Structure determination of melanervin,the first naturally occurring flavonoid of the triphenylmethane family

From the flowers of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae) besides the flavanones strobopinin and kryptostrobin a new 8-aryl-flavanone has been isolated and shown to be (2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxy) tolyl-3-(5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl) flavanonyl-8-phenylmethane, mainly by degradation, MS, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR-spectroscopy. The new flavanone represents the first naturally occurring triphenylmethane compound.     

Synthesis of erythrinin A,a naturally occurring pyranoisoflavone

Erythrinin A ($\text{10}$) has been synthesised by the oxidative rearrangement of dihydropyranochalcone $\text{1}$ with thallium(III) nitrate (TTN) in trimethyl orthoformate (TMOF) to the dimethyl acetal $\text{2}$, followed by cyclisation to $\text{3}$, demethylation to $\text{6}$ and dehydrogenation. Compound $\text{10}$ could also be obtained from chalcone $\text{4}$ on similar rearrangement followed by cyclisation, demethoxymethylation and dehydrogenation. In another route, chalcone $\text{7}$ was oxidatively rearranged with TTN in TMOF, to $\text{8}$ which on treatment with HCl yielded $\text{10}$.     

Synthesis of the reported structure of the naturally occurring siderophore nocardimicin B

A total synthesis of the reported structure of the naturally occurring siderophore nocardimicin B is reported: the synthetic material appears to be diastereomeric with the natural product.     

Synthesis of naturally occurring polyynes

Over the past fifty years, hundreds of polyyne compounds have been isolated from nature. These often unstable molecules are found in sources as common as garden vegetables and as obscure as bacterial cultures. Naturally occurring polyynes feature a wide range of structural diversity and display an equally broad array of biological properties. Early synthetic efforts relied primarily on Cu-catalyzed, oxidative acetylenic homo- and heterocoupling reactions to assemble the polyyne framework. The past 25 years, however, have witnessed a renaissance in the field of polyyne natural product synthesis: transition-metal-catalyzed alkynylation reactions and asymmetric transformations have combined to substantially expand access to natural polyynes. This Review recounts these synthetic achievements and also highlights both the natural source(s) and biological relevance for many of these compounds.     

Synthesis of balsaminone A, a naturally occurring pentacyclic dinaphthofuran quinone

A short synthesis of the natural product balsaminone A, a dinaphthofuran quinone, is described. The key steps of the synthesis are base-induced coupling of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthaldehyde with 2,3-dichloronaphthoquinone to give a pentacyclic dinaphthofuran directly, followed by conversion of the aldehyde into the desired methoxy group via the corresponding phenol. The synthesis, in which the structure of a key pentacyclic intermediate is corroborated by X-ray crystallography, confirms the original structural assignment of the natural product.     

Synthesis of naturally occurring phloroglucinol derivatives

Starting with isobutyryl phloroglucinol nine naturally occurring compounds from $\text{Helichrysum}$ species were synthesized.     

Total synthesis of (+/-)-4'-demethylmacrophyllol, a naturally occurring compound

The naturally occurring compound 4'-Demethylmacrophyllol (1), 8-Hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-phenyl)-isochroman-1-one, was synthesized starting from 4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (3) and a phosphonium salt (2) in four steps with an overall yield of 44%. This is the first report on the total synthesis of 4'-demethylmacrophyllol (1). The structures of compounds were determined by NMR and MS and elemental analysis techniques.     

Synthesis of naturally occurring polyacetylenes via a bis-silylated diyne

A straightforward synthesis of a series of naturally occurring polyacetylenes has been developed, including the montiporynes A and C, possessing cytotoxic activity against several human solid tumor cells, the atractylodin, with antibiotic activity against Escherichia coli, and triynes, which display insecticidal activities, starting from the readily available 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiyne.     

Synthesis of the reported structure of crassiflorone, a naturally occurring quinone isolated from the African ebony Diospyros crassiflora, and regioisomeric pentacyclic furocoumarin naphthoquinones

A synthesis of the structure reported for the natural product crassiflorone, a furocoumarin naphthoquinone, is described. The key steps are a Diels-Alder reaction to form 2-bromo-8-hydroxy-6-methylnaphthoquinone, followed by O-protection and copper(II) mediated coupling to 4-hydroxy-5-methylcoumarin to establish the pentacyclic framework whose structure was unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Since the spectroscopic data of the synthetic material did not match those reported for the natural product, three further regioisomeric furocoumarin naphthoquinones were prepared by copper(II) mediated coupling of 4-hydroxy-5- or 8-methyl coumarins with 5-benzyloxy-2-bromo-7-methyl- or 8-benzyloxy-2-bromo-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone. Again the spectroscopic data did not match those of the natural material and therefore the true structure of crassiflorone remains unknown.     

