Lead Diversification through a Prins-Driven Macrocyclization Strategy: Application to C13-Diversified Bryostatin Analogues

Influenza antiviral activity of F- and OH-containing isopulegol-derived octahydro-2H-chromenes

We synthesized fluoro- and hydroxy-containing octahydro-2H-chromenes by the Prins reaction starting from a monoterpenoid (-)-isopulegol and a wide range of aromatic aldehydes in the presence of the BF₃∙Et₂O/H₂O system acting as both an acid catalyst and a fluorine source. Activity of the produced compounds against the influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) virus was studied. The highest activity was demonstrated by fluoro- (11i) and hydroxy-containing (10i) derivatives of 2,4,6-trimethoxybenzaldehyde. The most pronounced virus-inhibiting effect of compounds 10i and 11i was observed at an early stage of infection. These compounds were supposed to be capable of binding to viral hemagglutinin, which is an agreement with data on the effect of compounds 10i and 11i on the viral fusogenic activity as well as by molecular docking studies.

Three-Component, Diastereoselective Prins-Ritter Reaction for cis-Fused 4-Amidotetrahydropyrans toward a Precursor for Possible Neuronal Receptor Ligands

Here, we report an unprecedented, highly diastereoselective Prins-Ritter reaction of aldehydes, homoallylic alcohols, and nitriles in a three-component coupling reaction for the synthesis of tetra-cis-substituted 4-amidotetrahydropyrans. In this study, the reaction was not only applied for carbohydrate-based heterobicycles but also for more complex heterotricycles, showing acceptable levels of conversion yield (42-97% BRSM) and exclusive diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, the latter heterotricycles were converted to nine analogues of our neuronal receptor ligands IKM-159 and MC-27. An in vivo assay by intracerebroventricular injection in mice suggested that the substituent at C9 of the novel analogues interferes with the molecular interactions with the AMPA receptor, which was originally observed in the complex of IKM-159 and the GluA2 ligand binding domain. Our research has thus shown the power of a multicomponent coupling reaction for the preparation of a structurally diverse compound collection to study structure-activity relationships of biologically active small molecules.

A practical way to synthesize chiral fluoro-containing polyhydro-2H-chromenes from monoterpenoids

Conditions enabling the single-step preparative synthesis of chiral 4-fluoropolyhydro-2H-chromenes in good yields through a reaction between monoterpenoid alcohols with para-menthane skeleton and aldehydes were developed for the first time. The BF₃·Et₂O/H₂O system is used both as a catalyst and as a fluorine source. The reaction can involve aliphatic aldehydes as well as aromatic aldehydes containing various acceptor and donor substituents. 4-Hydroxyhexahydro-2H-chromenes were demonstrated to be capable of converting to 4-fluorohexahydro-2H-chromenes under the developed conditions, the reaction occurs with inversion of configuration.

Toward a biorelevant structure of protein kinase C bound modulators: design, synthesis, and evaluation of labeled bryostatin analogues for analysis with rotational echo double resonance NMR spectroscopy

Protein kinase C (PKC) modulators are currently of great importance in preclinical and clinical studies directed at cancer, immunotherapy, HIV eradication, and Alzheimer's disease. However, the bound conformation of PKC modulators in a membrane environment is not known. Rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) NMR spectroscopy could uniquely address this challenge. However, REDOR NMR requires strategically labeled, high affinity ligands to determine interlabel distances from which the conformation of the bound ligand in the PKC-ligand complex could be identified. Here we report the first computer-guided design and syntheses of three bryostatin analogues strategically labeled for REDOR NMR analysis. Extensive computer analyses of energetically accessible analogue conformations suggested preferred labeling sites for the identification of the PKC-bound conformers. Significantly, three labeled analogues were synthesized, and, as required for REDOR analysis, all proved highly potent with PKC affinities (∼1 nM) on par with bryostatin. These potent and strategically labeled bryostatin analogues are new structural leads and provide the necessary starting point for projected efforts to determine the PKC-bound conformation of such analogues in a membrane environment, as needed to design new PKC modulators and understand PKC-ligand-membrane structure and dynamics.