Total Synthesis of Rhodonoids A, B, E, and F, Enabled by Singlet Oxygen Ene Reactions

Phytocannabinoid-like meroterpenoids from twigs and leaves of Rhododendron spinuliferum

Six pairs of previously undescribed enantiomeric phytocannabinoid-like meroterpenoids, (±)-spinulinoids A‒F, and two naturally occurring compounds, (+)-rhododaurichromanic acid A and (E)-4-((3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl)oxy)benzoic acid, together with one known congener, (-)-rhododaurichromanic acid A, were obtained from the twigs and leaves of Rhododendron spinuliferum. Their structures were established by their extensive spectral data (NMR and HRESIMS), ECD calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Spinulinoids A and B are unprecedented phytocannabinoid-like meroterpenoids constructed by the resorcinol moiety and a β-bisabolene unit, whereas spinulinoid C represents a rare adduct of quinone and β-bisabolene with a tricyclic 6/6/6 ring system.

Design, Synthesis of (±)-Millpuline A, and Biological Evaluation for the Lung Cell Protective Effects through SRC

In this study, a visible-light-induced intermolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction based on flavonoids was constructed to address the problems of low yield, poor physicochemical properties, and lack of target definition in total synthesis of (±)-millpuline A whose bioactivity remains unknown. As a result, 20 derivatives were synthesized for bioactivity evaluation. Consequently, lung cell protective effects of (±)-millpuline A and compound B13 a were revealed for the first time and the crucial role of stereoconfiguration of the cyclobutane moiety in their protective effects against NNK in normal lung cells was demonstrated. Moreover, through target prediction and experimental verification in MLE-12 cells, SRC was determined to be the target of (±)-millpuline A regarding its protective effect in NNK-induced lung cell injury. Results from RT-Q-PCR and HTRF experiments verified that (±)-millpuline A could repress SRC activity through a transcriptional mechanism but not acting as an inhibitor to directly bind to and thereby inhibit SRC protein. The results in this paper are informative for the further development of visible light-catalyzed cycloaddition of flavonoids and lay a scientific foundation for understanding the bioactivity and underlying mechanism of (±)-millpuline A and other structurally similar natural skeletons.

Development of water-soluble phenazine-2,3-diol-based photosensitizers for singlet oxygen generation

Phenazine-2,3-diol-based dyes, KY-1Na and KY-2Na bearing one and two carboxylic acid sodium salts, respectively, have been newly developed as water-soluble photosensitizers (PSs) possessing the ability to generate singlet oxygen (¹O₂). In order to evaluate the solubility of KY-1Na and KY-2Na in water, the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the two PSs was investigated by experimental measurement of the logarithms (log P_o/w) of the 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (P_o/w) for the PS. The log P_o/w values of both KY-1Na and KY-2Na were determined to be -0.9, indicating that both the PSs are more hydrophilic than Rose Bengal (-0.6) and have hydrophilicity equivalent to methylene blue (-0.9). Both the PSs in water show a broad photoabsorption band in the range of 500 to 600 nm. Thus, we estimated the ¹O₂ quantum yields (Φ_Δ) of KY-1Na and KY-2Na in water by using 9,10-anthracenediyl-bis(methylene)dimalonic acid (ABDA) as a water-soluble ¹O₂ scavenger. It was found that in water the Φ_Δ value (0.19) of KY-2Na is higher than that of KY-1Na (0.06). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) distributions for the molecular structure of KY-2Na are adequately separated, leading to a decrease in the energy gap (ΔE_ST) between the singlet state (S₁) and the triplet state (T₁) that causes efficient intersystem crossing (ISC), compared to that for the molecular structure of KY-1Na. Indeed, time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations demonstrated that the ΔE_ST(S₁-T₁) value (0.82 eV) of KY-2Na is smaller than that (0.98 eV) of KY-1Na, resulting in a relatively high Φ_Δ value of KY-2Na. Consequently, we demonstrate that phenazine-2,3-diol-based PSs bearing carboxylic acid salts possess high solubility and moderate ¹O₂ generation ability in water.

[2 + 2]-Cycloaddition-derived cyclobutane natural products: structural diversity, sources, bioactivities, and biomimetic syntheses

This review summarizes the structural diversity, bioactivities, and biomimetic synthesis of [2 + 2]-type cyclobutane natural products, along with discussion of their biosynthesis, stereochemical analysis, racemic occurrence, and biomimetic synthesis.

On the Erosion of Enantiopurity of Rhodonoids via Their Asymmetric Total Synthesis

Rhodonoid natural products are found in nature as a scalemic mixture. This interesting phytochemical feature is presumed to originate from a reversible electrocyclic ring opening of the chromene core present in the biogenetic precursors of rhodonoids. Herein, we systematically investigated factors that are responsible for this racemization event. This eventually led us to complete the asymmetric total synthesis of rhodonoids A, C, D, and G.

Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalyst-Free Aerobic Hydroxyazidations of Indoles: A Highly Regioselective and Stereoselective Synthesis of trans-2-Azidoindolin-3-ols

A visible-light-promoted aerobic hydroxyazidation of indole derivatives with TMSN₃ is described. The reaction proceeded under photocatalyst-free conditions to furnish trans-2-azidoindolin-3-ols with high regioselectivity and stereoselectivity. The protocol is operationally simple, and the starting materials (e.g., 1-(pyrimidin-2-yl) indoles, azidotrimethylsilane, and air) are readily available. The proposed mechanism in which substrates act as photocatalysts upon excitation using blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was supported by experimental studies.

Biomimetic Total Synthesis of the Rubiginosin Meroterpenoids

Total synthesis of the Rhododendron meroterpenoids rubiginosins A and G, which both contain unusual 6-6-6-4 ring systems, has been achieved using a bioinspired cascade approach. Stepwise synthesis of these natural products, and the related 6-6-5-4 meroterpenoids fastinoid B and rhodonoid B, from naturally occurring chromene precursors is also reported.

Meroterpenoids with diverse structures and anti-inflammatory activities from Rhododendron anthopogonoides

Eight pairs of meroterpenoid enantiomers and four achiral meroterpenoids were isolated from Rhododendron anthopogonoides Maxim. Seventeen of them, named (+)-/(-)-anthoponoids A-G, (+)-daurichromene D, and anthoponoids H and I, are undescribed compounds with structural diversity. Their structures were characterized herein by a combined application of spectroscopic techniques, X-ray crystallographic analysis, ECD calculation, and the modified Mosher's method. (+)-/(-)-Anthoponoid A and anthoponoid I are the first Rhododendron meroterpenoids found to possess a hexahydroxanthene motif and a diterpene unit, respectively. Some isolates were identified as NF-κB pathway inhibitors, and (+)-anthoponoid E, (-)-anthoponoid G, and anthoponoid H showed suppressive effects on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Significantly Increased Stability of Donor-Acceptor Molecular Complexes under Heterogeneous Conditions: Synthesis, Characterization, and Photosensitizing Activity of a Nanostructured Porphyrin-Lewis Acid Adduct

While the BF₃ complexes of meso-tetra(aryl)porphyrins are readily decomposed into their components under aqueous conditions, immobilization of meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (H₂TMPyP) on a nanosized polymer (sodium salt of Amberlyst 15, nanoAmbSO₃Na) formed a water-stable BF₃ complex applicable for efficient aerobic photooxidation of 1,5-dihydroxylnaphthalene and sulfides under green conditions. NanoAmbSO₃@H₂TMPyP(BF₃)₂ was characterized by diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermal gravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The catalyst was successfully used for 10 consecutive reactions with no detectable degradation of the complex and decrease in the catalyst activity. NanoAmbSO₃@H₂TMPyP(BF₃)₂ was also completely stable toward dissociation to its components under different light conditions in acetonitrile. The singlet oxygen quantum yields φ_Δ of H₂TMPyP, nanoAmbSO₃@H₂TMPyP, and their molecular complexes with BF₃, determined chemically by using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran, revealed substantially higher values in the case of the heterogenized porphyrin and molecular complex.

Isolation and Biomimetic Oxidation of Prenylbruceol A, an Anticipated Meroterpenoid Natural Product from Philotheca myoporoides

Reinvestigation of the coumarin meroterpenoids of Philotheca myoporoides using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) procedures led to the isolation of prenylbruceol A, a proposed biosynthetic precursor of seven previously reported bruceol derivatives, prenylbruceols B-H. Protobruceol-I, ostruthin, dipetalactone, and a new dihydrocoumarin natural product were isolated alongside prenylbruceol A. A biomimetic singlet oxygen ene reaction of prenylbruceol A allowed the semisynthesis of prenylbruceols B, C, and D.

Recent applications of porphyrins as photocatalysts in organic synthesis: batch and continuous flow approaches

In this review we present relevant and recent applications of porphyrin derivatives as photocatalysts in organic synthesis, involving both single electron transfer (SET) and energy transfer (ET) mechanistic approaches. We demonstrate that these highly conjugated photosensitizers show increasing potential in photocatalysis since they combine both photo- and electrochemical properties which can substitute available metalloorganic photocatalysts. Batch and continuous-flow approaches are presented highlighting the relevance of enabling technologies for the renewal of porphyrin applications in photocatalysis. Finally, the reaction scale in which the methodologies were developed are highlighted since this is an important parameter in the authors' opinion.