Ein einheitlicher Ansatz zur stereoselektiven Totalsynthese von Pyridonalkaloiden und deren neuritogene Aktivität

Enantioselective Synthesis of the 1,3-Dienyl-5-Alkyl-6-Oxy Motif: Method Development and Total Synthesis

The 1,3-dienyl-5-alkyl-6-oxy motif is widely found in various types of bioactive natural products. However, present synthesis is mainly non-asymmetric which relied upon different olefination or transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions using enantioenriched precursors. Herein, based upon a newly developed enantioselective α-alkylation of conjugated polyenoic acids, a variety of 1,3-dienyl-5-alkyl-6-oxy motif (with E-configured internal olefin) was generated as the corresponding α-adducts in a highly enantioselective and diastereoselective manner. Utilizing 1,3-dienyl-5-alkyl-6-oxy motif as key intermediates, we further demonstrated their synthetic potential by expedient total syntheses of three types of natural products (glutarimide antibiotics, α-pyrone polyketides and Lupin alkaloids) within 4-7 steps.

Stereostructure Clarifying Total Synthesis of the (Polyenoyl)tetramic Acid Militarinone B. A Highly Acid-Labile N-Protecting Group for Amides†

The 5S, 8'R, and 10'R configurations of militarinone B (3), which is a natural product from Paecilomyces militaris, should equal those in its biosynthetic precursor, militarinone C. The configuration at C-1' emerged from syntheses of the militarinone B candidates 1''S- and 1''R-(5S,8'R,10'R)-3 from the building blocks 9, 11, 14, and 15a while introducing TMB as a more acid-labile N-protecting group for β-ketoamides than DMB. Comparisons of 1''S- and 1''R-(5S,8'R,10'R)-3 with natural militarinone B (3; reisolated from Nature) revealed identity versus distinctness.

Structure-Elucidating Total Synthesis of the (Polyenoyl)tetramic Acid Militarinone C§

The (polyenoyl)tetramic acid militarinone C (1) heads a family of seven members. Before our work, the configuration of C-5 was unknown whereas the configurations of C-8' and C-10' were either (R,R) or (S,S). We synthesized the four stereoisomers of constitution 1, which conform with these insights. This included cross-coupling both enantiomers of the western building block (8) with both enantiomers of the eastern building block (9). The specific rotations of the resulting 1 isomers suggested that natural 1 is configured like the coupling partners (S)-8 and (R,R)-9. This conclusion was corroborated by degrading natural 1 to alcohol 35 and by proving its configurational identity with synthetic (R,R)-35.

Scaffold Diversity Synthesis Delivers Complex, Structurally, and Functionally Distinct Tetracyclic Benzopyrones

Complexity-generating chemical transformations that afford novel molecular scaffolds enriched in sp3 character are highly desired. Here, we present a highly stereoselective scaffold diversity synthesis approach that utilizes cascade double-annulation reactions of diverse pairs of zwitterionic and non-zwitterionic partners with 3-formylchromones to generate highly complex tetracyclic benzopyrones. Each pair of annulation partners adds to the common chroman-4-one scaffold to build two new rings, supporting up to four contiguous chiral centers that include an all-carbon quaternary center. Differently ring-fused benzopyrones display different biological activities, thus demonstrating their immense potential in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology research.

A one-pot, metal-free approach to bicyclic 2-pyridones

A practical one-pot process based on two-fold intramolecular cyclizations provides a more expedient entry into a variety of bicyclic 2-pyridones.

Capturing Biological Activity in Natural Product Fragments by Chemical Synthesis

Natural products have had an immense influence on science and have directly led to the introduction of many drugs. Organic chemistry, and its unique ability to tailor natural products through synthesis, provides an extraordinary approach to unlock the full potential of natural products. In this Review, an approach based on natural product derived fragments is presented that can successfully address some of the current challenges in drug discovery. These fragments often display significantly reduced molecular weights, reduced structural complexity, a reduced number of synthetic steps, while retaining or even improving key biological parameters such as potency or selectivity. Examples from various stages of the drug development process up to the clinic are presented. In addition, this process can be leveraged by recent developments such as genome mining, antibody–drug conjugates, and computational approaches. All these concepts have the potential to identify the next generation of drug candidates inspired by natural products.

Neuritogenic militarinone-inspired 4-hydroxypyridones target the stress pathway kinase MAP4K4

Progressive loss and impaired restoration of neuronal activity are hallmarks of neurological diseases, and new small molecules with neurotrophic activity are in high demand. The militarinone alkaloids and structurally simplified analogues with 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone core structure induce pronounced neurite outgrowth, but their protein target has not been identified. Reported herein is the synthesis of a militarinone-inspired 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone collection, its investigation for enhancement of neurite outgrowth, and the discovery of the stress pathway kinase MAP4K4 as a target of the discovered neuritogenic pyridones. The most potent 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone is a selective ATP-competitive inhibitor of MAP4K4 but not of the other stress pathway related kinases, as proven by biochemical analysis and by a crystal structure of the inhibitor in complex with MAP4K4. The findings support the notion that MAP4K4 may be a new target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurotrophic natural products: chemistry and biology

Neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury affect approximately 50 million people worldwide, bringing the total healthcare cost to over 600 billion dollars per year. Nervous system growth factors, that is, neurotrophins, are a potential solution to these disorders, since they could promote nerve regeneration. An average of 500 publications per year attests to the significance of neurotrophins in biomedical sciences and underlines their potential for therapeutic applications. Nonetheless, the poor pharmacokinetic profile of neurotrophins severely restricts their clinical use. On the other hand, small molecules that modulate neurotrophic activity offer a promising therapeutic approach against neurological disorders. Nature has provided an impressive array of natural products that have potent neurotrophic activities. This Review highlights the current synthetic strategies toward these compounds and summarizes their ability to induce neuronal growth and rehabilitation. It is anticipated that neurotrophic natural products could be used not only as starting points in drug design but also as tools to study the next frontier in biomedical sciences: the brain activity map project.