Synthesis of Natural Product Derivatives Containing 2,4‐Concatenated Oxazoles

Heterologous characterization of mechercharmycin A biosynthesis reveals alternative insights into post-translational modifications for RiPPs

Mechercharmycin A (MCM-A) is a marine natural product belonging to a family of polyazole cyclopeptides with remarkable bioactivities and unique structures. Identification, heterologous expression, and genetic characterizations of the MCM biosynthetic gene cluster in Bacillus subtilis revealed that it is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) possessing complex with distinctive modifications. Based on this heterologous expression system, two MCM analogs with comparable antitumor activity are generated by engineering the biosynthetic pathway. Combinatorial co-production of a precursor peptide with different modifying enzymes in Escherichia coli identifies a different timing of modifications, showing that a tRNA^Glu-dependent highly regioselective dehydration is the first modification step, followed by polyazole formation through heterocyclization and dehydrogenation in an N- to C-terminal direction. Therefore, a rational biosynthetic pathway of MCMs is proposed, which unveils a subfamily of azol(in)e-containing RiPPs and sets the stage for further investigations of the enzymatic mechanism and synthetic biology.

Frontier Between Cyclic Peptides and Macrocycles

This review describes a selection of macrocyclic natural products and structurally modified analogs containing peptidic and non-peptidic elements as structural features that potentially modulate cellular permeability. Examples range from exclusively peptidic structures like cyclosporin A or phepropeptins to compounds with mostly non-peptidic character, such as telomestatin or largazole. Furthermore, semisynthetic approaches and synthesis platforms to generate general and focused libraries of compounds at the interface of cyclic peptides and non-peptidic macrocycles are discussed.

Total synthesis of the azolemycins

The first total syntheses of newly isolated polyazole natural products azolemycins A–D, along with the synthesis of the tetra-oxazole non-natural analogue, are described.

Synthesis of fused oxazole-containing coumarin derivatives via oxidative cross coupling reaction using a combination of CuCl2 and TBHP

Various fused oxazoles containing coumarin derivatives were synthesized via an oxidative cross coupling reaction by employing 20 mol% CuCl₂ as the catalyst and TBHP as an oxidant.

Total syntheses of linear polythiazole/oxazole plantazolicin A and its biosynthetic precursor plantazolicin B

Plantazolicin A, a linear decacyclic natural product, exhibits desirable selective activity against the causative agent of anthrax toxicity. The total synthesis of plantazolicin A and its biosynthetic precursor plantazolicin B was successfully achieved by an efficient, unified, and highly convergent route featuring dicyclizations to form 2,4-concatenated oxazoles and the mild synthesis of thiazoles from natural amino acids. This report represents the first synthesis of plantazolicin B and includes the first complete characterization data for both natural products.

Oxidative cross coupling reaction mediated by I2/H2O2: a novel approach for the construction of fused thiazole containing coumarin derivatives

Various 2-phenyl-4H-chromeno(3,4-d)thiazol-4-one derivatives have been synthesized through C–H bond activation using sodium sulfide as a source of sulfur atoms and by employing I₂ as a catalyst and H₂O₂ as the terminal oxidant.

Total synthesis and biological activity of natural product Urukthapelstatin A

Herein we report the first total synthesis of the natural product Urkuthaplestatin A (Ustat A) utilizing a convergent synthetic strategy. The characterization and biological activity match those of the previously published natural product. Interestingly, several intermediates, including the linear and serine cyclized precursors, show a 100-fold decrease in cytotoxicity, with IC50's in the low micromolar range. These data indicate that the rigidity and the consecutive aromatic heterocyclic system are responsible for the biological activity.