Bioinspired Total Synthesis of Homodimericin A

Homodimericin A is a remarkable fungal metabolite. This highly oxygenated racemic unsaturated polyketide poses a significant synthetic challenge owing to its sterically demanding central cagelike core containing eight contiguous stereogenic centers (including three quaternary stereocenters) and several carbonyl functionalities. On the basis of its proposed biogenetic synthesis, we designed a total synthesis of homodimericin A that proceeds in seven steps and features a double Michael reaction, an intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction, and an ene reaction.     

Total Synthesis of Myceliothermophins C,D, and E

The total synthesis of cytotoxic polyketides myceliothermophins E ( 1 ), C ( 2 ), and D ( 3 ) through a cascade‐based cyclization to form the trans‐fused decalin system is described. The convergent synthesis delivered all three natural products through late‐stage divergence and facilitated unambiguous C21 structural assignments for 2 and 3 through X‐ray crystallographic analysis, which revealed an interesting dimeric structure between its enantiomeric forms.     

Total Synthesis of Homodimericin A

We report the concise total synthesis of homodimericin A ( 1 ), a recently identified fungal metabolite bearing an unprecedented molecular architecture. The success of the approach hinges on a series of rationally designed and bioinspired transformations, including a Moore rearrangement to assemble the monomeric hydroquinone precursor, homodimerization through double Michael addition to construct the planar A/B/C tricyclic framework, and a tandem Diels–Alder reaction/carbonyl–ene cyclization to forge the congested D/E/F tricyclic cage motif. Unequivocal evidence for the elucidated structure of homodimericin A was also provided by this study.     

Total Synthesis of Crocagin A

Crocagin A ( 1 ) combines an attractive molecular structure with an unusual biosynthesis and bioactivity. An efficient synthesis of crocagin A is presented that hinges on an early formation of the heterotricyclic core, an electrophilic amination, and the stereoselective hydrogenation of a tetrasubstituted double bond. This synthesis confirms the absolute configuration of crocagin A and provides access to the natural product and derivatives thereof for further biological testing.     

Stereochemical Determination of Tuscolid/Tuscorons and Total Synthesis of Tuscoron D and E: Insights into the Tuscolid/Tuscoron Rearrangement

The stereochemistry of the structurally unique myxobacterial polyketides tuscolid/tuscorons was determined by a combination of high‐field NMR studies, molecular modeling, and chemical derivatization and confirmed by a modular total synthesis of tuscorons D and E. Together with the discovery of three novel tuscorons, this study provides detailed insight into the chemically unprecedented tuscolid/tuscoron rearrangement cascade.