Total Synthesis,Stereochemical Reassignment,and Biological Evaluation of (−)‐Lyngbyaloside B

(−)‐Lyngbyaloside B is a 14‐membered macrolide glycoside isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. as a cytotoxic substance by Moore and co‐workers. The first total synthesis of (−)‐lyngbyaloside B and the reassignment of its stereostructure is described. The synthesis features an Abiko–Masamune aldol reaction, a vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction, and a macrocyclization involving an acyl ketene intermediate for the construction of the macrocyclic backbone, which contains an acylated tertiary alcohol. The antiproliferative activity of selected compounds against a small panel of human cancer cell lines is also reported.     

Total Synthesis of Astellatol

A nearly‐30‐year‐old unanswered synthetic puzzle, astellatol, has been solved in an enantiospecific manner. The highly congested pentacyclic skeleton of this rare sesterterpenoid, which possesses a unique bicyclo[4.1.1]octane motif, ten stereocenters, a cyclobutane that contains two quaternary centers, an exo‐methylene group, and a sterically encumbered isopropyl trans‐hydrindane motif, makes astellatol arguably one of the most challenging targets for sesterterpenoid synthesis. An intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction was exploited to construct the right‐hand side scaffold of this sesterterpenoid. An unprecedented reductive radical 1,6‐addition, mediated by SmI₂, forged the cyclobutane motif. Last, a strategic oxidation/reduction step provided not only the decisive solution for the remarkably challenging late‐stage transformations, but also a highly valuable unravelling of the notorious issue of trans‐hydrindane synthesis. Importantly, the synthesis of astellatol showcases a rapid, scalable strategy to access diverse complex isopropyl trans‐hydrindane sesterterpenoids.     

Omaezallene from Red Alga Laurencia sp.: Structure Elucidation,Total Synthesis,and Antifouling Activity

Natural antifouling products have been the subject of considerable attention. We screened marine algae for antifouling activity and discovered omaezallenes, the new bromoallene‐containing natural products isolated from the red alga Laurencia sp. Described is the isolation, structure elucidation, and total syntheses of omaezallenes. The relative and absolute configurations of natural omaezallenes were unambiguously established through total synthesis. The antifouling activities and ecotoxicity of omaezallenes were also evaluated.     

Convergent Total Syntheses of (−)‐Rubriflordilactone B and (−)‐pseudo‐Rubriflordilactone B

A highly convergent strategy for the synthesis of the natural product (?)‐rubriflordilactone B, and the proposed structure of (?)‐pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B, is described. Late stage coupling of diynes containing the respective natural product FG rings with a common AB ring aldehyde precedes rhodium‐catalyzed [2+2+2] alkyne cyclotrimerization to form the natural product skeleton, with the syntheses completed in just one further operation. This work resolves the uncertainty surrounding the identity of pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B and provides a robust platform for further synthetic and biological investigations.     

Dehydromicrosclerodermin B and Microsclerodermin J: Total Synthesis and Structural Revision

The total synthesis of dehydromicrosclerodermin B and microsclerodermin J is described. Efficient approaches to the unusual amino acids in the target molecules were developed on the basis of a Negishi coupling (for Trp‐2‐CO₂H) and Blaise reaction (for Pyrr). An incorrect assignment of the pyrrolidinone stereochemistry of both compounds was confirmed by synthesizing epimers of the proposed structures. The spectroscopic data of these epimers were in complete agreement with those for the naturally derived material.     

Total Syntheses of Cystobactamids and Structural Confirmation of Cystobactamid 919‐2

The cystobactamids are a family of antibacterial natural products with unprecedented chemical scaffolds that are active against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative pathogens. Herein, we describe the first total synthesis of cystobactamid 919‐2 from three fragments. Our convergent synthesis enabled both the confirmation of the correct structure and the determination of the absolute configuration of cystobactamid 919‐2.