Total synthesis of (+)-phorboxazole A exploiting the Petasis-Ferrier rearrangement.

A highly convergent, stereocontrolled total synthesis of the potent antiproliferative agent (+)-phorboxazole A (1) has been achieved. Highlights of the synthesis include: modified Petasis-Ferrier rearrangements for assembly of both the C(11-15) and C(22-26) cis-tetrahydropyran rings; extension of the Julia olefination to the synthesis of enol ethers; the design, synthesis, and application of a novel bifunctional oxazole linchpin; and Stille coupling of a C(28) trimethyl stannane with a C(29) oxazole triflate. The longest linear sequence leading to (+)-phorboxazole A (1) was 27 steps, with an overall yield of 3%.     

Total synthesis of the potent microtubule-stabilizing agent (+)-discodermolide

The total synthesis of the potent microtubule-stabilizing, antimitotic agent (+)-discodermolide is described. The convergent synthetic strategy takes advantage of the diastereoselective alkylation of a ketone enolate to establish the key C15-C16 bond. The synthesis is amenable to preparation of gram-scale quantities of (+)-discodermolide and analogues.     

Total synthesis of halipeptin A, a potent anti-inflammatory cyclodepsipeptide from a marine sponge

Total synthesis of halipeptin A, a potent anti-inflammatory cyclodepsipeptide, was achieved through proline-catalyzed asymmetric α-oxidation, diastereoselective aldol reaction, silver cyanide-mediated esterification, and macrolactamization.     

Phorbasins D-F: diterpenyl-taurines from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp

Fractionation of an Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp., yielded the known phorbasins B (1) and C (2) together with three novel diterpenyl-taurines, phorbasins D-F (3-5). Partial absolute structures were assigned on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. Phorbasins D-F (3-5) are the first reported examples of terpenyl-taurines linked via an amine moiety, and phorbasins E and F (4 and 5) incorporate an unprecedented heterocycle. A plausible biosynthetic route is proposed for the incorporation of taurine and heterocycle formation.     

A second-generation total synthesis of (+)-phorboxazole A.

A highly convergent second-generation synthesis of (+)-phorboxazole A has been achieved. Highlights of the synthetic approach include improved Petasis-Ferrier union/rearrangement conditions on a scale to assemble multigram quantities of the C(11-15) and C(22-26) cis-tetrahydropyrans inscribed with the phorboxazole architecture, a convenient method to prepare E- and Z-vinyl bromides from TMS-protected alkynes utilizing radical isomerization of Z-vinylsilanes, and a convergent late-stage Stille union to couple a fully elaborated C(1-28) macrocyclic iodide with a C(29-46) oxazole stannane side chain to establish the complete phorboxazole skeleton. The synthesis, achieved with a longest linear sequence of 24 steps, proceeded in 4.6% overall yield.     

Total synthesis of the marine sponge metabolites (+)-rottnestol, (+)-raspailol A and (+)-raspailol B

The asymmetric syntheses of (+)-rottnestol (1) and the related marine sponge metabolites (+)-raspailols A (5) and B (6) are described. The key step in each of these sequences was a Stille coupling to form the C9-C10 sp2-sp2 bond and connect the polyene sidechains to the appropriate optically active tetrahydropyran core. For rottnestol (1), both C12 epimers were synthesised by a coupling between stannane 7 and (R)- or (S)-8 followed by acid hydrolysis which allowed for the assignment of the absolute configuration at the remote C12 stereocentre as R upon comparison of chiroptical data of the synthetic material with that reported for the natural product. In accord with this, (12R)-raspailol A (5) was synthesised from stannane 7 and sidechain 9 and this compound also compared well with the data for natural material including sign and absolute value of the specific rotation. Finally, the same C12 epimer of raspailol B (6) was secured via a union between stannane 10 and iodide 9 and this also possessed a similar rotation to that described for the natural product. Thus, all three compounds appear to possess the (12R) configuration, while that of the core tetrahydropyran ring is the same as proposed originally.     

First total synthesis of (+)-Vedelianin, a potent antiproliferative agent

The total synthesis of (+)-vedelianin has been accomplished in 18 steps from vanillin. Preparation of a key intermediate in nonracemic form through a Shi epoxidation has allowed determination of the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product as the (2S,3R,4aR,9aR)-isomer.     

Phorbasins G-K: new cytotoxic diterpenes from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp

Fractionation of a cytotoxic extract obtained from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp., yielded the known diterpenes phorbasins B-F () together with five new members of the phorbasin family, phorbasins G-K (). Structures were assigned to the new phorbasins based on detailed spectroscopic analysis. A preliminary structure activity relationship (SAR) evaluation based on the co-metabolites phorbasins B-K () revealed aspects of the phorbasin pharmacophore.     

A convergent synthesis of (+)-cryptophycin B, a potent antitumor macrolide from Nostoc sp. cyanobacteria

[structure--see text] An efficient and highly stereoselective synthesis of cryptophycin B (2), a potent cytotoxic agent, is described. The ester-derived titanium-enolate-mediated syn-aldol reaction was employed to generate the stereocenters C(5) and C(6). The route is convergent and provides a convenient access to the synthesis of structural variants of cryptophycin B as well as members of its family.     

