Halogenated Sesquiterpenes from the Marine Red Alga Laurencia saitoi (Rhodomelaceae)

Four new halogenated sesquiterpenes, 10‐bromo‐3‐chloro‐2,7‐epoxychamigr‐9‐en‐8α‐ol ( 1 ), 2,10β‐dibromochamigra‐2,7‐dien‐9α‐ol ( 2 ), (9S)‐2‐bromo‐3‐chloro‐6,9‐epoxybisabola‐7(14),10‐diene ( 3 ), and (9R)‐2‐bromo‐3‐chloro‐6,9‐epoxybisabola‐7(14),10‐diene ( 4 ), were characterized from the marine red alga Laurencia saitoi. In addition, two known halosesquiterpenes, 2,10‐dibromo‐3‐chlorochamigr‐7‐en‐9α‐ol ( 5 ) and isolaurenisol ( 6 ), were also isolated and identified. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive analysis of spectroscopic data.     

New 6/8/6‐Taxanes Isolated from the Heartwood of Taxus cuspidata

Two new natural taxanes were isolated from the heartwood of Taxus cuspidata. The structures were established as rel‐(2α,5α,7β,9α,10β,12α)‐7,9‐bis(acetyloxy)‐2‐(benzoyloxy)‐11,12‐epoxy‐1,5‐dihydroxy‐10‐[(hydroxyacetyl)oxy]tax‐4(20)‐en‐13‐one ( 1 ), and (2α,5α,10β,14β)‐taxa‐4(20),11‐diene‐2,5,10,14‐tetrol 2‐acetate ( 2 ) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.     

New Cholinesterase‐Inhibiting Steroidal Alkaloids from Sarcococca saligna

Seven new steroidal alkaloids, 2‐hydroxysalignarine‐E (=(2′E,20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐2β‐hydroxy‐3β‐(tigloylamino)pregn‐4‐ene; 1 ), 5,6‐dihydrosarconidine (=(20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐3β‐(methylamino)‐5α‐pregn‐16‐ene; 2 ), salignamine (=(20S)‐20‐(methylamino)‐3β‐methoxypregna‐5,16‐diene; 3 ), 2‐hydroxysalignamine (=(20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐2β‐hydroxy‐3β‐methoxypregna‐5,16‐diene; 4 ), salignarine‐F (=(2′E, 20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐4β‐hydroxy‐3β‐(tigloylamino)pregn‐5‐ene; 5 ), salonine‐C (=(2′E,20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐3β‐(tigloylamino)pregna‐4,14‐diene; 6 ), and N‐[formyl(methyl)amino]salonine‐B (=(20S)‐20‐[formyl(methyl)amino]‐3β‐methoxypregna‐5,16‐diene; 7 ) have been isolated from the MeOH extract of Sarcococca saligna, along with the six known alkaloids dictyophlebine ( 8 ), epipachysamine‐D ( 9 ), saracosine ( 10 ), iso‐N‐formylchonemorphine ( 11 ), sarcodinine ( 12 ), and alkaloid‐C ( 13 ). The structures of 1 – 7 were deduced from spectral data. Compounds 1 – 13 demonstrated significant activity against acetyl‐ and butyrylcholinesterase.     

Cucurbitane‐type triterpene glycosides from the fruits of Momordica charantia

The chemical study of Momordica charantia fruits led to the isolation of three new cucurbitane triterpene glycosides, momordicosides U, V, and W (1–3). The structures of these compounds were determined to be (19R, 23R)‐5β, 19‐epoxy‐19‐methoxycucurbita‐6,24‐diene‐3β, 23‐diol 3‐O‐β‐D‐allopyranoside (1), (23R)‐5β, 19‐epoxycucurbita‐6,24‐diene‐3β, 23‐diol 3‐O‐β‐D‐allopyranoside (2), and (19R)‐5β, 19‐epoxy‐19,25‐dihydroxycucurbita‐6,23(E)‐diene‐3β‐ol 3‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (3), by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Eudesmane‐Type Sesquiterpene Derivatives from Saussurea conica

Four new eudesmane‐type sesquiterpene derivatives, 3β‐[(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)oxy]‐11αH‐eudesm‐4(14)‐en‐12,8β‐olide ( 1 ), (3β)‐eudesma‐4(14),11(13)‐diene‐3,12‐diol ( 2 ), 3β‐[(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)oxy]eudesma‐4(14),11(13)‐dien‐12‐ol ( 3 ), and 3β‐[(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)oxy]eudesm‐4(14)‐en‐11‐ol ( 4 ), together with the known (3β)‐eudesm‐4(14)‐ene‐3,11‐diol ( 5 ) were isolated from Saussurea conica, and their structures were elucidated both spectroscopically and by chemical methods.     

