Non-natural Enantiomer Research Articles

Chemoenzymatic Enantioselective Synthesis of the Hancock Alkaloids (S)- and (R)-Galipeine, (S)-Cuspareine, (S)-Galipinine, and (S)-Angustureine

AbstractThe enantioselective synthesis of the Hancock 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline alkaloids (S)-galipeine, (S)-cuspareine, (S)-galipinine, and (S)-angustureine and the nonnatural enantiomer (R)-galipeine is described herein. The target compounds were obtained in five steps from a racemic quinaldinic acid derived α-amino ester in overall yields of 21.2% to 37.5%. The synthetic route comprised two key steps: an enzymatic kinetic resolution to control the C-2 stereocenter, affording (R)- and (S)-α-amino esters as key chiral intermediates with 94% and 72% ee, respectively, and Wittig olefination of (R)- and (S)-α-amino aldehyde synthons with the corresponding phosphonium salts using a phase-transfer system (t-BuOH/CH2Cl2), thereby allowing the introduction of alkyl substituents at C-2. Finally, the enantioselective synthesis was concluded with the catalytic hydrogenation of olefinic bonds on the Wittig adducts to furnish the target Hancock alkaloids, including (R)-galipeine, whose synthesis is described here for the first time.

Enhancing an Oxidative "Trojan Horse" Action of Vitamin C with Arsenic Trioxide for Effective Suppression of KRAS-Mutant Cancers: A Promising Path at the Bedside.

The turn-on mutations of the KRAS gene, coding a small GTPase coupling growth factor signaling, are contributing to nearly 25% of all human cancers, leading to highly malignant tumors with poor outcomes. Targeting of oncogenic KRAS remains a most challenging task in oncology. Recently, the specific G12C mutant KRAS inhibitors have been developed but with a limited clinical outcome because they acquire drug resistance. Alternatively, exploiting a metabolic breach of KRAS-mutant cancer cells related to a glucose-dependent sensitivity to oxidative stress is becoming a promising indirect cancer targeting approach. Here, we discuss the use of a vitamin C (VC) acting in high dose as an oxidative "Trojan horse" agent for KRAS-mutant cancer cells that can be potentiated with another oxidizing drug arsenic trioxide (ATO) to obtain a potent and selective cytotoxic impact. Moreover, we outline the advantages of VC's non-natural enantiomer, D-VC, because of its distinctive pharmacokinetics and lower toxicity. Thus, the D-VC and ATO combination shows a promising path to treat KRAS-mutant cancers in clinical settings.

Pheromone Chemistry of the Citrus Borer, Diploschema rotundicolle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

The citrus borer, Diploschema rotundicolle, is a Neotropical longhorn beetle that has become a serious citrus pest in southern South America. Management strategies for this insect rely on trimming off damaged shoots, which is expensive and inefficient. We studied the chemical communication system in D. rotundicolle in search of attractants for monitoring or control. GC-MS and enantioselective GC analyses of volatile extracts from field-collected adults showed that males produce (R)-3-hydroxy-2-hexanone, irregularly accompanied by minor amounts of 2,3-hexanediol (all four stereoisomers) and 2,3-hexanedione. Males emit the compounds only at night, when the adults are active. GC-EAD analyses of natural and synthetic compounds showed that both male and female antennae respond to the natural enantiomer (R)-3-hydroxy-2-hexanone, suggesting that it may function as an aggregation-sex pheromone as seen in many cerambycines. The non-natural (S) enantiomer as well as the minor component 2,3-hexanediol did not trigger antennal responses. Field tests with the racemic 3-hydroxy-2-hexanone, enantiomerically pure (R)-3-hydroxy-2-hexanone, as well as a mixture of racemic 3-hydroxy-2-hexanone and 2,3-hexanediol, showed in all cases low capture levels of D. rotundicolle. However, increasing the elevation of the trap and the emission rate of dispensers enhanced field captures in traps baited with racemic hydroxyketone. Incidental catches of another native cerambycine, Retrachydes thoracicus, in traps baited with 3-hydroxy-2-hexanone are also reported. This is the first report of pheromone chemistry in the genus Diploschema and in the tribe Torneutini, reaffirming the pheromone parsimony well established for the Cerambycinae. Potential factors explaining the weak attraction of D. rotundicolle in the field are discussed.

Variations on a Theme: Two Structural Motifs Create Species-Specific Pheromone Channels for Multiple Species of South American Cerambycid Beetles.

