Total synthesis of Hirtellanine A

Total syntheses and antibacterial evaluations of cudraflavones A-C and related Flavones

The total syntheses of the natural prenylated flavones cudraflavones A-C (1-3), artoheterophyllin D (28) and artelasticin (29) are reported, along with the evaluations of their antibacterial activities. The key steps of the synthesis involved a Baker-Venkataraman rearrangement and an intramolecular cyclization for the construction of the flavone core and the regioselective formation of the pyran and isopentenyl scaffolds. The tested natural flavones 1-3 and 27-29 exhibited potent activity against S. aureus ATCC 29213, S. epidermidis ATCC 14990, E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and B. subtilis ATCC 6633 with MIC values ranging from 0.125 μg/mL to 16 μg/mL. Compound 3 displayed the strongest potency, with MIC values in the range between 0.125 and 1 μg/mL, as a potential candidate to combat G+ bacterial infections. Preliminary mechanism of action studies suggested that this compound killed bacteria by disrupting bacterial membrane integrity.

Total Synthesis of Lineaflavones A, C, D, and Analogues

The first total synthesis of lineaflavones A, C, D, and their analogues has been accomplished. The key synthetic steps include aldol/oxa-Michael/dehydration sequence reactions to assemble the tricyclic core, Claisen rearrangement and Schenck ene reaction to construct the key intermediate, and selective substitution or elimination of tertiary allylic alcohol to obtain natural compounds. In addition, we also explored five new routes to synthesize fifty-three natural product analogues, which can contribute to a systematic structure-activity relationship during biological evaluation.

Recent advances in the synthesis of natural products containing the phloroglucinol motif

Covering: June 2009 to 2021Natural products containing a phloroglucinol motif include simple and oligomeric phloroglucinols, polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, phloroglucinol-terpenes, xanthones, flavonoids, and coumarins. These compounds represent a major class of secondary metabolites which exhibit a wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hypoglycaemic properties. A number of these compounds have been authorized for therapeutic use or are currently being studied in clinical trials. Their structural diversity and utility in both traditional and conventional medicine have made them popular synthetic targets over the years. In this review, we compile and summarise the recent synthetic approaches to the natural products bearing a phloroglucinol motif. Focus has been given on ingenious strategies to functionalize the phloroglucinol moiety at multiple positions. The isolation and bioactivities of the compounds are also provided.

Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Efficient Synthesis of Wedelolactone and Evaluation as Potential Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Tyrosinase is an enzyme widely distributed in nature, which has multiple functions, especially in the melanin biosynthesis pathway. Despite the few clinically available tyrosinase inhibitors for whitening, a great demand remains for novel compounds with low side effects in terms of potential carcinogenicity and improved clinical efficacy. A natural product, wedelolactone (WEL), with a polyhydroxyl moiety, attracted our attention as a potential tyrosinase inhibitor. Before we studied the biological activity of the natural product, a synthetic methodological research was firstly carried to obtain enough raw material. WEL could be obtained efficiently through palladium-catalyzed boronation/coupling reactions and 2,3-dicyano-5,6-dichlorobenzoquinone (DDQ)-involved oxidative deprotection/annulation reactions. Immediately after, the natural product was proven to be an efficient tyrosinase inhibitor. In conclusion, we developed a mild and efficient approach for the preparation of WEL, and the natural product was disclosed to have anti-tyrosinase activity, which could be widely used in multiple fields.

Application of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction in the synthesis of flavonoids

The application of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction in the synthesis of flavonoids, an important class of natural products, is reviewed. This reaction has not only been employed to provide access to flavonoid nuclei, but has also been applied to the synthesis of dimeric flavonoids and in the synthesis of libraries of flavonoid derivatives for biological activity studies. The classes of flavonoids that are discussed are the chalcones, flavones, isoflavones, neoflavones, biflavones and derivatives of flavonoids obtained by C-C bond formation via the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction.

Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-scuteflorin A using organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation

We report the first enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-scuteflorin A in 14% overall yield, employing a chiral iminium salt to effect an organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation of xanthyletin in >99% ee as the key step.

Total synthesis of the pyranoisoflavone kraussianone 1 and related isoflavones

The first total synthesis of the pyranoisoflavone kraussianone 1 (1) is described. The key steps involved the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction for the construction of the isoflavone core and the regioselective formation of the dimethylpyran scaffolds to the phloroglucinol (ring A) and resorcinol (ring B) moieties of kraussianone 1 (1). This route also provided access to the related isoflavones eriosemaone D (2) and genistein (3) via simple structural modifications.