Rapid and diverse route to natural product-like biaryl ether containing macrocycles

A two-step sequence involving an Ugi four-component reaction and an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) has been developed for the rapid access to biaryl-ether containing macrocycles. In the course of this study, we documented that ammonium chloride can promote the Ugi-4CR in non-polar aprotic solvent (toluene) without the interference of an alternative Passerini reaction. Solid phase synthesis of macrocycles by this two-step sequence was also developed using polymer (Wang resin) supported α-(4′-fluoro-3′-nitro)phenethyl isocyanoacetate as one of the inputs.     

Solid-phase synthesis of natural product-like macrocycles by a sequence of Ugi-4CR and SNAr-based cycloetherification

An on-resin Ugi four-component reaction followed by an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) has been developed for the rapid access to biaryl-ether containing macrocycles.     

Toward high-throughput synthesis of complex natural product-like compounds in the genomics and proteomics age

In the age of high-throughput biology, novel genes and proteins are emerging quickly. The need for developing organic synthesis-derived methods that allow rapid access to polyfunctional, complex natural product-like compounds is growing constantly, largely because these small-molecule-based compounds serve as smart, powerful tools both in understanding the roles and functions of emerging biological targets and in validating their biological responses. Developing asymmetric synthesis-derived organic reactions on solid phase allows the synthesis of complex natural product-like compounds in a high-throughput manner. Solid phase organic synthesis is now commonly utilized in the library synthesis of rather simple compounds (i.e., compounds with no multiple stereogenic centers). With few exceptions, the synthesis of complex natural product-like derivatives is still in its infancy. Some recent efforts made in this area indicate opportunities yet to be explored.     

Trimethylsilylation of natural silicates: useful route toward polysiloxanes

Natural silicates of variable complexity were collected in different regions of Mexico and used to investigate applications directed toward production of polysiloxanes, by means of trimethylsilylation chemistry. Mineralogically complex substrates – natural olivine, zeolite, and residues from goldand silver flotation processes – were selected, and the results arepresented with respect to specific silicate composition. Reaction conditions were varied according to the substrate. All silicates studied yield oligosiloxanes of the typeQ_xM_y, and the extraction residues appear to be viable sources of polysiloxanes materials. Solid state analytic techniques including XRD, IR, and NMR have been employed to substantiate all results.     

Short synthesis of diamide-linked sucrose macrocycles

A convenient route to macrocyclic diamide-linked macrocyclic derivatives with a sucrose scaffold is presented. Reaction of sucrose based amines (o- and m-) with acid dichlorides afforded the monomeric macrocycles in excellent yields, while reaction of the p-amines also provided dimeric products.     

Current progress in natural product-like libraries for discovery screening

Natural product-like libraries represent an effort to combine the attractive features of natural products and combinatorial libraries for high-throughput screening. Three approaches to natural product-like library design are discussed: (1) Libraries based on core scaffolds from individual natural products, (2) libraries of diverse structures with general structural characteristics of natural products, and (3) libraries of diverse structures based on specific structural motifs from classes of natural products. Examples of successful applications in discovery screening are described for each category. These studies highlight the exciting potential of natural product-like libraries in both chemical biology and drug discovery.     

Synthesis of new diverse macrocycles from diol precursors

The formation of a library of diverse macrocycles with different ring sizes from two easily accessible building blocks is presented. Reacting diol precursors with electrophilic reagents lead to 17-membered sulfites and 19-membered malonates in 34-79% yield. Double-reductive amination of dialdehyde analogs of the diol precursors leads to 15-membered amines in yields ranging from 9 to 60%, reflecting large differences in reactivity based on steric environment.     

A natural product-like inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme

The natural product-like 6,6″-biapigenin has been identified as only the second inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme using virtual screening. This compound was active in enzyme and cell-based assays, with potency in the micromolar range.     

Enantioselective synthesis of C-linked spiroacetal-triazoles as privileged natural product-like scaffolds

The enantioselective synthesis of novel C-linked spiroacetal-triazoles 10 is reported. The key step involves reaction of acetylenic spiroacetal 11 with several azides by the Copper-Catalysed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC). The biologically privileged spiroacetal scaffold 11 was prepared from silyl-protected Weinreb amide 19 using several reliable Grignard additions and a highly diastereoselective enzymatic kinetic resolution.     

Combinatorial synthesis of natural product-like molecules using a first-generation spiroketal scaffold

Recently, significant attention has been focused on the synthesis small-molecule libraries based on natural product or natural product-like structures. In this paper, we report our initial studies on the use of the 1,7-dioxaspiro[5,5]undecane (spiroketal) moiety as a rigid-core template for elaboration using parallel synthesis techniques. The synthesis of a spiroketal scaffold that is reminiscent of the spiroketal subunits found in the spiroketal macrolide antibiotics will be described. Elaboration of three independently addressable functional groups on the scaffold using solution-phase parallel synthesis techniques led to the preparation of a small library of natural product-like compounds. These studies pave the way for evaluation of highly functionalized spiroketals in phenotypic assays and as prospective antagonists of protein-protein interactions.     

Four-component assembly of chiral N-B heterocycles with a natural product-like framework

The dative N-B bond was used to simply assemble heterocycles with a skeleton akin to the 5-oxofuro[2,3-b]furan motif. Twenty-five new N-B heterocycles were prepared via a highly efficient one-pot four-component reaction in yields and diastereoselectivities up to 95% and >97%, respectively. Several reaction intermediates were discovered using electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy which set the basis for the mechanism elucidation using DFT calculations.     