Euphane Triterpenes from the Bark of Broussonetia papyrifera

Four new euphane triterpenes, (3β)‐3‐(acetyloxy)eupha‐7,25‐dien‐24‐one ( 1 ), (3β,24R)‐3‐(acetyloxy)eupha‐7,25‐dien‐24‐ol ( 2 ), (3β,24S)‐eupha‐7,25‐diene‐3,24‐diol ( 3 ), and (3β,24R)‐eupha‐7,25‐diene‐3,24‐diol ( 4 ) were isolated from the barks of Broussonetia papyrifera, a tree whose roots, barks, and fruits were used as herbal drugs in China. The structures of 1 – 4 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and chemical methods.     

Synthesis of Benzo[b]benzo[2,3‐d]thiophen‐6,9‐diones via Palladium(II) Acetate–Mediated Cyclization of 5‐Arylthiocyclohexa‐2,5‐diene‐1,4‐diones

Palladium(II)‐mediated oxidative cyclization of 5‐arylthiocyclohexa‐2,5‐diene‐1,4‐diones 4 giving biologically important benzo[b]benzo[2,3‐d]thiophene‐6,9‐diones 2 has been performed with a stoichiometric amount of palladium(II) acetate in distillated acetic acid.     

Photooxygenation of Pregnanes

The course of the singlet‐oxygen reaction with pregn‐17(20)‐enes and pregn‐5,17(20)‐dienes was studied to compare the reactivity of the two alkene moieties present in some steroid families. Thus, from commercially available (3β,5α)‐hydroxy‐androstan‐17‐one and (3β)‐3‐hydroxyandrost‐5‐en‐17‐one, the following 3‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐substituted, 17(20)‐unsaturated pregnanes were prepared (see Fig. 1): (3β,5α)‐21‐norpregn‐17(20)‐ene 1 ; (3β,5α,17Z)‐pregn‐17(20)‐ene 2 , (3β,5α,16α,17E)‐pregn‐17(20)‐en‐16‐ol 3 , (16β,5α,17E)‐pregn‐17(20)‐en‐16‐ol 4 , (3β,5α,16β,17E)‐pregn‐17(20)‐en‐16‐ol acetate 5 , (3β,16α)‐21‐norpregna‐5,17(20)‐dien‐16‐ol 6 , (3β,16α,17E)‐pregna‐5,17(20)‐dien‐16‐ol 7 , (3β,17Z)‐pregna‐5,17(20)‐diene 8 , (3β,17E)‐pregna‐5,17(20)‐dien‐21‐ol 9 and (3β,17E)‐5,17(20)‐dien‐21‐ol acetate 10 . The oxygenated products (see Fig. 2) obtained from 1 – 10 and ¹O₂, generated by irradiation of Rose Bengal in ³O₂‐saturated pyridine solution, were characterized by ¹H‐, ¹³C‐NMR, and MS (EI, FAB, HR‐EI, ESI‐ and UV‐MALDI‐TOF) data. Major products were those formed by the ene reaction involving as intermediates the corresponding hydroperoxides and the cyclic tautomers of the allylic hydroperoxides, i.e., the corresponding oxiranium oxide‐like intermediate (Scheme 5).     

Further Synthetic Attempts towards Calicene

First synthetic attempts towards the so‐far‐unknown calicene (=5‐(cycloprop‐2‐en‐1‐ylidene)cyclopenta‐1,3‐diene) precursors 3‐(cyclopenta‐2,4‐dien‐1‐ylidene)tricyclo[3.2.2.2^2,4]nona‐6,8‐diene ( 4 ; Scheme 1), 1,4‐di(cyclopenta‐2,4‐dien‐1‐ylidene)cyclohexa‐2,5‐diene ( 5 ; Scheme 2), and (2‐bromocycloprop‐1‐en‐1‐yl)cyclopentadiene ( 6 ; X=Br; Scheme 5) are reported, which would represent very attractive compounds for gas‐phase pyrolysis ( 4 ), matrix photolysis ( 5 ), and low‐temperature HBr eliminations in solution ( 5 ).     

