-elimination of a β-ketosulfoxide. The C-1R absolute configuration of the natural product was established by X-ray crystallography of the synthetic diaportheone A (1) (>99%?ee) and comparison with the optical rotation.