The reactivity of 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-pyrone towards aliphatic saturated and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Targeted Genome Mining-From Compound Discovery to Biosynthetic Pathway Elucidation

Natural products are an important source of novel investigational compounds in drug discovery. Especially in the field of antibiotics, Actinobacteria have been proven to be a reliable source for lead structures. The discovery of these natural products with activity- and structure-guided screenings has been impeded by the constant rediscovery of previously identified compounds. Additionally, a large discrepancy between produced natural products and biosynthetic potential in Actinobacteria, including representatives of the order Pseudonocardiales, has been revealed using genome sequencing. To turn this genomic potential into novel natural products, we used an approach including the in-silico pre-selection of unique biosynthetic gene clusters followed by their systematic heterologous expression. As a proof of concept, fifteen Saccharothrixespanaensis genomic library clones covering predicted biosynthetic gene clusters were chosen for expression in two heterologous hosts, Streptomyceslividans and Streptomycesalbus. As a result, two novel natural products, an unusual angucyclinone pentangumycin and a new type II polyketide synthase shunt product SEK90, were identified. After purification and structure elucidation, the biosynthetic pathways leading to the formation of pentangumycin and SEK90 were deduced using mutational analysis of the biosynthetic gene cluster and feeding experiments with ¹³C-labelled precursors.

Anion functionalized ionic liquid from artificial sugar: a sustainable pathway for diverse bis-enol derivatives

An artificial sugar saccharine based anion-functionalized ionic liquid [Bmim]Sac was synthesized and used for new and straightforward strategies for the construction of a diverse range of bis-enols.

Constructing the Architecturally Distinctive ABD-Tricycle of Phomactin A through an Intramolecular Oxa-[3 + 3] Annulation Strategy

Our efforts in constructing the ABD-ring of phomactin A through an intramolecular oxa-[3 + 3] annulation strategy is described. This struggle entailed finding a practical and efficient preparation of annulation precursor, and a realization of the unexpected competing regioisomeric pathway. The success entailed accessing the A-ring through Diels-Alder cycloaddition of Rawal's diene. Furthermore, the discovery that the regioisomers from the annulation existed as atropisomers with respect to the D-ring olefin and that they could be equilibrated to the desired ABD-tricycle, allowing large quantities of tricycle to be accessed.

Total synthesis of (±)-phomactin A. Lessons learned from respecting a challenging structural topology

Our struggles and ultimate success in achieving a total synthesis of phomactin A are described. Our strategy features an intramolecular oxa-[3 + 3] annulation to construct its unique ABD-tricyclic manifold. Although the synthesis would constitute a distinctly new approach with the 12-membered D-ring of phomactin A being assembled simultaneously with the 1-oxadecalin at an early stage, the ABD-tricycle represents a unique structural topology that would pose a number of unprecedented challenges. One challenge concerned elaborating this tricycle to have oxygenation at the proper carbon atoms. To overcome this, we would utilize a Kornblum-DeLaMare ring-opening of a peroxide bridge as well as a challenging late-stage 1,3-allylic alcohol transposition. Further, the structural intricacies of the ABD-tricycle were uncovered by a conformational analysis that would be critical for the C5a-homologation.

Aza- and Carbo-[3 + 3] Annulations of Exo-Cyclic Vinylogous Amides and Urethanes. Synthesis of Tetrahydroindolizidines and An Unexpected Formation of Hexahydroquinolines

[3 + 3] Annulations of exo-cyclic vinylogous amides and urethanes with vinyl iminium salts are described here. We observed an intriguing dichotomy in their reaction pathways. For pyrrolidine- and azepane-based vinylogous amides or urethanes, aza-[3 + 3] annulation would dominate to give tetrahydroindolizidines, whereas, unexpectedly, for piperidine-based vinylogous amides or urethanes, carbo-[3 + 3] annulation was the pathway, leading to hexahydroquinolines. The origin for such a contrast is likely associated with a switch in the initial reaction pathway between C-1,2-addition and C-1,4-addition.

Efficient synthesis of substituted 7-methyl-2H,5H-pyrano[4,3-b]pyran-5-ones and evaluation of their in vitro antiproliferative/cytotoxic activities

Substituted 7-methyl-2H,5H-pyrano[4,3-b]pyran-5-ones and related heterocycles 3 were synthesized through an efficient domino Knoevenagel condensation/6pi-electron electrocyclization. In vitro antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity evaluation was performed with human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and revealed IC(50) values ranging from 6.7 to >200microM. The compound that was most cytotoxic to the neuroblastoma cells, that is, 2-isobutyl-3-isopropyl-7-methyl-2H,5H-pyrano[4,3-b]pyran-5-one (3a), also exhibited necrotic effects on the human IPC melanoma cells.

Diastereoselective annulation of 4-hydroxypyran-2H-ones with enantiopure 2,3-dideoxy-α,β-unsaturated sugar aldehydes derived from respective glycals

One-pot condensations of 4-hydroxypyran-2H-ones 1 and 2, respectively, with various enantiopure 2,3-dideoxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated carbohydrate enals in the presence of l-proline in EtOAc at room temperature generated pyrano-pyrones. It was observed that, while benzyl-protected carbohydrate enals on condensation with 1 or 2 under the above conditions produced an inseparable diastereomeric mixture in a ratio of 1:1, the acyl-protected carbohydrate enals on treatment with 1 or 2 under identical conditions yielded products with moderate to very high diastereoselectivity. A remarkable asymmetric induction was noticed from the C-4 stereogenic center of the acyl-protected carbohydrate enals. An almost complete diastereoselectivity was observed in those reactions that involved condensation of 1 with acetyl-protected enals 5 and 7. The reaction of 2 with 5 also proceeded diastereoselectively to furnish the corresponding annulated product. The reaction presumably took place by C-1,2-addition of the pyrone onto the iminium salt of the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbohydrate enal generated in situ, followed by beta-elimination and cyclization of the 1-oxatriene involving a 6pi-electron electrocyclic process to yield a 2H,5H-pyrano[3,2-c]pyran-5-one derivative.

Intramolecular formal oxa-[3 + 3] cycloaddition approach to the ABD system of phomactin A

The ABD-ring of phomactin A was synthesized using an intramolecular formal oxa-[3 + 3] cycloaddion of an alpha,beta-unsaturated iminium salt tethered to a 1,3-diketone. This represents the first time that the 12-membered ring has been formed simultaneously with the 1-oxadecalin and should afford a facile route to the challenging structure of phomactin A. [reaction: see text]

A formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition reaction. Improved reactivity using alpha,beta-unsaturated iminium salts and evidence for reversibility of 6pi-electron electrocyclic ring closure of 1-oxatrienes

A detailed account regarding a formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition method using 4-hydroxy-2-pyrones and 1,3-diketones is described here. This formal cycloaddition reaction or annulation reaction is synthetically useful for constructing 2H-pyranyl heterocycles. The usage of alpha,beta-unsaturated iminium salts is significant in controlling competing reaction pathways to give exclusively 2H-pyrans. Most significantly, experimental evidence is provided to support the mechanism of this reaction that involves a sequential Knoevenagel condensation and a reversible 6pi-electron electrocyclic ring-closure of 1-oxatrienes.