(+)-Phorboxazole A synthetic studies. A highly convergent, second generation total synthesis of (+)-phorboxazole A

[structure: see text] A second generation total synthesis of the potent antitumor agent (+)-phorboxazole A (1) has been achieved. The cornerstone of this approach comprises a more convergent strategy, involving late-stage Stille union of a fully elaborated C(1-28) macrocycle with a C(29-46) side chain. The second generation synthesis entails the longest linear sequence of 24 steps, with an overall yield of 4.2%.     

Total synthesis of rhizoxin D,a potent antimitotic agent from the fungus Rhizopus chinensis

Rhizoxin D (2) was synthesized from four subunits, A, B, C, and D representing C3-C9, C10-C13, C14-C19, and C20-C27, respectively. Subunit A was prepared by cyclization of iodo acetal 21, which set the configuration at C5 of 2 through a stereoselective addition of the radical derived from dehalogenation of 21 at the beta carbon of the (Z)-alpha,beta-unsaturated ester. Aldehyde 29 was obtained from phenylthioacetal 24 and condensed with phosphorane 30, representing subunit B, in a Wittig reaction that gave the (E,E)-dienoate 31. This ester was converted to aldehyde 33 in preparation for coupling with subunit C. The latter in the form of methyl ketone 55 was obtained in six steps from propargyl alcohol. An aldol reaction of 33 with the enolate of 55 prepared with (+)-DIPCl gave the desired beta-hydroxy ketone 56 bearing a (13S)-configuration in a 17-20:1 ratio with its (13R)-diastereomer. After reduction to anti diol 57 and selective protection as TIPS ether 58, the C15 hydroxyl was esterified to give phosphonate 59. An intramolecular Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of aldehyde 62, derived from delta-lactone 60, furnished macrolactone 63, which was coupled in a Stille reaction with stannane 68 to give 2 after cleavage of the TIPS ether.     

Phorbasones A and B, sesterterpenoids isolated from the marine sponge Phorbas sp. and induction of osteoblast differentiation

Two new sesterterpenoids, phorbasones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the Korean marine sponge Phorbas sp. Their complete structures were elucidated by spectral data and chemical reactions. Phorbasone A exhibited a positive effect on the calcium deposition activity in C3H10T1/2 cells. The biogenic origin of the core structure is believed to be through a novel rearrangement from the ansellone carbon structure.     

Phorbasides A-E, cytotoxic chlorocyclopropane macrolide glycosides from the marine sponge Phorbas sp. CD determination of C-methyl sugar configurations

Five new cytotoxic macrolide glycosides phorbasides A-E (3-7), each possessing a macrolide ring appended to a rare ene-yne-trans-2-chlorocyclopropane, were isolated from the same Western Australian sponge (Phorbas sp.) that provided phorboxazoles A and B. The structures of 3-7 were solved by analysis of spectroscopic data including NMR, MS, and CD. A synthesis of methyl 2-O-methyl-alpha-L-evalose from L-rhamnose was completed and used for configurational assignment of the sugar residue in 3. Acid-catalyzed methanolysis of 3 followed by two-step derivatization of the liberated O-methyl glycoside gave a vicinal 4-O-naphthoyl/tertiary 3-N-(2-aminonaphthyl)carbamate derivative that exhibited exciton coupled CD identical with that of the derivative prepared from synthetic 1,2- O-dimethyl-alpha-L-evalose.     

Phorone A and Isophorbasone A, Sesterterpenoids Isolated from the Marine Sponge Phorbas sp

A chemical investigation of a Korean marine sponge, Phorbas sp., yielded unprecedented sesterterpenoids phorone A (1) and isophorbasone A (2) along with ansellone B (3) and phorbasone A acetate (4). Their complete structures were elucidated by the combination of spectroscopic data and chemical manipulation. Phorone A (1) and isophorbasone A (2) have the new "phorane"(5) and "isophorbasane"(6) sesterterpenoid carbon skeletons, respectively. Ansellone B (3) and phorbasone A acetate (4) exhibited potent inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 LPS-activated mouse macrophage cells with IC(50) values of 4.5 and 2.8 μM, respectively.     

Total synthesis of (+)-xyloketal D, a secondary metabolite from the mangrove fungus Xylaria sp.

(+)-Xyloketal D was prepared in a one-pot multistep domino reaction by heating optically active 5-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-methylenepentan-2-one (R) in toluene with 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone. The absolute configuration of the natural product was confirmed by preparation of the starting enone from a lactone of established absolute configuration.     

Total synthesis of agosterol A: an MDR-modulator from a marine sponge

The first total synthesis of agosterol A, a modulator of multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by P-gp and MRP1, and isolated from a marine sponge, was achieved from ergosterol by utilizing a regioselective epoxy-cleavage reaction and regioselective dehydroxylation as the key reactions.