We describe the identification, synthesis, and field-testing of aggregation-sex pheromones, or likely pheromone candidates, of seven species of South American cerambycid beetles in the subfamily Cerambycinae, of the tribes Eburiini and Neoibidionini. Analyses of extracts of volatiles released by adult males revealed that Eburodacrys dubitata White produce 11-methyltridecanal, whereas the males of Eburodacrys assimilis Gounelle, Eburodacrys flexuosa Gounelle, and Eburodacrys lenkoi Napp and Martins produce blends of this compound, along with its analog 10-methyldodecanal. In contrast, males of Compsibidion graphicum (Thomson) and Compsibidion sommeri (Thomson) produce blends of 10-methyldodecanal and its corresponding alcohol 10-methyldodecanol. The results from field bioassays with synthetic compounds showed that each species was specifically attracted to traps containing their reconstructed pheromone blend. However, E. assimilis was not trapped, possibly due to inhibition by non-natural enantiomers in the racemic test compounds. During the trials for the Compsibidion species, adults of another cerambycid species, Tetraopidion mucoriferum (Thomson), were captured in significant numbers in traps baited with 10-methyldodecanol, suggesting that this compound is a pheromone component for this species. This study demonstrates another case of conservation of pheromone structures within South American cerambycid species. It also highlights how blends of closely related structures, differing only in chain length or functional group, make the evolution of species-specific pheromone channels possible.

Synthetic Lugdunin Analogues Reveal Essential Structural Motifs for Antimicrobial Action and Proton Translocation Capability.

Lugdunin, a novel thiazolidine cyclopeptide, exhibits micromolar activity against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). For structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, synthetic analogues obtained from alanine and stereo scanning as well as peptides with modified thiazolidine rings were tested for antimicrobial activity. The thiazolidine ring and the alternating d‐ and l‐amino acid backbone are essential. Notably, the non‐natural enantiomer displays equal activity, thus indicating the absence of a chiral target. The antibacterial activity strongly correlates with dissipation of the membrane potential in S. aureus. Lugdunin equalizes pH gradients in artificial membrane vesicles, thereby maintaining membrane integrity, which demonstrates that proton translocation is the mode of action (MoA). The incorporation of extra tryptophan or propargyl moieties further expands the diversity of this class of thiazolidine cyclopeptides.

Unnatural verticilide enantiomer inhibits type 2 ryanodine receptor-mediated calcium leak and is antiarrhythmic

Ca2+ leak via ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2) can cause potentially fatal arrhythmias in a variety of heart diseases and has also been implicated in neurodegenerative and seizure disorders, making RyR2 an attractive therapeutic target for drug development. Here we synthesized and investigated the fungal natural product and known insect RyR antagonist (-)-verticilide and several congeners to determine their activity against mammalian RyR2. Although the cyclooligomeric depsipeptide natural product (-)-verticilide had no effect, its nonnatural enantiomer [ent-(+)-verticilide] significantly reduced RyR2-mediated spontaneous Ca2+ leak both in cardiomyocytes from wild-type mouse and from a gene-targeted mouse model of Ca2+ leak-induced arrhythmias (Casq2-/-). ent-(+)-verticilide selectively inhibited RyR2-mediated Ca2+ leak and exhibited higher potency and a distinct mechanism of action compared with the pan-RyR inhibitors dantrolene and tetracaine and the antiarrhythmic drug flecainide. ent-(+)-verticilide prevented arrhythmogenic membrane depolarizations in cardiomyocytes without significant effects on the cardiac action potential and attenuated ventricular arrhythmia in catecholamine-challenged Casq2-/- mice. These findings indicate that ent-(+)-verticilide is a potent and selective inhibitor of RyR2-mediated diastolic Ca2+ leak, making it a molecular tool to investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting RyR2 hyperactivity in heart and brain pathologies. The enantiomer-specific activity and straightforward chemical synthesis of (unnatural) ent-(+)-verticilide provides a compelling argument to prioritize ent-natural product synthesis. Despite their general absence in nature, the enantiomers of natural products may harbor unprecedented activity, thereby leading to new scaffolds for probe and therapeutic development.

Alternative synthetic approaches to rac-progesterone by way of the classic Johnson cationic polycyclization strategy

Three alternative synthetic entries into Johnson's classic synthesis of rac-progesterone are presented in this manuscript. ent-Progesterone, the non-natural enantiomer of progesterone, has recently been identified as a potential alternative to progesterone for investigations into possible prevention and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Difficulties in accessing ent-progesterone in large quantities prevent it from being studied more thoroughly. Strategies for producing synthetic rac-progesterone are described and discussed herein.

Total Syntheses and Biological Evaluation of Both Enantiomers of Several Hydroxylated Dimeric Nuphar Alkaloids.

