Synthesis of 6-oxacyclopropa[a]indene derivatives starting from Baylis–Hillman adducts via Pd-mediated C(sp)–H activation

We prepared novel 1-phenyl-1,6a-dihydro-6-oxacyclopropa[a]indene-1a-carboxylic acid derivatives starting from the Baylis–Hillman adducts via the palladium-mediated domino carbopalladation involving activation of C(sp³)–H bond.     

Cytotoxic Activity of Capnellene‐8β, 10α‐Diol Derivatives from a Taiwanese Soft Coral Capnella sp.

The sesquiterpene capnellene‐8β, 10α‐diol ( 1 ) was isolated from non‐polar extract of the soft coral Capnella sp. Ten acylation products of capnellene‐8β, 10α‐diol were prepared: 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐benzoylcapnellene ( 2 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐p‐toluoylcapnellene ( 3 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐4‐chlorobenzoyl‐capnellene ( 4 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐2‐furoylcapnellene ( 5 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐2‐thiophenoylcapnellene ( 6 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐4‐fluorobenzoylcapnellene ( 7 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐4‐propylbenzoylcapnellene ( 8 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐cinnamoylcapnellene ( 9 ), 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐4‐nitrobenzoylcapnellene ( 10 ), and 10α‐hydroxy‐8β‐O‐4‐anisoylcapnellene ( 11 ). The structures of capnellene‐8β, 10α‐diol as well as its derivatives were established through standard spectroscopic analysis. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of the eleven compounds were evaluated against Hela, KB, Daoy, and WiDr human tumor cell lines.     

Three New Sesquiterpenoids from Xylaria sp. NCY2

Three new sesquiterpenoids, xylarenones A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), and xylarenic acid ( 3 ), were obtained from the endophytic fungal strain Xylaria sp. NCY2, which was isolated from Torreya jackii Chun . Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments, and by HR‐Q‐TOF mass spectrometry. The antitumor and antibacterial properties of the new compounds were evaluated.     

Structure determination of two new indole‐diterpenoids from Penicillium sp. CM‐7 by NMR spectroscopy

Two new indole‐diterpenoids 4b‐deoxy‐1′‐O‐acetylpaxilline (1) and 4b‐deoxypenijanthine A (2) were isolated from the fermentation broth and the mycelia of the soil fungus Penicillium sp. CM‐7, along with three known structurally related compounds, 1′‐O‐acetylpaxilline (3), paspaline (4) and 3‐deoxo‐4b‐deoxypaxilline (5). The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR, and their absolute configurations were suggested on the basis of the circular dichroism spectral analysis and the NOESY data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Salarins D-J, seven new nitrogenous macrolides from the madagascar sponge Fascaplysinopsis sp.

Seven new nitrogenous macrolides, designated salarins D-J (4-10), closely related to salarins A-C (1-3), have been isolated from the Madagascar Fascaplysinopsis sp. sponge. The structure and relative stereochemistry of compounds 4-10 were elucidated by interpretation of MS, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY spectra. Salarin B's structure (2), based on the structure of salarin J (10), is now amended to also incorporate the C-14 to -17 THF ring system. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against K562 and UT-7 human leukemia cells. While salarins D, E, H, and J displayed dose and time dependent inhibition of proliferation, salarins F and I were not active in these assays.     

A Theoretical Investigation on N7(H)→N9(H)Tautomerization of Isolated and Monohydrated 2,6-Dithiopurine Combined with IPCM Solvent Model

