Synthesis and structure verification of the vaccine adjuvant QS-7-Api. Synthetic access to homogeneous Quillaja saponaria immunostimulants

QS-7-Api is an exceedingly potent immuno-adjuvant isolated from the bark of Quillaja saponaria. It is significantly less toxic than QS-21, a related saponin that is currently the favored adjuvant in anticancer and antiviral vaccine clinical trials. Tedious isolation/purification protocols and uncertainty in its structural constitution have hindered the clinical development of QS-7. A chemical synthesis of QS-7-Api is described, providing structural verification of the adjuvant. A novel semisynthetic sequence to QS-7-Api has also been established, greatly facilitating access to QS-7 for preclinical and clinical evaluation.     

Synthesis of the potent immunostimulatory adjuvant QS-21A

QS-21A is one of the most promising new adjuvants for immune response potentiation and dose-sparing in vaccine therapy, given its exceedingly high level of potency and its favorable toxicity profile. Melanoma, breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, HIV-1, and malaria are among the numerous maladies targeted in more than 80 recent and ongoing clinical trials involving QS-21A as a critical component for immune response augmentation in microgram doses. Herein is reported the first synthesis and structure verification of QS-21Aapi, applying novel glycosylation methodologies in the convergent modular construction of this rare and potent natural product immunostimulant.     

Synthetic studies toward potent cytostatic macrolide rhizopodin: stereoselective synthesis of the C16-C28 fragment

A stereoselective synthesis of the C16-C28 fragment of cytostatic C₂-symmetric macrolide rhizopodin is described. Enantioselective addition of a chiral thiazolidinethione derived titanium enolate to acetal, Evans’ aldol reaction, Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, and Mukaiyama aldol reaction were applied as key steps.     

Synthetic studies on jadomycins: synthesis of dimethyljadomycin A

Dimethyljadomycin A was synthesized as the first example for the construction of 8H-benzo[b]oxazolo[3,2-f]phenanthridine skeleton.     

Synthetic studies about strychnopivotine: synthesis of the bridged azatricyclic fragment

Pd(0)-promoted coupling of an amino-tethered vinyl iodide and ketone enolate is the key step to synthesize the CDE ring system of the indole alkaloid strychnopivotine. Attempts to induce the same process in a compound bearing an o-nitrophenyl group as a latent indole moiety failed.     

Synthetic studies on dragmacidin D: synthesis of the left-hand fragment

We report a synthesis of a left-hand fragment of bis(indole)-class marine alkaloid, dragmacidin D. The synthesis features Suzuki-Miyaura reaction for the coupling of imidazolyl boronic acid and (4-indolyl)vinyl bromide.     

Synthetic studies on lytophilippine A: synthesis of the proposed structure

Synthesis of the proposed structure of lytophilippine A was accomplished employing SmI(2)-mediated 5-exo cyclization of an aldehydo β-alkoxyvinyl sulfoxide and ring-closing metathesis reaction.     

Synthetic studies of the nargenicins: synthesis of the oxa-bridged octalin nucleus

An efficient, stereocontrolled entry to the 11-oxatricyclo[4.4.1^1,6.0^2,7] undecene system of the nargenicin antibiotics is presented.     

Synthetic studies toward pondaplin: total synthesis of pondaplin analogues

Syntheses of synthetic analogues of pondaplin 1 have been achieved. Final macrolide construction was accomplished using a Keck macrolactonization reaction.     

Synthetic studies directed toward the total synthesis of dolabriferol

Herein we report our results towards the total synthesis of (−)-dolabriferol, describing the synthesis of fragments C1-C9 and C10-C21. This convergent asymmetric approach relies on the use of a common Weinreb amide precursor for the preparation of both fragments, an efficient anti-aldol reaction followed by Zn(BH₄)₂ reduction to give a 1,3-syn diol, a selective oxidation of a triol under Swern conditions with concomitant lactol formation, and a diastereoselective epoxidation of an allylic alcohol with m-CPBA followed by an efficient epoxide opening with Me₂CuCNLi₂.     

Synthetic studies on indolocarbazoles: total synthesis of staurosporine aglycon

A synthesis of staurosporine aglycon and its analogs was achieved in a 28-36% overall yield starting from 2-methylindole. The prominent key steps for the synthesis of the indolocarbazole alkaloids involved electrocyclization and nitrene insertion reactions.     

Synthetic studies on glycosphingolipids from protostomia phyla: synthesis of a glycosphingolipid analogue from the parasite Spirometra erinacei

Novel neutral glycosphingolipids isolated from the plerocercoids of a tapeworm, Spirometra erinacei, may be expected to be involved in host-parasite interactions. We have synthesized this glycosphingolipid analogue containing 2-branched fatty alkyl residue in place of ceramide. Glycosylation of nonreducing-end trisaccharide derivative 15 with the reducing-end disaccharide derivative 17 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf) gave the desired oligosaccharide derivative in good yield. The fully per-O-acylated 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glycoside 19 was converted to glycosylimidate 20, which was condensed with 2-(tetradecyl)hexadecanol and subsequently deacylated to give the target glycosphingolipid analogue 22.     

Synthetic studies of kampanols, novel p21 farnesyltransferase inhibitors: an efficient synthesis of the tetracyclic ABCD ring system of kampanols

An enantioselective synthesis of the tetracyclic ABCD ring system (4) of kampanols, novel Ras farnesyltransferase inhibitors from a microorganism, was efficiently achieved for the first time starting from the known trans-decalone derivative 9. The synthetic method involves the following two key steps: (i) a conjugate addition reaction between the α-methylene ketone 6 and the Grignard reagent (7) of the ortho-disubstituted bromobenzene derivative 8 to deliver the coupling product 21 with stereoselectivity at the C9 position and (ii) a phenylselenium-mediated cyclization reaction of the phenol derivative 5 to stereoselectively construct the requisite tetracyclic intermediate 25 possessing the cis-fused connectivity of the B/C rings.     

Synthetic studies on erythromycin derivatives: reactivity of the C12-21 alkene

The reactivity of the C12-21 alkene of some erythromycin A derivatives was studied. This double bond was easily oxidized to the corresponding epoxide with excellent stereoselectivity. A single crystal X-ray structure showed that the epoxide moiety was on the same side as the acetonide. When an erythromycin derivative containing a C12-21 alkene was treated with diazomethane a [3+2] cycloaddition affording a pyrazoline occurred. In the case of 6-O-allylated erythromycin derivatives the C12-21 alkene was selectively epoxidized in the presence of the 6-O-allyl moiety. These results show that the C12-21 alkene is an active reaction site, which can be used for useful further modification of erythromycin derivatives.     

Synthetic studies on biscembranoids: asymmetric total synthesis of methyl sarcoate

The asymmetric total synthesis of a marine natural product, methyl sarcoate, has been achieved featuring the asymmetric Michael addition, the dithiane coupling, the Kosugi-Migita-Stille coupling, and the ring-closing metathesis.     

Synthetic studies towards ptilomycalin A: total synthesis of crambescidin 359

A potentially biomimetic synthesis of the guanidine-containing marine natural product crambescidin 359 via a double Michael addition of guanidine to a suitably functionalised bis-enone is reported.     

Synthetic studies on (+)-naphthyridinomycin: stereoselective synthesis of the tetracyclic core framework

[reaction: see text] The stereoselective synthesis of the tetracyclic intermediate 21 for (+)-naphthyridinomycin (1) has been accomplished. The convergent synthesis used the Ugi 4CC reaction with the amine derivative 10. The key features of the stereoselective synthesis of 21 were the intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck reaction, an aromatic-aldehyde cyclization, and a stereoselective hydroboration.