Biomimetic Synthesis and Proposal of Relative and Absolute Stereochemistry of Heronapyrrole C

Exploring the synthetic potential of epoxide ring opening reactions toward the synthesis of alkaloids and terpenoids: a review

Epoxides are oxygen containing heterocycles which are significantly employed as crucial intermediates in various organic transformations. They are considered highly reactive three-membered heterocycles due to ring strain and they undergo epoxide ring opening reactions with diverse range of nucleophiles. Epoxide ring-opening reactions have gained prominence as flexible and effective means to obtain various functionalized molecules. These reactions have garnered substantial attention in organic synthesis, driven by the need to comprehend the synthesis of biologically and structurally important organic compounds. They have also found applications in the synthesis of complex natural products. In this review article, we have summarized the implementation of epoxide ring opening reactions in the synthesis of alkaloids and terpenoids based natural products reported within the last decade (2014-2023).

The Tetrahydrofuran Motif in Marine Lipids and Terpenes

Heterocycles are particularly common moieties within marine natural products. Specifically, tetrahydrofuranyl rings are present in a variety of compounds which present complex structures and interesting biological activities. Focusing on terpenoids, a high number of tetrahydrofuran-containing metabolites have been isolated during the last decades. They show promising biological activities, making them potential leads for novel antibiotics, antikinetoplastid drugs, amoebicidal substances, or anticancer drugs. Thus, they have attracted the attention of the synthetics community and numerous approaches to their total syntheses have appeared. Here, we offer the reader an overview of marine-derived terpenoids and related compounds, their isolation, structure determination, and a special focus on their total syntheses and biological profiles.

Marine Pyrrole Alkaloids

Nitrogen heterocycles are essential parts of the chemical machinery of life and often reveal intriguing structures. They are not only widespread in terrestrial habitats but can also frequently be found as natural products in the marine environment. This review highlights the important class of marine pyrrole alkaloids, well-known for their diverse biological activities. A broad overview of the marine pyrrole alkaloids with a focus on their isolation, biological activities, chemical synthesis, and derivatization covering the decade from 2010 to 2020 is provided. With relevant structural subclasses categorized, this review shall provide a clear and timely synopsis of this area.

Synthesis of Cytospolide Analogues and Late-State Diversification Thereof

The cytospolides are a novel group of fungal secondary metabolites first described in 2011. Although all 17 natural derivatives share the same C-14 polyketide backbone, they exhibit a fairly broad structural diversity regarding their oxygenation and acetylation pattern as well as macrolide structure, e.g., monocyclic nonanolide core or bicyclic ring systems with a bridging THF ring. In the present work, the prospects for an extension of the structural diversity of cytospolides have been investigated. On the basis of a previously established synthesis of cytospolide D, a modified route to a truncated analogue carrying an alkyne instead of the natural n-pentyl side chain has been developed. In a bioinspired approach the so-derived cytospolide D alkyne analogue has been further converted to bicyclic and THF ring containing derivatives with a different backbone architecture. Finally, Sonogashira couplings or Huisgen-Sharpless click reactions have been used for late-stage diversifications. Thus, a set of 15 novel and structurally diverse natural product derivatives has been synthesized in a highly efficient manner.

Reactivity of 2-Nitropyrrole Systems: Development of Improved Synthetic Approaches to Nitropyrrole Natural Products

Fundamental study of the reactivity of 2-nitropyrrole systems has enabled the identification of effective methods for incorporation of this unusual motif into advanced natural product frameworks. The presence of electron-rich pyrrole N-protecting groups (BOM, Boz) was demonstrated to enable a variety of previously unsuccessful palladium-mediated cross-couplings to be carried out in high yield. Based on this foundation, a series of regio- and stereoselective synthetic routes toward the nitropyrrolin and heronapyrrole families of natural products was developed by our group (G1-3). A full account of the strategic evolution of these approaches is reported here, highlighting the details of the setbacks encountered and eventual successes achieved en route, including the total synthesis of heronapyrrole B. The fundamental studies and completed total syntheses provide general access to the bioactive 2-nitropyrrole natural product manifold and also establish practical and efficient methods for preparation and elaboration of the medicinally relevant 2-nitropyrrole motif.

Regioselective dehydration of α-hydroxymethyl tetrahydrofurans using Burgess' reagent under microwave irradiation

We here present a highly efficient and high yielding procedure for the preparation of 2-vinyl tetrahydrofurans starting from α-hydroxymethyl tetrahydrofurans. Best results for this dehydration were achieved using Burgess' reagent in dioxane under microwave irradiation. A range of functional groups as well as different cyclic and bicyclic frameworks were found to be compatible with the reaction conditions. The desired products were obtained within minutes in good to high yields and excellent regioselectivity.

Bioinspired synthesis of pentacyclic onocerane triterpenoids

The first chemical synthesis of pentacyclic onocerane triterpenoids (+)-cupacinoxepin and (+)-onoceranoxide is described.

The first chemical synthesis of pentacyclic onocerane triterpenoids has been achieved. A putative biomimetic tricyclization cascade is employed to forge a fused decalin-/oxepane ring system. The synthetic route proceeds to (+)-cupacinoxepin in seven steps and to (+)-onoceranoxide in eight steps in the longest linear sequence, when starting from geranyl chloride and (+)-sclareolide. The bioinspired epoxypolyene cyclization is supported by computational and enzymatic studies.

General Synthesis of the Nitropyrrolin Family of Natural Products via Regioselective CO2-Mediated Alkyne Hydration

The total synthesis of the 2-nitropyrrole natural products nitropyrrolins A and B and the formal synthesis of nitropyrrolin D are reported. The key 2-nitro-4-alkylpyrrole core was efficiently assembled by Sonogashira cross-coupling, with complete control of regioselectivity. An unusual carboxylative cyclization, sulfonylcarbamate formation, and base-promoted cleavage sequence enabled access to the key hydroxy ketone without affecting the protected 2-nitropyrrole unit. The total synthesis provides a general approach for preparation of the bioactive nitropyrrolin family of natural products.

