Bioinspired Diastereoconvergent Synthesis of the Tricyclic Core of Palodesangrens via Diels-Alder Reaction, LiAlH4-Mediated Isomerization, and Acid-Mediated Cyclization

Synthesis, Antibacterial Effects, and Toxicity of Licochalcone C

Drug-resistant bacteria constitute a big barrier against current pharmacotherapy. Efforts are urgent to discover antibacterial drugs with novel chemical and biological features. Our work aimed at the synthesis, evaluation of antibacterial effects, and toxicity of licochalcone C (LCC), a naturally occurring chalcone. The synthetic route included six steps, affording a 10% overall yield. LCC showed effects against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC = 6.2-50.0 µg/mL), Mycobacterium species (MIC = 36.2-125 µg/mL), and Helicobacter pylori (MIC = 25 µg/mL). LCC inhibited the biofilm formation of MSSA and MRSA, demonstrating MBIC50 values of 6.25 μg/mL for both strains. The investigations by fluorescence microscopy, using PI and SYTO9 as fluorophores, indicated that LCC was able to disrupt the S. aureus membrane, similarly to nisin. Systemic toxicity assays using Galleria mellonella larvae showed that LCC was not lethal at 100 µg/mL after 80 h treatment. These data suggest new uses for LCC as a compound with potential applications in antibacterial drug discovery and medical device coating.

Total syntheses of pongaflavone and its natural analogues

The efficient total synthesis of anti-tumor natural product pongaflavone (1) was described starting from commercially available 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone (9) via seven steps and in 16% overall yield. Its two natural analogues pongachromene (2) and 7,8-(2",2"-dimethylpyrano)-5,3',4'-trihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone (3) were also synthesized following the similar procedure with the yields of 11% and 18%, respectively. Their preliminary anti-tumor activities were evaluated by the inhibition effect on A549 cells. The result showed that this kind of natural products exhibited different levels of anti-tumor activity. Among them, pongachromene (2) displayed the best anti-tumor activity.

Chalcones, a Privileged Scaffold: Highly Versatile Molecules in [4+2] Cycloadditions

Chalcones are aromatic ketones found in nature as the central core of many biological compounds. They have a wide range of biological activity and are biogenetic precursors of other important molecules such as flavonoids. Their pharmacological relevance makes them a privileged scaffold, advantageous for seeking alternative therapies in medicinal chemistry. Due to their structural diversity and ease of synthesis, they are often employed as building blocks for chemical transformations. Chalcones have a carbonyl conjugated system with two electrophilic centers that are commonly used for nucleophilic additions, as described in numerous articles. They can also participate in Diels-Alder reactions, which are [4+2] cycloadditions between a diene and a dienophile. This microreview presents a chronological survey of studies on chalcones as dienes and dienophiles in Diels-Alder cycloadditions. Although these reactions occur in nature, isolation of chalcones from plants yields very small quantities. Contrarily, synthesis leads to large quantities at a low cost. Hence, novel methodologies have been developed for [4+2] cycloadditions, with chalcones serving as a 2π or 4π electron system.

Highly diastereoselective annulation of 2-substituted 3-nitro-2H-chromenes with hemicurcuminoids and curcuminoids via a double and triple Michael reaction cascade

The K2CO3-catalysed double Michael addition of (E)-1,5-diaryl- and 1-alkyl-5-arylpent-4-ene-1,3-diones to 2-trifluoromethyl- and 2-phenyl-substituted 3-nitro-2H-chromenes in dichloromethane at room temperature for 48 h results in 10-aroyl(acyl)-7-aryl-6a-nitro-6,6a,7,8,10,10a-hexahydro-9H-benzo[c]chromen-9-ones in 75-98% yields as individual...

Total Synthesis of Palodesangrens A and C

Palodesangrens A and C along with the common tetracyclic core are prepared from simple benzaldehyde and acetophenone derivatives in a 10-step longest linear sequence which featured the Diels-Alder reaction forming the cyclohexene moiety, LiAlH₄ isomerization, stereoselective acid-catalyzed cyclization forming the chroman moiety, regioselective iodination/vinyl Suzuki cross-coupling reaction, and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) forming the 2H-pyran-2-one. Overall, the desired palodesangrens A and C are obtained in 6.1% and 6.4% yields, respectively.

Total Synthesis of Palodesangren B Trimethyl Ether and D Dimethyl Ether via a Late-Stage Formation of 2H-Pyran-2-one of the Tetrahydrobenzo[c]pyranochromenone Core

In four steps from the tricyclic core, palodesangren B trimethyl ether and palodesangren D dimethyl ether could be synthesized in 29 and 18% overall yields, respectively. A reaction sequence comprising the regioselective MgCl₂-mediated Casnati-Skattebøl ortho-formylation of phenol, Wittig methylenation, acryloylation, and Ru(II)-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis (RCM) led to the formation of the final 2H-pyran-2-one ring of the desired tetracyclic core.