A one-pot chemoenzymatic synthesis of (2S, 4R)-4-methylproline enables the first total synthesis of antiviral lipopeptide cavinafungin B

We report an efficient ten-step (longest linear sequence) synthesis of antiviral natural product cavinafungin B in 37% overall yield. By leveraging a one-pot chemoenzymatic synthesis of (2S,4R)-4-methylproline and oxazolidine-tethered (AT (Boc)G-Rink resin) SPPS methodology, the assembly of our molecular target could be conducted in an efficient manner. This general strategy could prove amenable to the construction of other natural and unnatural linear lipopeptides. The value of incorporating biocatalytic steps in complex molecule synthesis is highlighted by this work.