Zwittermicin A: synthesis of analogs and structure-activity studies

Extraction of antibiotic zwittermicin A from Bacillus thuringiensis by macroporous resin and silica gel column chromatography

To establish a production process capable of providing refined zwittermicin A (ZwA) on a large scale, the macroporous resin and silica gel column chromatography were used to separate and purify the antibiotic ZwA from the fermentation broth of Bacillus thuringiensis HD-1. The result of high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry after purification suggests that the samples of ZwA were of high purity, 89%, and the average yield was 20 mg L(-1). Erwinia herbicola LS005, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis were used to assess the toxicity of ZwA. The antibiotic had strong antibacterial activity against E. herbicola LS005 and a color reaction with ninhydrin.

Enantiospecific synthesis of the diacid side-chain of deoxyharringtonine and homodeoxyharringtonine

The enantiospecific synthesis of the diacid side-chain of deoxyharringtonine (2) and homodeoxyharringtonine (3) was accomplished from (L)-N-Boc-α-amino alcohol 10 in high yield. A key feature of the synthesis is the construction of the chiral tertiary alcohol by a three-step sequence (i.e., Wittig reaction, Meisenheimer rearrangement, and catalytic hydrogenation).

Brønsted acid-promoted azide-olefin [3 + 2] cycloadditions for the preparation of contiguous aminopolyols: The importance of disiloxane ring size to a diastereoselective, bidirectional approach to zwittermicin A

We report the first study of substrate-controlled diastereoselection in a double [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition of benzyl azide with α,β-unsaturated imides. Using a strong Brønsted acid (triflic acid) to activate the electron deficient imide π-bond, high diastereoselection was observed provided that a 1,1,3,3-tetraisopropoxydisiloxanylidene group (TIPDS) is used to restrict the conformation of the central 1,3-anti diol. This development provides a basis for a stereocontrolled approach to the aminopolyol core of (-)-zwittermicin A using a bidirectional synthesis strategy.