Herein, we describe the first total syntheses of five members of the dimeric nuphar alkaloids: (+)-6,6'-dihydroxythiobinupharidine (+)-1 a, (+)-6-hydroxythiobinupharidine (+)-1 b, (-)-6,6'-dihydroxythionuphlutine (-)-2 a, (-)-6,6'-dihydroxyneothiobinupharidine (-)-3 a, and (+)-6,6'-dihydroxyneothionuphlutine (+)-4 a. The latter two have not been found in nature. We have also made each of their enantiomers (-)-1 a-b, (+)-2 a, (+)-3 a, and (-)-4 a. The key step in these syntheses was the dimerization of an α-aminonitrile (a hydrolytically stable surrogate for its corresponding hemiaminal) with chiral Lewis acid complexes. We have also reassigned the literature structures of (+)-1 a-1 b—for those instances in which the NMR spectra were obtained in CD3OD—to their corresponding CD3O-adducts. Our efforts provide for the first time apoptosis data for (-)-3 a, (+)-4 a, and all five non-natural enantiomers prepared. The data indicate high apoptotic activity regardless of the enantiomer or relative stereochemical configuration at C7 and C7'.

Recent syntheses and biological activity of lentiginosine and its analogues.

(+)-Lentiginosine, a natural trans-1,2-dihydroxyindolizidine belonging to the class of iminosugars, is a potent inhibitor of amyloglucosidase, and a good inhibitor of Hsp90. The non-natural enantiomer, (-)-lentiginosine, induces apoptosis on tumor cells of different origin and is poorly cytotoxic towards non-transformed cells. The significant biological activity of these compounds has resulted in the development of many synthetic approaches for their preparation. This review is an update of a previous survey and summarizes the most recent achievements on biological studies as well as total syntheses of lentiginosine and trans-1,2-dihydroxyindolizidine analogues.

Strigolactone Hormones and Their Stereoisomers Signal through Two Related Receptor Proteins to Induce Different Physiological Responses in Arabidopsis.

Two α/β-fold hydrolases, KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 (KAI2) and Arabidopsis thaliana DWARF14 (AtD14), are necessary for responses to karrikins (KARs) and strigolactones (SLs) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Although KAI2 mediates responses to KARs and some SL analogs, AtD14 mediates SL but not KAR responses. To further determine the specificity of these proteins, we assessed the ability of naturally occurring deoxystrigolactones to inhibit Arabidopsis hypocotyl elongation, regulate seedling gene expression, suppress outgrowth of secondary inflorescences, and promote seed germination. Neither 5-deoxystrigol nor 4-deoxyorobanchol was active in KAI2-dependent seed germination or hypocotyl elongation, but both were active in AtD14-dependent hypocotyl elongation and secondary shoot growth. However, the nonnatural enantiomer of 5-deoxystrigol was active through KAI2 in growth and gene expression assays. We found that the four stereoisomers of the SL analog GR24 had similar activities to their deoxystrigolactone counterparts. The results suggest that AtD14 and KAI2 exhibit selectivity to the butenolide D ring in the 2'R and 2'S configurations, respectively. However, we found, for nitrile-debranone (CN-debranone, a simple SL analog), that the 2'R configuration is inactive but that the 2'S configuration is active through both AtD14 and KAI2. Our results support the conclusion that KAI2-dependent signaling does not respond to canonical SLs. Furthermore, racemic mixtures of chemically synthesized SLs and their analogs, such as GR24, should be used with caution because they can activate responses that are not specific to naturally occurring SLs. In contrast, the use of specific stereoisomers might provide valuable information about the specific perception systems operating in different plant tissues, parasitic weed seeds, and arbuscular mycorrhizae.

Synthesis of (+)-trans-Dihydrolycoricidine

(+)-trans-Dihydrolycoricidine is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family of natural products, members of which are highly cytotoxic. Both the natural and non-natural enantiomers have been previously prepared.

A boron-based synthesis of the natural product (+)-trans-dihydrolycoricidine.

A boron-based synthesis of the natural product (+)-trans-dihydrolycoricidine.

ChemInform Abstract: An Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Elenoic Acid and the Non-Natural Enantiomers of Tetrahydroalstonine, Aricine, and Reserpinine.

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ChemInform Abstract: Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (+)-Codeine via Intramolecular Carbenoid Insertion.

