Substrate‐Controlled Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Microcladallenes A,B, and C Based on the Proposed Structures

Substrate‐controlled asymmetric total syntheses of (+)‐microcladallenes A, B, and C have been accomplished based on the proposed structures. The syntheses of microcladallenes A and B confirmed the structures and absolute configurations of both natural products. However, the synthesis of microcladallene C, which includes seven stereogenic centers and an (R)‐bromoallene in its compact C₁₅ framework, brought the realization that its proposed structure must be revised. The introduction of C12‐bromine into these natural products with retention of configuration relied on TiBr₄‐mediated nucleophile‐assisting leaving group brominations, the stereochemical outcome of which could be attributed, at least in part, to an oxonium or halonium ion formation–fragmentation sequence through intricate neighboring group participation. In addition, the pivotal β‐oriented vicinal cis‐dichloride function in microcladallene C was elaborated through a novel tandem Cl₂‐induced electrophilic cyclization/imidate chlorination process. The positive rotations of these natural products with an (R)‐bromoallene constitute exceptions to Lowe’s rule for reasons yet to be determined.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Axinellamines A and B

Axinellamines A and B are broad‐spectrum antibacterial pyrrole–imidazole alkaloids that have a complex polycyclic skeleton. A new asymmetric synthesis of these marine sponge metabolites is described herein, featuring an oxidative rearrangement and an anchimeric chlorination reaction.     

Asymmetric Total Syntheses,Stereostructures, and Cytotoxicities of Marine Bromotriterpenoids Aplysiol B (Laurenmariannol) and Saiyacenol A

There are marine cytotoxic bromotriterpenoids, named the thyrsiferol family that are structurally characterized by some tetrahydropyran (THP) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) rings. The thyrsiferol family belongs to natural products that are often difficult to determine their stereostructures even by the current, highly advanced spectroscopic methods, especially in acyclic systems including stereogenic tetrasubstituted carbon centers. In such cases, it is effective to predict and synthesize the possible stereostructures. Herein, to elucidate ambiguous stereostructures and unassigned absolute configurations of aplysiol B, laurenmariannol, and saiyacenol A, members of the thyrsiferol family, we carried out their asymmetric chemical syntheses featuring 6-exo and 5-exo oxacyclizations of epoxy alcohol precursors and 6-endo bromoetherification of a bishomoallylic alcohol. In this paper, we report total assignments of their stereostructures through their asymmetric chemical syntheses and also their preliminary cytotoxic activities against some tumor cells. These results could not have been achieved without depending on asymmetric total synthesis.     

Efficient Synthesis of Cryptophycin‐52 and Novel para‐Alkoxymethyl Unit A Analogues

Cryptophycins are a family of highly cytotoxic, cyclic depsipeptides. They display antitumour activity that is largely maintained for multi‐drug‐resistant tumour cells. Cryptophycins are composed of four building blocks (units A–D) that correspond to the respective amino and hydroxy acids. A new synthetic route to unit A allows the selective generation of all four stereogenic centres in a short, efficient and reliable synthesis and contributes to an easier and faster synthesis of cryptophycins. The first two stereogenic centres are introduced by a catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation, whereas the remaining two stereogenic centres are introduced with substrate control of diastereoselectivity. The stereogenic diol function also serves as the epoxide precursor. The approach was used to synthesise the native unit A building block as well as three para‐alkoxymethyl analogues from which cryptophycin‐52 and three analogous cryptophycins were prepared. Macrocyclisation of the seco‐depsipeptides was based on ring‐closing metathesis.     

The chemistry of the polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols

With their fascinating biological profiles and stunningly complex molecular architectures, the polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) have long provided a fertile playing field for synthetic organic chemists. In particular, the recent advent of innovative synthetic methods and strategies together with C-C bond-forming reactions and asymmetric catalysis have revitalized this field tremendously. Consequently, PPAP targets which once seemed beyond reach have now been synthesized. This Review aims to highlight the recent achievements in the total synthesis of PPAPs, as well as notable methods developed for the construction of the bicyclo[3.3.1] core of these chemically and biologically intriguing molecules.     

Structure Elucidation and Activity of Kolossin A,the D‐/L‐Pentadecapeptide Product of a Giant Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase

The largest continuous bacterial nonribosomal peptide synthetase discovered so far is described. It consists of 15 consecutive modules arising from an uninterrupted, fully functional gene in the entomopathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens. The identification of its cryptic biosynthesis product was achieved by using a combination of genome analysis, promoter exchange, isotopic labeling experiments, and total synthesis of a focused collection of peptide candidates. Although it belongs to the growing class of D ‐/ L ‐peptide natural products, the encoded metabolite kolossin A was found to be largely devoid of antibiotic activity and is likely involved in interspecies communication. A stereoisomer of this peculiar natural product displayed high activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, a recalcitrant parasite that causes the deadly disease African sleeping sickness.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Oxazolomycins B and C

Efforts towards the first total synthesis of (−)-oxazolomycin B and (+)-oxazolomycin C from the intermediate of our previous synthesis of (+)-neoxazolomycin are reported. The syntheses were achieved in a longest linear sequence of 25 steps from the amino acid serine in 3.6 and 2.7 % overall yields, respectively. The efficiency of our approach is derived from silyl triflate-mediated reductive oxazolidine ring-opening and Fürstner's Ru-catalyzed hydrosilylation and protodesilylation reactions. The obtained spectra and optical rotations were in good agreement with those of natural products, thus confirming the structures.     

Total Syntheses of Sesterterpenoid Ansellones A and B,and Phorbadione

Ansellane‐type sesterterpenoids including, ansellones A‐G and (+)‐phorbadione are structurally novel marine secondary metabolites which exhibit anticancer and anti‐HIV activity. The first, asymmetric total syntheses of three structurally representative members, (−)‐ansellones A and B and (+)‐phorbadione, were accomplished in 16–23 steps from (+)‐sclareolide. The route features the first regioselective cyclization of vinyl epoxides with internal alcohol nucleophiles in a 1,4‐addition manner (S_N2′). Additionally, the allylic C−H oxidation was exploited at a late stage of the synthesis of (−)‐ansellone A and (+)‐phorbadione. This strategy is expected to be applicable to the synthesis of other ansellane sesterterpenoids.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Exiguolide

The catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of (−)-exiguolide, a complex 20-membered macrolide embedded with a bis(tetrahydropyran) motif, is reported. The convergent synthesis involves the construction of the C1–C11 tetrahydropyran segment via catalytic asymmetric allylation and Prins cyclization, and the formation of the C12–C21 phosphonate segment via catalytic asymmetric cyclocondensation reaction and Johnson–Claisen rearrangement. The synthesis of 15-epi-exiguolide is also described.