A versatile strategy for divergent and diastereoselective synthesis of natural product-like polyhydroxylated indolizidines

A general and versatile method for the divergent and diastereoselective synthesis of polyhydroxylated indolizidines has been established. The annulation reactions of a readily available enantiopure dihydroxylated cyclic secondary enamine with alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylates including methyl acrylate, methyl crotonate, methyl 2-hexenoate, allenoate, and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and with malonyl chloride produced hexahydro- or tetrahydro-5-indolizinone-8-carboxylates in high yields. The resulting 5-indolizinone derivatives were converted into diverse polyhydroxylated indolizidines in good yields through practical hydrogenation and reduction reactions.     

Chemical variation of natural product-like scaffolds: design and synthesis of spiroketal derivatives

The design and synthesis of spiroketal structures and their chemical modification, leading to a collection of new small molecules for biological evaluation as orally-bioavailable lead compounds is described. Both [6,5]- and [6,6]-membered ring spiroketal units have been prepared in a stereochemically-varying fashion starting from commercially available (R)- or (S)-glycidol, in ten, eleven and twelve linear steps, in overall yields of 45, 40 and 20%, respectively. Further elaboration according to Lipinski's guidelines has given a collection of structurally-diverse, new spiroketal derivatives in high yields and with high purity.     

Solid-phase parallel synthesis of natural product-like diaza-bridged heterocycles through Pictet-Spengler intramolecular cyclization

A multistep, practical solid-phase strategy for the synthesis of natural product-like diaza-bridged heterocycles was developed. A key step in the library synthesis is tandem acidolytic cleavage with subsequent in situ iminium formation followed by the Pictet-Spengler intramolecular cyclization. The Pictet-Spengler-type intramolecular cyclization step was regioselective and diastereoselective to give final products as single diastereomers in exceptional yields and purities, which was confirmed by NMR structural study and LC/MS analysis. This approach is exemplified by the preparation of a 384-member library of 3,9-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]non-6-en-2-one skeletons, fused with indole and dihydroxybenzene and diversified at two bridging nitrogen atoms, using the solid-phase parallel synthetic methodology without further purification. In this pilot library, two diastereomerically enriched diaza-bridged core skeletons were modified by amide and urea bond formation on bridging nitrogen atoms, and this scheme exhibits the potential for expansion to obtain further diversification.     

Solution- and solid-phase synthesis of natural product-like tetrahydroquinoline-based polycyclics having a medium size ring

A solid-phase synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline-derived polycyclic 4, having a medium size ring with an enamide functionality, was achieved from tetrahydroquinoline derivative 3 in five steps with overall 40-45% yield. An enantiopure, tetrahydroquinoline-derived beta-amino ester, 1, was converted into compound 2 that has a free phenolic hydroxyl group as an anchoring site for solid-phase synthesis. The solid-phase worked well for this sequence, in which the synthesis of the unsaturated eight-membered enamide lactam was obtained by a ring-closing metathesis approach. Compound 4 is a novel, natural product-like polycyclic derivative that could further be utilized in library generation for developing small molecule chemical probes.     

Binding of zinc(II) macrocycles toward carboxylate ligands

Three new zinc(II) complexes, Zn(L1)(NO₃)₂ (1), {[Zn(L1)(fumarate)]·2H₂O} _n (2) and {[Zn(L2)(fumarate)]·DMF} _n (3) (L = 3,14-dimethyl-2,6,13,17-tetraazatricyclo [14,4,0^1.18,0^7.12]docosane) have been synthesized and characterized by analytical, spectroscopic, thermal and X-ray diffraction methods. The structure of the discrete neutral complex (1) shows that the central zinc(II) ion is coordinated axially by two nitrate ligands. In the structures (2) and (3), the carboxylate groups of the bridging fumarate ligands are coordinated to zinc(II) macrocycles, resulting in the formation of 1D coordination polymers. Apart from the fairly strong Zn–O bonds in (2) and (3), it is observed that the hydrogen bonds between the pre-organized N–H groups of the macrocycle and axial ligands appear to be important for the design and development of metal complexes having a strong Zn–O bond.     

Regioselective entry to bromo-gamma-hydroxybutenolides: useful building blocks for assemblying natural product-like libraries

[reaction: see text] We report a regioselective entry to 3-bromo- and 4-bromo-5-hydroxy-5H-furan-2-ones by photooxidation of 3-bromofuran with a singlet oxygen in the presence of a suitable base. By this procedure, a variety of 3-substituted gamma-hydroxybutenolides have become for the first time easily accessible. Strategies employing these highly functionalized building blocks for the preparation of focused libraries of natural-like molecules are also discussed.     

Improved preparative route toward 3-arylcyclopropenes

A convenient preparative protocol for the synthesis of various 3-arylcyclopropenes in a multigram scale is disclosed. Optimization of the reaction conditions and isolation procedures allowed for significant improvement of the chemical yields of these strained products. The described protocol was used for efficient preparation of a series of 3-methyl-3-arylcyclopropenes possessing different substituents in the aromatic ring. The effect of substitution in the aryl group on the stability of 3-arylcyclopropenes, as well as the corresponding precursors, is discussed.     

Synthesis and agrochemical screening of a library of natural product-like bicyclo[2,2,2]octenones

A general route to a series of differentially substituted bicyclo[2,2,2]octenones has been developed, making use of the in situ intramolecular Diels Alder reaction of masked ortho-benzoquinones. This approach was used to synthesize a series of thirteen key acid-containing templates from which a solution phase discovery library of 1126 diverse amides was then constructed. The rigid polycyclic nature of the templates and the prevalence of oxygenated functionality confer natural product-like qualities and three-dimensional diversity. The library was screened in HTS in vivo against a number of weed, insect and fungal model organisms leading to the discovery of a novel series of herbicidally active compounds. The development, production and biological activity of the library are described.