Sesquiterpenes and Other Metabolites from the Marine Red Alga Laurencia composita (Rhodomelaceae)

Two new halogenated sesquiterpenes, (8β)‐10‐bromo‐3‐chloro‐2,7‐epoxychamigr‐9‐en‐8‐ol ( 1 ) and 2‐bromo‐3‐chlorobisabola‐7(14),11‐diene‐6,10‐diol ( 3 ), and one new phytol‐derived diterpene, 2,3‐epoxyphytyl acetate ( 4 ), along with cis‐ and trans‐1‐methylcyclohexane‐1,4‐diol ( 5 and 6 ) which were isolated from a natural source for the first time but have been previously synthesized, were isolated from the marine red alga Laurencia composita and characterized. In addition, a known sesquiterpene, pacifenediol ( 2 ), and the known furanone derivative 7 were also identified. Their structures were established by NMR and mass spectroscopic methods.     

Induced‐Fit Mechanism in Class I Terpene Cyclases

We present crystallographic and functional data of selina‐4(15),7(11)‐diene synthase (SdS) from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis in its open and closed (ligand‐bound) conformation. We could identify an induced‐fit mechanism by elucidating a rearrangement of the G1/2 helix‐break motif upon substrate binding. This rearrangement highlights a novel effector triad comprising the pyrophosphate sensor Arg178, the linker Asp181, and the effector Gly182‐O. This structural motif is strictly conserved in class I terpene cyclases from bacteria, fungi, and plants, including epi‐isozizaene synthase (3KB9), aristolochene synthase (4KUX), bornyl diphosphate synthase (1N20), limonene synthase (2ONG), 5‐epi‐aristolochene synthase (5EAT), and taxa‐4(5),11(12)‐diene synthase (3P5R). An elaborate structure‐based mutagenesis in combination with analysis of the distinct product spectra confirmed the mechanistic models of carbocation formation and stabilization in SdS.     

Competition between Hetero‐Diels‐Alder and Cheletropic Additions of Sulfur Dioxide to 2‐Substituted Buta‐1,3‐dienes. Synthesis of 2‐(1‐Naphthyl)‐ and 2‐(2‐Naphthyl)buta‐1,3‐diene

Chloroprene (=2‐chlorobuta‐1,3‐diene; 4b ) and electron‐rich dienes such as 2‐methoxy‐( 4c ), 2‐acetoxy‐( 4d ), and 2‐(phenylseleno)buta‐1,3‐diene ( 4e ) refused to equilibrate with the corresponding sultines 5 or 6 between −80 and −10° in the presence of excess SO₂ and an acidic promoter. Isoprene ( 4a ) and 2‐(triethylsilyl)‐( 4f ), 2‐phenyl‐( 4g ), and 2‐(2‐naphthyl)buta‐1,3‐diene ( 4i ) underwent the hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions with SO₂ at low temperature. In contrast, 2‐(1‐naphthyl)buta‐1,2‐diene ( 4h ) did not. With dienes 4a, 4g , and 4i , the hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions with SO₂ gave the corresponding 4‐substituted sultine 5 with high regioselectivity. In the case of 4g +SO₂⇄ 5g , the energy barrier for isomerization of 5g to 5‐phenylsultine ( 6g ) was similar to that of the cheletropic addition of 4g to give 3‐phenylsulfolene ( 7g ). The hetero‐Diels‐Alder addition of 4f gave a 1 : 4 mixture of the 4‐(triethylsilyl)sultine ( 5f ) and 5‐(triethylsilyl)sultine ( 6f ). The preparation of the two new dienes 4h and 4i is reported.     

New Terpenoids from Basidiomycetes Russula lepida

Three new triterpenoids and two new aristolane sesquiterpenoids, namely (24E)‐3β‐hydroxycucurbita‐5,24‐diene‐26‐oic acid ( 1 ), (24E)‐3,4‐secocucurbita‐4,24‐diene‐3,26‐dioic acid ( 4 ), (24E)‐3,4‐secocucurbita‐4,24‐diene‐3,26,29‐trioic acid ( 5 ), rulepidadiol ( 6 ), and rulepidatriol ( 7 ), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes Russula lepida. Their structures were established by spectral methods. Acids 4 , and 5 are the first examples of naturally occurring seco‐ring‐A cucurbitane triterpenoids. Alcohols 6 and 7 , belonging to the aristolane‐type sesquiterpenoids, are of a type rather rare in nature, especially among fungal species.     

