A formal synthesis of aplysiatoxin: enantioselective synthesis of kishi's aldehyde

A simple analogue of tumor-promoting aplysiatoxin is an antineoplastic agent rather than a tumor promoter: development of a synthetically accessible protein kinase C activator with bryostatin-like activity

Protein kinase C (PKC) is widely recognized as a therapeutic target in intractable diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). While inhibition of PKC is a general therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer, PKC activators are potential therapeutic agents for AD and AIDS. However, concerns have been raised about their therapeutic use since PKC activators such as phorbol esters exhibit potent tumor-promoting activities. Naturally occurring bryostatin 1 (bryo-1), prostratin, and 12-deoxyphorbol 13-phenylacetate (DPP) are fascinating PKC activators without tumor-promoting activities. Bryo-1 is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer and is also effective against AD. Prostratin and DPP are attractive candidates for the adjunctive treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, their limited availability from natural sources and synthetic complexity have hampered further development as therapeutic agents. We report here easy access (22 steps) to a simple analogue (1) of the tumor-promoting aplysiatoxin (ATX) as a novel PKC activator with anticancer and anti-tumor-promoting activities. Anticancer activities of 1 against several human cancer cell lines were comparable to those of bryo-1. Moreover, 1 as well as bryo-1 significantly inhibited the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) induction by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), whereas ATX strongly induced EBV-EA. This inhibitory effect is characteristic of antitumor promoters. Compound 1 as well as bryo-1 displayed significant binding and activation of PKCdelta and induced its translocation to the nuclear membrane in CHO-K1 cells. This study provides a synthetically accessible PKC activator with bryo-1-like activities, which could be another therapeutic lead for cancer, AD, and AIDS.

Multicomponent Linchpin Couplings. Reaction of Dithiane Anions with Terminal Epoxides, Epichlorohydrin, and Vinyl Epoxides: Efficient, Rapid, and Stereocontrolled Assembly of Advanced Fragments for Complex Molecule Synthesis

The development, application, and advantages of a one-flask multicomponent dithiane linchpin coupling protocol, over the more conventional stepwise addition of dithiane anions to electrophiles leading to the rapid, efficient, and stereocontrolled assembly of highly functionalized intermediates for complex molecule synthesis, are described. Competent electrophiles include terminal epoxides, epichlorohydrin, and vinyl epoxides. High chemoselectivity can be achieved with epichlorohydrin and vinyl epoxides. For vinyl epoxides, the steric nature of the dithiane anion is critical; sterically unencumbered dithiane anions afford S(N)2 adducts, whereas encumbered anions lead primarily to SN2' adducts. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the SN2' process occurs via syn addition to the vinyl epoxide. Integration of the multicomponent tactic with epichlorohydrin and vinyl epoxides permits the higher-order union of four and five components.