Total synthesis of phorboxazole B

An efficient and highly convergent total synthesis of the potent antitumor agent phorboxazole B has been achieved. The synthetic strategy of this synthesis features: 1) a highly efficient substrate-controlled hydrogenation to construct the functionalized cis-tetrahydropyrane unit; 2) iterative crotyl addition to synthesize the segment that contains alternating hydroxyl and methyl substituents; 3) Hg(OAc)2/I2-induced cyclization to establish the cis-tetrahydropyrane moiety; 4) 1,3-asymmetric induction in the Mukaiyama aldol reaction to afford the stereogenic centers at C9 and C3; and 5) the exploration of the Still-Gennari olefination reaction to complete the macrolide ring of phorboxazoloe B.     

Total synthesis of salicylihalamides A and B

The paper illustrates two efficient routes to macrolactone 19 containing a 3-(para-methoxybenzyloxy)propyl side chain at C-15. The chiral center at C-15 was introduced by a Noyori reduction of keto ester 5. The intermediate common to both routes, aldehyde 8, was prepared from keto ester 5. The subsequent chain extension utilized Evans aldol reactions. The first route leads to the alkene 14, which was used, after hydroboration, for a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction with vinyl iodide 15. The derived seco acid 18 was converted into the macrolactone 19 by a Mitsunobu lactonization by using immobilized triphenylphosphine. Alternatively, an aldol reaction of 8 with the 4-pentenoyl derivative 20 was used to prepare alkene 26. This building block led to ester 28, which could also be converted into macrolactone 19 by the classical ring-closing metathesis. After conversion of the C-15 side chain to the corresponding aldehyde, the enamide was introduced through hemiaminal formation and formal elimination of water. Separation of the double-bond isomers and removal of the silyl protecting groups provided salicylihalamides A (E)-1 and B (Z)-1.     

Actin-binding marine macrolides: total synthesis and biological importance

Marine organisms produce a fascinating range of structurally diverse secondary metabolites, which often possess unusual and sometimes unexpected biological activities. This structural diversity makes these marine natural products excellent molecular probes for the investigation of biochemical pathways. Recently, a number of novel and stereochemically complex macrolides, having a large macrolactone (22- to 44-membered) ring, that interact with the actin cycloskeleton have been isolated from different marine sources. Actin, like tubulin, is a major component of the cytoskeleton and has important cellular functions. Although the details of these interactions are still under investigation, these marine macrolides are becoming increasingly important as novel molecular probes to help elucidate the cellular functions of actin. Owing to their potent antitumor activities, these compounds, for example the aplyronines, also have potential for preclinical development in cancer chemotherapy. Their appealing molecular structures, with an abundance of stereochemistry, and biological significance, coupled with the extremely limited availability from the marine sources, have stimulated enormous interest in the synthesis of these compounds. This review summarizes the biological properties of these unusual marine natural products and features the recently completed total syntheses of swinholide A, scytophycin C, aplyronine A, mycalolide A--all of these being potent cytotoxic agents that target actin--and a diastereoisomer of ulapualide A. Rather than detailing each individual step of these multistep total syntheses, the different synthetic strategies, key reactions, and methods adopted for controlling the stereochemistry are compared.     

Total synthesis of potent antifungal marine bisoxazole natural products bengazoles A and B

The bengazoles are a family of marine natural products that display potent antifungal activity and a unique structure, containing two oxazole rings flanking a single carbon atom. Total syntheses of bengazole A and B are described, which contain a sensitive stereogenic centre at this position between the two oxazoles. Additionally, the synthesis of 10-epi-bengazole A is reported. Two parallel synthetic routes were investigated, relying on construction of the 2,4-disubstituted oxazole under mild conditions and a diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Our successful route is high yielding, provides rapid access to single stereoisomers of the complex natural products and allows the synthesis of analogues for biological evaluation.     

Total synthesis of paecilospirone

Neutrality is the best policy: Key features of the first total synthesis of paecilospirone include an anti-selective, lactate-derived aldol reaction, and a double deallylation/spirocyclization conducted at neutral pH to construct the sensitive hydroxy-substituted benzannulated spiroacetal (see scheme; Bn=benzyl, TBS=tert-butyldimethylsilyl, TES=triethylsilyl).     

Total syntheses of the actin-binding macrolides latrunculin A, B, C, M, S and 16-epi-latrunculin B

The latrunculins are highly selective actin-binding marine natural products and as such play an important role as probe molecules for chemical biology. A short, concise and largely catalysis-based approach to this family of bioactive macrolides is presented. Specifically, the macrocyclic skeletons of the targets were forged by ring-closing alkyne metathesis (RCAM) or enyne-yne metathesis of suitable diyne or enyne-yne precursors, respectively. This transformation was best achieved with the aid of [(tBu)(Me(2)C(6)H(3))N](3)Mo (37) as precatalyst activated in situ with CH(2)Cl(2), as previously described. This catalyst system is strictly chemoselective for the triple bond and does not affect the olefinic sites of the substrates. Moreover, the molybdenum-based catalyst turned out to be broader in scope than the Schrock alkylidyne complex [(tBuO)(3)W[triple chemical bond]CCMe(3)] (38), which afforded cycloalkyne 35 in good yield but failed in closely related cases. The required metathesis precursors were assembled in a highly convergent fashion from three building blocks derived from acetoacetate, cysteine, and (+)-citronellene. The key fragment coupling can either be performed via a titanium aldol reaction or, preferentially, by a sequence involving a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination followed by a protonation/cyclization/diastereoselective hydration cascade. Iron-catalyzed C--C-bond formations were used to prepare the basic building blocks in an efficient manner. This synthesis blueprint gave access to latrunculin B (2), its naturally occurring 16-epimer 3, as well as the even more potent actin binder latrunculin A (1) in excellent overall yields. Because of the sensitivity of the 1,3-diene motif of the latter, however, the judicious choice of protecting groups and the proper phasing of their cleavage was decisive for the success of the total synthesis. Since latrunculin A and B had previously been converted into latrunculin S, C and M, respectively, formal total syntheses of these congeners have also been achieved. Finally, a previously unknown acid-catalyzed degradation pathway of these bioactive natural products is described. The cysteine-derived ketone 18, the tetrahydropyranyl segment 31 serving as the common synthesis platform for the preparation of all naturally occurring latrunculins, as well as the somewhat strained cycloalkyne 35 formed by the RCAM reaction en route to 2 were characterized by X-ray crystallography.