Total synthesis and structure confirmation of the annonaceous acetogenins 30(S)-hydroxybullatacin, uvarigrandin a, and 5(R)-uvarigrandin a (narumicin I?)

Acetogenins from the Stem of Uvaria rufa and Their Cytotoxic Activity

Four new adjacent bis-tetrahydrofuran acetogenins, bullacin C (7), uvarirufin (9), and uvariasolins III (12) and IV (13), along with 11 known acetogenins, were isolated from the stem of Uvaria rufa. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic data analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and MALDI-MS/MS of the lithium adducts. Absolute configurations were assigned using Mosher ester analysis and ECD measurements. Uvarirufin (9) possesses a unique C-39 skeleton among acetogenins. Most tested acetogenins exhibited cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines (HCT 116, 22Rv1, MDA-MB-435, OVCAR3). Squamocin (8) and uvarirufin (9) were found to be the most potent, with an IC50 value of 1.2 μM for both in HCT 116 colon cancer cells. Additionally, a new application of Dragendorff's reagent is proposed herein for the TLC detection of acetogenins.

Acetogenins from Annonaceae

In recent decades, annonaceous acetogenins have become highly studied plant secondary metabolites in terms of their isolation, structure elucidation, synthesis, biological evaluation, mechanism of action, and toxicity. The aim of the present contribution is to summarize chemical and biological reports published since 1997 on annonaceous acetogenins and synthetic acetogenin mimics. The compounds are considered biologically in terms of their cytotoxicity for cancer cell lines, neurotoxicity, pesticidal effects, and miscellaneous activities.

Stereoselective formation of chiral trans-4-hydroxy-5-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones: syntheses of streptopyrrolidine and 3-epi-epohelmin A

A highly diastereoselective approach for synthesis of trans-4-hydroxy-5-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones has been developed. The streptopyrrolidine and 3-epi-epohelmin A were synthesized by this one-pot cascade protocol.

Diastereoconvergent synthesis of trans-5-hydroxy-6-substituted-2-piperidinones by addition-cyclization-deprotection process

A diastereoselective one-pot approach to access trans-5-hydroxy-6-substituted-2-piperidinones by an addition-cyclization-deprotection process has been developed, in which the stereogenic center at the C-6 position was solely controlled by α-OTBS group. The utility of this transformation is demonstrated by the asymmetric synthesis of the enantiomer of (-)-CP-99,994.

Total synthesis, stereochemical assignment, and biological activity of chamuvarinin and structural analogues

A highly stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-chamuvarinin has been completed in 1.5% overall yield over 20 steps. The key fragment coupling reactions were the addition of alkyne 8 to aldehyde 7 (under Felkin-Anh control), followed by the two step activation/cyclization to close the C20-C23 2,5-cis-substituted tetrahydrofuran ring and a Julia-Kocienski olefination at C8-C9 to introduce the terminal butenolide. The inherent flexibility of our coupling strategy led to a streamlined synthesis with 17 steps in the longest sequence (2.2% overall yield), in which the key bond couplings are reversed. In addition, a series of structural analogues of chamuvarinin have been prepared and screened for activity against HeLa cancer cell lines and both the bloodstream and insect forms of Trypanosoma brucei, the parasitic agent responsible for African sleeping sickness.

Efficient Synthesis of the Odourant, 2-Nonen-4-Olide

A three-step synthesis of 2-nonen-4-olide starting from heptanal is reported. (E)-3-Nonenoic acid, prepared by Knoevenagel condensation of malonic acid and heptanal, was oxidised by performic acid, a process accompanied by lactonisation, to give 3-hydroxynonan-4-olide in 85% yield. This lactone when reacted with MsCl in the presence of Et3N gave, by elimination, 2-nonen-4-olide in 88% yield. The overall yield was 75%. The odour of the product was evaluated by GC-olfactory analysis and sniffing blotter confirming an oily, coconut-like, and rancid odour.

