Synthesis and evaluation of the cytotoxicity of apoptolidinones A and D

Apoptolidins A-D are microbial secondary metabolites shown to be selectively cytotoxic against several cancer cell lines and noncytotoxic against normal cells. Total syntheses of apoptolidinones A and D are reported. The efficient synthetic strategy leading to the apoptolidinones features construction of the common 20-membered macrolactone by an intramolecular Suzuki reaction and stereocontrolled aldol reactions establishing the C19/C20 and C22/C23 stereocenters. In contrast to apoptolidin A, the aglycones apoptolidinone A and D were shown to be noncytotoxic when evaluated against human lung cancer cells (H292).