Two New Ring A‐Cleaved Lanostane‐Type Triterpenoids and Four Known Steroids Isolated from Endophytic Fungus Glomerella sp. F00244

Two new ring A‐cleaved lanostane‐type triterpenoids, glometenoid A ( 1 ) and glometenoid B ( 2 ), together with four known steroids, (20S,22E,24R)‐ergosta‐7,22‐dien‐3β,5α,6β‐triol ( 3 ), (3β,5α,8α,22E)‐ergosta‐6,22‐diene‐3,5,8‐triol ( 4 ), 5α,8α‐epidioxy‐22E‐ergosta‐6,22‐dien‐3β‐ol ( 5 ), and ergosterol ( 6 ), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Glomerella sp. F00244. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses of NMR and MS data. Their antimicrobial activities were evaluated against pathogenic bacteria Bacillus subtilis ATCC 9372, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus pumilus CMCC (B) 63202, Micrococcus luteus CMCC28001, and pathogenic fungi Candida albicans AS2.538 and Aspergillus niger ACCC30005, but no inhibition was observed at a concentration of 20 μg/ml. Further cytotoxicity assessment revealed that compound 1 exhibited weak antiproliferative activity against ovarian cancer HeLa cell.     

Terpenoids from Two Dicranopteris Species

Two new compounds, (6S,13S)‐6‐{[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl]oxy}cleroda‐3,14‐dien‐13‐ol ( 1 ) and kadsuric acid 3‐methyl ester ( 2 ), together with nine known compounds, (6S,13E)‐6‐{[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl]oxy}cleroda‐3,13‐dien‐15‐ol ( 3 ), (6S,13S)‐6‐[6‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl]oxy}‐13‐{[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐fucopyranosyl]oxy}cleroda‐3,14‐diene ( 4 ), (6S,13S)‐6‐{[6‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl]oxy}‐13‐{[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐fucopyranosyl]oxy}cleroda‐3,14‐diene ( 5 ), 15‐hydroxydehydroabietic acid ( 6 ), 15‐hydroxylabd‐8(17)‐en‐19‐oic acid ( 7 ), junicedric acid ( 8 ), (4β)‐kaur‐16‐en‐18‐oic acid ( 9 ), (4β)‐16‐hydroxykauran‐18‐oic acid ( 10 ), and (4β,16β)‐16‐hydroxykauran‐18‐oic acid ( 11 ) were isolated from the fronds of Dicranopteris linearis or D. ampla. Their structures were established by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 1 and 3 – 8 showed no anti‐HIV activities.     

Muurolane‐type sesquiterpenes from marine sponge Dysidea cinerea

Seven new muurolane‐type sesquiterpenes, (4R,5R)‐muurol‐1(6),10(14)‐diene‐4,5‐diol (1), (4R,5R)‐muurol‐1(6)‐ene‐4,5‐diol (2), (4R,5R,10R)‐10‐methoxymuurol‐1(6)‐ene‐4,5‐diol (3), (4S)‐4‐hydroxy‐1,10‐seco‐muurol‐5‐ene‐1,10‐dione (4), (4R)‐4‐hydroxy‐1,10‐seco‐muurol‐5‐ene‐1,10‐dione (5), (6S,10S)‐6,10‐dihydroxy‐7,8‐seco‐2,8‐cyclo‐muurol‐4(5),7(11)‐diene‐12‐oic acid (6), and (6R,10S)‐6,10‐dihydroxy‐7,8‐seco‐2,8‐cyclo‐muurol‐4(5),7(11)‐diene‐12‐oic acid (7) were isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea cinerea. Their structures were determined by the combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods, including 1D‐NMR, 2D‐NMR, and CD spectra as well as by comparing the NMR data with those reported in the literature. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthetic Studies toward C3‐C9 Segment of Soraphen A1α

