Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of (Z)- and (E)-bromoenyne: unusual stereochemical outcome

Zampanolide and dactylolide: cytotoxic tubulin-assembly agents and promising anticancer leads

Zampanolide is a marine natural macrolide and a recent addition to the family of microtubule-stabilizing cytotoxic agents. Zampanolide exhibits unique effects on tubulin assembly and is more potent than paclitaxel against several multi-drug resistant cancer cell lines. A high-resolution crystal structure of αβ-tubulin in complex with zampanolide explains how taxane-site microtubule-stabilizing agents promote microtubule assemble and stability. This review provides an overview of current developments of zampanolide and its related but less potent analogue dactylolide, covering their natural sources and isolation, structure and conformation, cytotoxic potential, structure-activity studies, mechanism of action, and syntheses.

Total synthesis of (-)-zampanolide and questionable existence of (-)-dactylolide as the elusive biosynthetic precursor of (-)-zampanolide in an Okinawan sponge

A new and concise total synthesis of (-)-zampanolide, (-)-1, and (-)-dactylolide, (-)-2, is described. Synthetic highlights include (i) a mild Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction providing the seco acid, (ii) an unusual stepwise cross-coupling reaction of a 1,1-dibromodiene with inversion of olefin geometry, and (iii) specific O-Michael reaction conditions using catalytic LHMDS with TMEDA for the synthesis of functionalized 2,6-cis-tetrahydropyran. A marine sponge extract was analyzed for the presence of (-)-2 as the biosynthetic precursor of (-)-zampanolide.