The structure of thorikosite,a naturally occurring member of the bismuth oxyhalide group

Thorikosite, (Pb₃Sb_0.6As_0.4)(O₃0H)Cl₂, is a naturally occurring member of the bismuth oxyhalide group isostructural with LiBi₃O₄Cl₂. The space group isI4/mmm witha = 3.919(1)A?,c = 12.854(5)A?, andZ = 1. A crystal structure analysis showed complete solid solution of Pb²⁺, Sb³⁺, and As³⁺ on the single cation site and large atomic temperature factors indicative of pervasive structural disorder. The latter is due to the structural adjustments necessary to accommodate cations of very different sizes in the same site. Thorikosite is closely related to synthetic tetragonal PbSbO₂Cl through the coupled substitution Sb³⁺O^2? ? Pb²⁺(OH)^?.     

Synthesis of naturally occurring polypeptides, problems of current research

The synthesis of naturally occurring polypeptides has recently again become a center of interest. It therefore seems appropriate to make a critical appraisal of the present state of research, and at the same time to try to eliminate much of the element of chance from the solution of the problems that face us. An attempt will be made to group the preparation methods commonly used in the past into four strategies, to point out their advantages, and to uncover their disadvantages. The ultimate aim in the synthesis of naturally occurring peptides must always be a true, clean synthesis.     

Synthesis of naturally occurring iminosugars from D-fructose by the use of a zinc-mediated fragmentation reaction

A short synthesis of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-arabinitol (DAB) and a formal synthesis of australine are described. In both cases, D-fructose is employed as the starting material and converted into a protected methyl 6-deoxy-6-iodo-furanoside. Zinc-mediated fragmentation produces an unsaturated ketone which serves as a key building block for both syntheses. Ozonolysis, reductive amination with benzylamine and deprotection affords 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-arabinitol in only 7 steps and 11% overall yield from D-fructose. Alternatively, reductive amination with homoallylamine, ring-closing metathesis and protecting group manipulations give rise to an intermediate which can be converted into australine in 3 steps. The intermediate is prepared by two different strategies both of which use a total of 9 steps. The first strategy utilizes benzyl ethers for protection of fructose while the second and more effective strategy employs an isopropylidene acetal.     

Synthesis of a naturally occurring nucleopeptide fragment via a phosphotriester approach

The phosphorylating agent 2-chlorophenyl-O,O-bis[1-benzotriazolyl]phosphate has been used for the introduction of a phosphodiester bond between the hydroxyl group of the tyrosine containing dipeptide (H-Ala-Tyr-NH₂) and the 5′-OH of the RNA dimer UpU.     

Efficient total synthesis of naturally occurring anti-TMV compound gramniphenol G

An efficient synthesis of Gramniphenol G identified as 2-(4′-Methoxyphenyl)-7,7-dimethyl-7H-furo[3,2-g]chromene and originally isolated from the plant Arundina gramnifolia belonging to orchidaceae family was accomplished starting from resorcinol. The key step involves the oxidative cyclization of o-vinyl phenol to provide benzofuran moiety.     

Synthesis of some naturally occurring prenylated juglone derivatives

Synthesis of -caryopterone (I), -dihydrocaryopterone )II), 9-methoxy--lapachone (III) and 4,9-dihydroxy--lapachone (IV) has been carried out starting from juglone via 2,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone.     

The first naturally occurring thiepinols and thienol from an endolichenic fungus Coniochaeta sp

Coniothiepinols A (1) and B (2) and coniothienol A (3), the first naturally occurring thiepinols (1 and 2) and thienol (3), have been isolated from the crude extract of an endolichenic fungus Coniochaeta sp. 1 possesses a unique 8-oxa-2-thia-bicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton, and its structure was assigned by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. 1 showed significant activity against the gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis.     

Viscosamine: the first naturally occurring trimeric 3-alkyl pyridinium alkaloid

[structure: see text] Pyridinium alkaloids are widely distributed in marine sponges of different genera. Chemical investigation of the Arctic sponge Haliclona viscosa led to the isolation of a new trimeric 3-alkyl pyridinium alkaloid (viscosamine). Trimers have not been described as natural products yet. The isolation and the structure elucidation of viscosamine are discussed in detail.