Total Synthesis of Zincophorin Methyl Ester

Chemical Syntheses and Chemical Biology of Carboxyl Polyether Ionophores: Recent Highlights

A central goal of chemical biology is to develop molecular probes that enable fundamental studies of cellular systems. In the hierarchy of bioactive molecules, the so-called ionophore class occupies an unflattering position in the lower branches, with typical labels being "non-specific" and "toxic". In fact, the mere possibility that a candidate molecule possesses "ionophore activity" typically prompts its removal from further studies; ionophores-from a chemical genetics perspective-are molecular outlaws. In stark contrast to this overall poor reputation of ionophores, synthetic chemistry owes some of its most amazing achievements to studies of ionophore natural products, in particular the carboxyl polyethers renowned for their intricate molecular structures. These compounds have for decades been academic battlegrounds where new synthetic methodology is tested and retrosynthetic tactics perfected. Herein, we review the most exciting recent advances in carboxyl polyether ionophore (CPI) synthesis and in addition discuss the burgeoning field of CPI chemical biology.

Evolution of an Efficient and Scalable Nine-Step (Longest Linear Sequence) Synthesis of Zincophorin Methyl Ester

Because of both their synthetically challenging and stereochemically complex structures and their wide range of often clinically relevant biological activities, nonaromatic polyketide natural products have for decades attracted an enormous amount of attention from synthetic chemists and played an important role in the development of modern asymmetric synthesis. Often, such compounds are not available in quantity from natural sources, rendering analogue synthesis and drug development efforts extremely resource-intensive and time-consuming. In this arena, the quest for ever more step-economical and efficient methods and strategies, useful and important goals in their own right, takes on added importance, and the most useful syntheses will combine high levels of step-economy with efficiency and scalability. The nonaromatic polyketide natural product zincophorin methyl ester has attracted significant attention from synthetic chemists due primarily to the historically synthetically challenging C(8)-C(12) all-anti stereopentad. While great progress has been made in the development of new methodologies to more directly address this problem and as a result in the development of more highly step-economical syntheses, a synthesis that combines high levels of step economy with high levels of efficiency and scalability has remained elusive. To address this problem, we have devised a new synthesis of zincophorin methyl ester that proceeds in just nine steps in the longest linear sequence and proceeds in 10% overall yield. Additionally, the scalability and practicability of the route have been demonstrated by performing all of the steps on a meaningful scale. This synthesis thus represents by a significant margin the most step-economical, efficient, and practicable synthesis of this stereochemically complex natural product reported to date, and is well suited to facilitate the synthesis of analogues and medicinal chemistry development efforts in a time- and resource-efficient manner.

Enantioselective Alcohol C-H Functionalization for Polyketide Construction: Unlocking Redox-Economy and Site-Selectivity for Ideal Chemical Synthesis

The development and application of stereoselective and site-selective catalytic methods that directly convert lower alcohols to higher alcohols are described. These processes merge the characteristics of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl addition, exploiting alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants as redox pairs, which upon hydrogen transfer generate transient carbonyl-organometal pairs en route to products of C-C coupling. Unlike classical carbonyl additions, stoichiometric organometallic reagents and discrete alcohol-to-carbonyl redox reactions are not required. Additionally, due to a kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, the site-selective modification of glycols and higher polyols is possible, streamlining or eliminating use of protecting groups. The total syntheses of several iconic type I polyketide natural products were undertaken using these methods. In each case, the target compounds were prepared in significantly fewer steps than previously achieved.

Direct Generation of Triketide Stereopolyads via Merged Redox-Construction Events: Total Synthesis of (+)-Zincophorin Methyl Ester

(+)-Zincophorin methyl ester is prepared in 13 steps (longest linear sequence). A bidirectional redox-triggered double anti-crotylation of 2-methyl-1,3-propane diol directly assembles the triketide stereopolyad spanning C4-C12, significantly enhancing step economy and enabling construction of (+)-zincophorin methyl ester in nearly half the steps previously required.

Synthesis of a C1-C11 fragment of Zincophorin using planar chiral, neutral π-allyl iron complexes

A key step in the synthesis of a C1-C11 fragment of the ionophore antibiotic Zincophorin involves the addition of an α-alkoxyalkylcopper(I) reagent to a planar chiral, neutral π-allyl iron complex. The key allylic alkylation reaction is highly regio- and stereoselective with addition taking place at the γ-position anti to the metal centre.

Toward more "ideal" polyketide natural product synthesis: a step-economical synthesis of zincophorin methyl ester

A highly efficient and step-economical synthesis of zincophorin methyl ester has been achieved. The unprecedented step economy of this zincophorin synthesis is principally due to an application of the tandem silylformylation-crotylsilylation/Tamao oxidation-diastereoselective tautomerization reaction, which achieves in a single step what would typically require a significant multistep sequence.

Challenges in the synthesis of a unique mono-carboxylic acid antibiotic, (+)-zincophorin

(+)-Zincophorin, also referred to as M144255 or griseocholin, is a polyoxygenated ionophoric antibiotic that was isolated from Streptomyces griseus in 1984. It possesses strong in vivo activity against Gram-positive bacteria and Clostridium coelchii. Its methyl ester was reported in a patent as having strong inhibitory properties against influenza WSN/virus with reduced toxicity for the host cell. Its ability to strongly bind with Zn2+, which is also present in its X-ray structure, is the basis for its name. Over the last two decades, (+)-zincophorin has attracted an impressive array of synthetic efforts including Danishefsky's first total synthesis, along with two recent elegant total syntheses reported by Cossy and Miyashita as well as our own formal total synthesis. This review provides a comparison of the different synthetic efforts on this novel mono-carboxylic acid antibiotic and documents its interesting isolation, structure determination, and biological activities.

Enantio- and regioselective CpRu-catalyzed Carroll rearrangement

The addition of unstabilized carbonyl nucleophiles to allyl-metal fragments still represents a challenge for generating stereoselectively tertiary (and quaternary) stereogenic centers. In this context, the decarboxylative Carroll rearrangement of secondary and tertiary allyl β-ketoesters is particularly interesting since chiral γ,δ-unsaturated ketones are obtained. Herein, we show that CpRu half-sandwich complexes can, in the presence of selected enantiopure diimine ligands, catalyze this transformation and afford complete conversions and decent level of enantiomeric excess. Zwitterionic adducts of a hexacoordinated phosphorus anion and CpRu moieties were also associated and shown to generate air-, moisture-, and microwave-stable catalysts that can be readily purified and recycled. Carroll rearrangements of allylic β-ketoesters performed with these zwitterionic species occur with better regio- and enantioselectivity.

Studies on a urea-directed Stork-Crabtree hydrogenation. Synthesis of the C1-C9 subunit of (+)-zincophorin

A detailed account on the stereoselective synthesis of the C1-C9 subunit of (+)-zincophorin is described here. This approach features the first application of a stereoselective inverse electron demand hetero-[4 + 2] cycloaddition of chiral allenamides in natural product synthesis. The C1-C9 subunit matches Cossy's intermediate, thereby constituting a formal total synthesis. In addition, details of an unusual urea-directed Stork-Crabtree hydrogenation observed during these efforts are also disclosed here.

Total Synthesis of Zincophorin and Its Methyl Ester

A total synthesis of the naturally occurring ionophore zincophorin has been realized. The route features an intramolecular oxymercuration of a cyclopropanemethanol and a Carroll-Claisen rearrangement for the respective elaboration of the C1-C12 and C13-C25 subunits, which have been assembled by using a highly diastereoselective titanium-mediated aldol condensation.