The tautomerization reaction mechanism has been reported between N7(H) and N9(H) of isolated and monohydrated 2,6‐dithiopurine using B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p). The isodensity polarized continuum model (IPCM) in the self‐consistent reaction field (SCRF) method is employed to account for the solvent effect of water on the tautomerization reaction activation energies. The results show that the two pathways P(1) (via the carbene intermediate I1) and P(2) (via the sp³‐hybrid intermediate I2) are found in intramolecular proton transfer, and each pathway is composed by two primary steps. The calculated activation energy barriers of the rate‐determining steps in isolated 2,6‐dithiopurine N7(H)→N9(H) tautomerism are 308.2 and 220.0 kJ·mol^?1 in the two pathways, respectively. Interestingly, in one‐water molecule catalyst, it dramatically lowers the N7(H)→N9(H) energy barriers by the concerted double proton transfer mechanism in P(1), favoring the formation of 2,6‐dithiopurine N9(H). However, the single proton transfer mechanism assisted with out‐of‐plane water in the first step of P(2) increases the activation energy barrier from 220.0 to 232.3 kJ·mol^?1, while the second step is the out‐of‐plane concerted double proton transfer mechanism, indicating that they will be less preferable for proton transfer. Additionally, the results also show that all the pathways are put into the aqueous solution, and the activation energy barriers have no significant changes. Therefore, the long‐range electrostatic effect of bulk solvent has no significant impact on proton transfer reactions and the interaction with explicit water molecules will significantly influence proton transfer reactions.     

Probing the role of N-linked glycans in the stability and activity of fungal cellobiohydrolases by mutational analysis

The filamentous fungi Trichoderma reesei and Penicillium funiculosum produce highly effective enzyme mixtures that degrade the cellulose and hemicellulose components of plant cell walls. Many fungal species produce a glycoside hydrolase family 7 (Cel7A) cellobiohydrolase, a class of enzymes that catalytically process from the reducing end of cellulose. A direct amino acid comparison of these two enzymes shows that they not only have high amino acid homology, but also contain analogous N-linked glycosylation sites on the catalytic domain. We have previously shown (Jeoh et al. in Biotechnol Biofuels, 1:10, 2008) that expression of T. reesei cellobiohydrolase I in a commonly used industrial expression host, Aspergillus niger var. awamori, results in an increase in the amount of N-linked glycosylation of the enzyme, which negatively affects crystalline cellulose degradation activity as well as thermal stability. This complementary study examines the significance of individual N-linked glycans on the surface of the catalytic domain of Cel7A cellobiohydrolases from T. reesei and P. funiculosum by genetically adding or removing N-linked glycosylation motifs using site directed mutagenesis. Modified enzymes, expressed in A. niger var. awamori, were tested for activity and thermal stability. It was concluded that N-linked glycans in peptide loops that form part of the active site tunnel have the greatest impact on both thermal stability and enzymatic activity on crystalline cellulose for both the T. reesei and P. funiculosum Cel7A enzymes. Specifically, for the Cel7A T. reesei enzyme expressed in A. niger var. awamori, removal of the N384 glycosylation site yields a mutant with 70% greater activity after 120 h compared to the heterologously expressed wild type T. reesei enzyme. In addition, similar activity improvements were found to be associated with the addition of a new glycosylation motif at N194 in P. funiculosum. This mutant also exhibits 70% greater activity after 120 h compared to the wild type P. funiculosum enzyme expressed in A. niger var. awamori. Overall, this study demonstrates that “tuning” enzyme glycosylation for expression from heterologous expression hosts is essential for generating engineered enzymes with optimal stability and activity.     

Total synthesis of amphidinolactone A and its absolute configuration

Asymmetric synthesis of amphidinolactone A, a cytotoxic macrolide from the cultured dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., has been accomplished. Absolute configuration of amphidinolactone A was concluded to be 1 from comparison of the NMR data and [α]_D values of synthetic and natural amphidinolactone A.     

First synthesis of (±)-cedarmycin B

The synthesis of racemic cedarmycin B,an antibiotic from Streptomyces sp.TP-A0456 was achieved firstly fromγ- butyrolactone.The key step was a Barbier-type addition of 3-bromomethyl-5H-furan-2-one to formaldehyde mediated by zinc, which afforded the soleγ-addition product 4-hydroxymethyl-3-methylene-dihydrofuran-2-one.The final compound was confirmed by ~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR and HRMS.