A strategy was devised for the synthesis of codeine that employed intramolecular insertion of a carbenoid into a benzylic methine CH bond for creation of the C13 quaternary center and construction of the pentacyclic skeleton of the alkaloid. The synthesis began from isovanillin, and asymmetry was introduced through catalytic hydrogenation of its Stobbe condensation product 7 over a chiral catalyst (8). The product (S)-9 was advanced to tetralone 12, which underwent Robinson annulation to give the phenanthrenone 33. The latter was brominated and treated with base to afford the fused benzofuran 35. Reduction with hydride followed by catalytic hydrogenation produced the tetracycle 44, which was converted to diazoketone 48. The latter was reacted in the presence of catalytic Rh2(OAc)4 to furnish the pentacyclic product 49. Beckmann rearrangement of the derived oxime brosylate 59 gave lactam 57, and the synthesis of (+)-1 (the nonnatural enantiomer of codeine) was completed after oxidation to 63, introduction ...

The novel proapoptotic activity of nonnatural enantiomer of Lentiginosine

D-(-)-Lentiginosine [(-)-4], the nonnatural enantiomer of the iminosugar indolizidine alkaloid L-(+)-lentiginosine, acts as apoptosis inducer on tumor cells of different origin, in contrast to its natural enantiomer. Although D-(-)-4 exhibited a proapoptotic activity towards tumor cells at level lower than the chemotherapeutic agent, SN38, it was less proapoptotic towards normal cells and less cytotoxic. Apoptosis induced by D-(-)-4 was caspase-dependent, as shown by the increased expression and activity of caspase-3 and -8 in treated cells, and by inhibition following treatment with the pan caspase inhibitor, ZVAD-FMK. This study highlighted how a natural iminosugar alkaloid and its synthetic enantiomer, which were simply known for their inhibition against a fungal glucoamylase, could behave in a complete different way when tested towards cell growth and death of cells of different origin.

The Enantiocontrolled Synthesis of a Highly Functionalized Cyclohexenone Related to the A-Ring of the Furanosteroid Viridin

A seven-step reaction sequence has been used to convert the enantiomerically pure cis-1,2-dihydrocatechol 10 into the cyclohexenone 17a. A near equivalent sequence involving the same starting material has allowed for the synthesis of the regioisomeric system 17b. Compound 17a is related to the A-ring of ent-viridin (ent-1), the non-natural enantiomer of the furanosteroid viridin (1).

New approach to (−)-polyoxamic acid and 3,4-diepipolyoxamic acid from d-lyxono-1,4-lactone

The non-natural enantiomer of polyoxamic acid ( 1) and 3,4-diepipolyoxamic acid ( 2) was synthesized in four steps from d-lyxono-1,4-lactone ( 4). Regioselective bromination of unprotected d-lyxono-1,4-lactone with HBr/AcOH led to 2-bromo-2-deoxy- d-xylono-1,4-lactone ( 5). This intermediate was treated with NaN 3 to give 2-azido-2-deoxy- d-lyxono and xylono-1,4-lactones. Saponification of the obtained 2-azido derivatives gave the corresponding 2-azido-2-deoxyaldonic acids salt which, after neutralization followed by reduction, led to the expected compounds: (−)-polyoxamic acid ( 3) and 3,4-diepipolyoxamic acid ( 2) in 38% and 29% overall yields.

Chemoenzymatic Approaches to Lycorine-Type Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids: Total Syntheses of ent-Lycoricidine, 3-epi-ent-Lycoricidine, and 4-Deoxy-3-epi-ent-lycoricidine

The readily available and enzymatically derived cis-1,2-dihydrocatechol 4 has been elaborated, over 11 steps including an Overman rearrangement, into the non-natural enantiomer, (-)-1, of the alkaloid lycoricidine [(+)-1]. Related chemistries have provided analogues 18, 19, and 26.

An odour detection threshold determination of all four possible stereoisomers of oak lactone in a white and a red wine

Odour detection thresholds were determined for all four stereoisomers of oak lactone in both red and white wine. The natural cis-isomer was found to have a significantly lower detection threshold than its non-natural enantiomer in both media, and lower than indicated by most other sensory studies. The odour detection threshold for the natural trans-isomer was seven times higher than for the natural cis. Compared to its enantiomer, the natural trans-isomer had a lower detection threshold in the white wine medium, but slightly higher in the red. Duo-trio difference testing between the two trans-isomers added at the same concentration showed no significant difference between the two for both media. Similarly, a duo-trio test conducted between the natural cis-isomer and a mixture of the same amount of natural cis-oak lactone plus an equivalent concentration of the trans-isomer indicated that the latter had little or no influence on the odour impact of the cis-form.

The Stereoselective Synthesis of the Nonnatural Enantiomers of Communiols A-C. A Stereochemical Correction

A stereoselective synthesis of the nonnatural enantiomers of the fungal metabolites communiols A-C is reported. A stereochemical misassignment has been corrected and the absolute configurations of the natural products have been unambiguously established.