Total Synthesis of (+)-Goniodenin

Goniodenin is a lipophilic polyketide originating from plant sources and which possesses a potent cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines. The first total synthesis of (+)-goniodenin has been achieved in 23 steps from (R)-glycidol. The synthetic sequence featured a cross metathesis for the formation of the C₈-C₉ bond and installation of the terminal γ-butenolactone ring unit by the alkylation of α-phenylthio-γ-butyrolactone with the corresponding C₃-O-triflate. The stereogenic center at C₁₈ carbon was created by Hiyama-Fujita reduction of the corresponding ketone with high diastereoselectivity.

Total Synthesis of Cytospolide D and Its Biomimetic Conversion to Cytospolides M, O, and Q

A total synthesis of cytospolide D, starting from l-glutamic acid, is described. The critical macrolactonization to the 10-membered lactone containing an (E)-configured double bond was successfully achieved by Shiina esterification. Conversion of cytospolide D to its bicyclic derivatives M, O, and Q was accomplished under mild conditions, lending support to the proposed biosynthetic hypothesis.

Complete Stereochemical Assignment of Campechic Acids A and B

Campechic acids A and B are anti-invasive polyketide antibiotics isolated from Streptomyces sp. CHI93 strain. Herein we describe stereoselective synthesis of the C-16-C-30 fragment of campechic acids A and B via a biosynthesis-inspired epoxide-opening cascade and its NMR spectroscopic comparison with the authentic degradation product, resulting in configurational assignment of the C-21, C-24, C-25, and C-28 stereogenic centers and reassignment of the C-18 stereogenic center.

2-Nitropyrrole cross-coupling enables a second generation synthesis of the heronapyrrole antibiotic natural product family

The heronapyrroles are a family of antibiotic natural products containing the rare 2-nitropyrrole motif.

Nitropyrrole natural products: isolation, biosynthesis and total synthesis

A review of the isolation, biological activity, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis of nitropyrrole-containing natural products reported to date, including the pyrrolomycins, heronapyrroles and nitropyrrolins.

Diversity of ABBA Prenyltransferases in Marine Streptomyces sp. CNQ-509: Promiscuous Enzymes for the Biosynthesis of Mixed Terpenoid Compounds

Terpenoids are arguably the largest and most diverse family of natural products, featuring prominently in e.g. signalling, self-defence, UV-protection and electron transfer. Prenyltransferases are essential players in terpenoid and hybrid isoprenoid biosynthesis that install isoprene units on target molecules and thereby often modulate their bioactivity. In our search for new prenyltransferase biocatalysts we focused on the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. CNQ-509, a particularly rich source of meroterpenoid chemistry. Sequencing and analysis of the genome of Streptomyces sp. CNQ-509 revealed seven putative phenol/phenazine-specific ABBA prenyltransferases, and one putative indole-specific ABBA prenyltransferase. To elucidate the substrate specificity of the ABBA prenyltransferases and to learn about their role in secondary metabolism, CnqP1 -CnqP8 were produced in Escherichia coli and incubated with various aromatic and isoprenoid substrates. Five of the eight prenyltransferases displayed enzymatic activity. The efficient conversion of dihydroxynaphthalene derivatives by CnqP3 (encoded by AA958_24325) and the co-location of AA958_24325 with genes characteristic for the biosynthesis of THN (tetrahydroxynaphthalene)-derived natural products indicates that the enzyme is involved in the formation of debromomarinone or other naphthoquinone-derived meroterpenoids. Moreover, CnqP3 showed high flexibility towards a range of aromatic and isoprenoid substrates and thus represents an interesting new tool for biocatalytic applications.

W. Stark CBWS. Short and highly efficient synthesis of lipid peroxidation inhibitor pyrrolostatin and some analogues thereof

A highly efficient and scalable synthesis of the potent lipid peroxidation inhibitor pyrrolostatin is presented together with strategies to modify the key structural subunits.

Heronapyrrole D: A case of co-inspiration of natural product biosynthesis, total synthesis and biodiscovery

The heronapyrroles A-C have first been isolated from a marine-derived Streptomyces sp. (CMB-0423) in 2010. Structurally, these natural products feature an unusual nitropyrrole system to which a partially oxidized farnesyl chain is attached. The varying degree of oxidation of the sesquiterpenyl subunit in heronapyrroles A-C provoked the hypothesis that there might exist other hitherto unidentified metabolites. On biosynthetic grounds a mono-tetrahydrofuran-diol named heronapyrrole D appeared a possible candidate. We here describe a short asymmetric synthesis of heronapyrrole D, its detection in cultivations of CMB-0423 and finally the evaluation of its antibacterial activity. We thus demonstrate that biosynthetic considerations and the joint effort of synthetic and natural product chemists can result in the identification of new members of a rare class of natural products.

Marine natural products

This review covers the literature published in 2012 for marine natural products, with 1035 citations (673 for the period January to December 2012) referring to compounds isolated from marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green, brown and red algae, sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms, mangroves and other intertidal plants and microorganisms. The emphasis is on new compounds (1241 for 2012), together with the relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that lead to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included.

Heterocyclic terpenes: linear furano- and pyrroloterpenoids

This review of furano- and pyrroloterpenoids covers the literature, 180 articles in all, published from January 2006 to December 2013.

Natural sesquiterpenoids

This review covers the isolation, structural determination, synthesis and chemical and microbiological transformations of natural sesquiterpenoids. The literature from January to December 2012 is reviewed, and 471 references are cited.