Recent progress on the total synthesis of acetogenins from Annonaceae

An overview of recent progress on the total synthesis of acetogenins from Annonaceae during the past 12 years is provided. These include mono-tetrahydrofurans, adjacent bis-tetrahydrofurans, nonadjacent bis-tetrahydrofurans, tri-tetrahydrofurans, adjacent tetrahydrofuran-tetrahydropyrans, nonadjacent tetrahydrofuran-tetrahydropyrans, mono-tetrahydropyrans, and acetogenins containing only gamma-lactone. This review emphasizes only the first total synthesis of molecules of contemporary interest and syntheses that have helped to correct structures. In addition, some significant results on the novel synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies of annonaceous acetogenins are also introduced.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of C-9 epimers of the tetrahydrofuran containing acetogenin 4-deoxyannoreticuin

A highly convergent synthesis of mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF) containing acetogenins, that is based on the cross-metathesis of THF and butenolide alkene precursors, was developed. This methodology was applied to the epimers of the C-9 alcohol of 4-deoxyannoreticuin, in an attempt to assign the configuration at this position in the naturally occurring material. Unfortunately, identification of one or the other epimeric structures with the natural product was not possible because of the closeness of the physical data for all three compounds. Both C-9 epimeric analogues showed similar cytotoxicity in the low micromolar range, against two human tumor cell lines PC-3 (prostate) and Jurkat (T-cell leukemia). This result contrasts to previous studies on closely related THF acetogenins, wherein configurational variation at analogous carbinol centers resulted in a significant effect on antitumor activity.

Palladium Acetate-Catalyzed Cyclization Reaction of 2,3-Allenoic Acids in the Presence of Simple Allenes: An Efficient Synthesis of 4-(1‘-Bromoalk-2‘(Z)-en-2‘-yl)furan-2(5H)-one Derivatives and the Synthetic Application

We have realized a cyclization reaction of 2,3-allenoic acids 1 in the presence of simple alkyl- or aryl-substituted allenes 3. In this reaction, the cyclic oxypalladation of 2,3-allenoic acid with Pd(II) would afford the furanonyl palladium intermediate 2, which could be trapped by the simple allene to afford a pi-allylic intermediate anti-9. This intermediate anti-9 could be nucleophilically attacked by Br- to yield 4-(1'-bromoalk-2'(Z)-en-2'-yl)furan-2(5H)-one derivatives Z-5 and Pd(0). The in-situ formed Pd(0) was efficiently converted to the catalytically active Pd(II) species by benzoquinone in HOAc. The functional groups, such as malonate, acetoxyl, and phthalic amide in allene 3, are tolerable under the current conditions. High efficiency of chirality transfer was observed when optically active 2,3-allenoic acids were used, which reveals that the formation of the intermediates 2 was a highly stereoselective anti-oxypalladation process. The highly selective formation of Z-isomer may be explained by face-selective coordination of allene 3 with the palladium atom in intermediate 2: the palladium atom coordinates to the terminal C=C double bond of allene 3 from the face opposite to the substituent group to avoid the steric congestion. The products Z-5 could be further elaborated via the S(N)2 nucleophilic substitution with amine or sodium benzenesulfinate, the reduction of the C-Br bond by NaBH(4), and the CuBr.SMe(2)-catalyzed S(N)2'-substitution with CH(3)MgBr.

Synthesis of Murisolin, (15R, 16R, 19R, 20S)-Murisolin A, and (15R, 16R, 19S, 20S)-16,19-cis-Murisolin and Their Inhibitory Action with Bovine Heart Mitochondrial Complex I

The asymmetric total synthesis of murisolin, (15R, 16R, 19R, 20S)-murisolin A, and (15R, 16R, 19S, 20S)-16,19-cis-murisolin was performed by using an epoxy alcohol as a versatile chiral building block for synthesizing the stereoisomers of mono-THF annonaceous acetogenins. The inhibitory activity of these murisolin compounds was examined with bovine heart mitochondrial complex I, and they showed almost the same activity.

Acetogenins from Annonaceae: recent progress in isolation, synthesis and mechanisms of action

The aim of the present review is to summarise the knowledge about newly isolated acetogenins (ACGs) in the last six years. It will also report the total syntheses that have allowed either the confirmation or the revision of some structures, together with the biological activities and mechanism of action of such interesting natural products. In fact, of the 417 isolated compounds reviewed, over 176 have been added during the period from 1998 to 2004.