Biomimetic synthesis of lantibiotics

The lantibiotics are a class of highly posttranslationally modified small peptide antibiotics containing numerous lanthionine and dehydroamino acid residues. We have prepared peptides containing multiple dehydroamino acids and cysteine residues in order to probe the biomimetic synthesis of the lantibiotics from their precursor peptides. A novel synthetic methodology was developed to allow the synthesis of multiple dehydroamino acid containing peptides. Cyclisations were rapid, quantitative and regiospecific. Remarkably the peptide sequences alone appear to contain sufficient information to direct a series of stereo- and regiospecific ring closures. Thus both the two linear peptides for the B and E-rings closed stereoselectively. In the case of the A-ring precursor peptide which contained two dehydroamino acids, cyclisation was again totally regioselective, although not totally stereoselective.     

Biomimetic synthesis of diversifolin

The conversion of a germacranolide structure (tagitinin C) into a furanoheliangolide one (diversifolin) was achieved by hydride conjugate addition using Stryker’s reagent.     

Biomimetic synthesis of leukotriene A

A biogenetically patterned conversion of $\text{1}$ into $\text{2}$ is described. This transformation has been found to be non-stereospecific with respect to the geometry of the newly generated double bond at C9(10).     

Biomimetic synthesis of the shimalactones

A biomimetic synthesis of shimalactone A and B is described. Its key features are an unprecedented acid-catalyzed cyclization of a dienyl beta-ketolactone and a Stille coupling/8pi-6pi electrocyclization cascade to create the oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane and bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene, respectively. The synthesis is convergent and void of protecting groups.     

Synthesis of hyperolactones A and C

Hyperolactones A ( 1 ) and C ( 3 ) have been synthesized starting from (S)‐malic acid by a straightforward route. The unique spirolactone skeleton was efficiently constructed by one‐pot reaction as a key step. The absolute stereochemistry of hyperolactones was unambiguously established by this synthesis.     

Biomimetic synthesis of antimalarial naphthoquinones

The total synthesis of naphthoquinone natural products isolated from the Bignoniaceae plant family is described. Pinnatal, isopinnatal, sterekunthals A and B, pyranokunthones A and B, and anthrakunthone have been prepared along the lines of a biosynthetic proposal involving pericyclic reactions as key steps. The first case of catalysis in oxa 6pi electrocyclizations is reported.     

Biomimetic synthesis of the crispatene core

The biomimetic synthesis of the crispatene core is reported. The core framework was efficiently generated from an easily synthesized all (E)-tetraene precursor in one step, in good yield.     

Biomimetic total synthesis of (+)-himbacine

On treatment with trifluoroacetic acid butenolide 14 undergoes N-Boc deprotection and condensation followed by an iminium ion activated intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition to give the (+)-himbacine precursor 11 on reductive work up. Compound 11 was converted into (+)-himbacine in four synthetic steps. [reaction: see text]     

Biomimetic one-pot synthesis of nucleotide phosphates

A strongly hydrophobic rigid diammonium, 1, an efficient extracting and transporting phase transfer reagent with high specificity for the pyrophosphate grouping, was used to synthesize ADP, ATP or ADP-NH₂ in a hydrophobic medium. Thus, practically pure ADP-NH₂ was obtained in 65% yield within 2 min.     

Biomimetic total synthesis of (+)-gelsemine

Challenging: (+)-gelsemine was synthesized from (R,R)-aziridine 1 in 25 steps with approximately 1 % overall yield. A multistep, one-pot enol-oxonium cyclization cascade was used to construct, simultaneously, the E ring, F ring, C3 stereocenter, and C7 quaternary stereocenter. This synthesis using the enol-oxonium cyclization reaction as a key step to make the cage structure has demonstrated the proposed biosynthetic pathway of the gelsemine family.     

Biomimetic synthesis of biatractylolide and biepiasterolide

[reaction: see text] The biomimetic synthesis of the bisesquiterpenoids biatractylolide 1 and biepiasterolide 2 is reported.     

Biomimetic synthesis of quinoxalines in water

Various quinoxalines have been synthesized for the first time in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water. Biomimetic catalysis of β-cyclodextrin is explained by using ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Biomimetic synthesis of aragonite superstructures using hexamethylenetetramine

In this paper, biomimetic synthesis of aragonite superstructures using a low molecular weight organic-hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) as an additive in the presence of CO₂ supplied by an ammonium carbonate ((NH₄)₂CO₃) diffusion method at room temperature was studied. The products were characterized by scanning or transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffractometry, and selected area electron diffraction. The results showed the aragonite superstructures especially dumbbell-flower-like ones were obtained. The formation process of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in HMT aqueous solution was investigated, suggesting that the products transformed from calcite to vaterite primarily, and then changed into a mixture of aragonite and calcite with an increase of reaction time. The formation mechanism of CaCO₃ in HMT solution was also discussed, revealing that aragonite might be controlled by HMT molecules and NH₄⁺ ions together.     

Biomimetic synthesis of (±) panacene

(±) Panacene $\text{1a}$ and (±) 1-epibromopanacene $\text{1b}$ have been synthesized by a biomimetic brominative cyclization of hydroxyenyne $\text{4}$.     

Biomimetic synthesis of elysiapyrones A and B

[reaction: see text] The total synthesis of bicyclo[4.2.0]octane natural products elysiapyrones A and B is described.