The ring‐closure metathesis of the diene (2S,3R,4S)‐1‐(tert‐butyldiphenylsilyloxy)‐2,4‐dimethylhex‐5‐en‐3‐yl acrylate produced the dihydropyrone with the correct stereochemistry for Soraphen A_1α synthesis. The C2,C3 stereocenters were introduced by the addition of the (Z)‐crotyl‐n‐butylstannane to the β‐alkoxyaldehyde(S)‐3‐(benzyloxy)‐2‐methylpropanal in presence of TiCl₄ as a chelating catalyst to give the desired anti,syn homoallyic alcohol (2S,3R,4S)‐1‐(tert‐butyldiphenylsilyloxy)‐2,4‐dimethylhex‐5‐en‐3‐ol.     

A Novel and Convenient Synthesis of Coenzyme Q1

Abstract

A convenient and efficient synthetic route to Coenzyme Q₁ (6) starting from 3,4,5‐trimethoxytoluene (1) is described. The key features of this synthesis include the Diels–Alder reaction of 2,3‐dimethoxy‐l,4‐benzoquinone (3) with cyclopentadiene and the introduction of a C₅ side chain to 4,5‐dimethoxy‐2‐methyltricyclo[6.2.1.0^2,7]undeca‐4,9‐diene‐3,6‐dione (4) under mild conditions, (6) was obtained in overall 60% yield.     

Terpenoids from Croton regelianus

Two new terpenoids, the bisnorditerpene rel‐(5β,8α,10α)‐8‐hydroxy‐13‐methylpodocarpa‐9(11),13‐diene‐3,12‐dione ( 1 ) and the guaiane sesquiterpene rel‐(1R,4S,6R,7S,8aR)‐decahydro‐1‐(hydroxymethyl)‐4,9,9‐trimethyl‐4,7‐(epoxymethano)azulen‐6‐ol ( 2 ), together with seven known compounds, were isolated from Croton regelianus var. matosii. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by HR‐ESI‐TOF and a combination of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments.     

Five bicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐dienes

A series of five compounds containing the bicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene skeleton are described, namely tetramethyl cis,cis‐3,7‐dihydroxybicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene‐2,4‐exo,6,8‐exo‐tetracarboxylate, C₁₆H₁₈O₁₀, (I), tetramethyl cis,cis‐3,7‐dihydroxy‐1,5‐dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene‐2,4‐exo,6,8‐exo‐tetracarboxylate, C₁₈H₂₂O₁₀, (II), tetramethyl cis,cis‐3,7‐dimethoxybicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene‐2,4‐exo,6,8‐exo‐tetracarboxylate, C₁₈H₂₂O₁₀, (III), tetramethyl cis,cis‐3,7‐dimethoxy‐1,5‐dimethylbicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene‐2,4‐exo,6,8‐exo‐tetracarboxylate, C₂₀H₂₆O₁₀, (IV), and tetramethyl cis,cis‐3,7‐diacetoxybicyclo[3.3.0]octa‐2,6‐diene‐2,4‐exo,6,8‐exo‐tetracarboxylate, C₂₀H₂₂O₁₂, (V). The bicyclic core is substituted in all cases at positions 2, 4, 6 and 8 with methoxycarbonyl groups and additionally at positions 3 and 7 with hydroxy [in (I) and (II)], methoxy [in (III) and (IV)] or acetoxy [in (V)] groups. The conformations of the methoxycarbonyl groups at positions 2 and 4 are exo for all five compounds. Each C₅ ring of the bicyclic skeleton is almost planar, but the rings are not coplanar, with dihedral angles of 54.93 (7), 69.85 (5), 64.07 (4), 80.74 (5) and 66.91 (7)° for (I)–(V), respectively, and the bicyclooctadiene system adopts a butterfly‐like conformation. Strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds exist between the –OH and C=O groups in (I) and (II), with O...O distances of 2.660 (2) and 2.672 (2) Å in (I), and 2.653 (2) and 2.635 (2) Å in (II). The molecular packing is stabilized by weaker C—H...O(=C) interactions, leading to dimers in (I)–(III) and to a chain structure in (V). The structure series presented in this article shows how the geometry of the cycloocta‐2,6‐diene skeleton changes upon substitution in different positions and, consequently, how the packing is modified, although the intermolecular interactions are basically the same across the series.