Molecular genetic and enzymological techniques have been employed to study secondary metabolite biosynthesis. These investigations have focused on two projects: the cloning and heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters from unculturable marine organisms and the characterization of individual enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the antifungal agent blasticidin S. The...
The total synthesis of a highly potent cytotoxic marine natural product, phorboxazole A, is described. Both a palladium(II)-mediated and a palladium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular alkoxycarbonylation were used as key steps for the preparation of the two cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran rings (C22-C26 and C11-C15) of phorboxazole A.
The synthesis used a convergent approach involving...
Rapamycin (5) was isolated in 1975 from the soil bacteria Streptomyces hygroscopicus and its structure was determined from spectroscopic techniques and an x-ray crystallographic analysis. Although it was initially found to exhibit antibiotic activity, it was subsequently shown to possess potent immunosuppressive activity as well.
Three approaches to the synthesis...
Studies toward synthesis of subunits of sanglifehrin A, an immunosuppressant featuring a highly substituted [5,5]-spirolactam moiety as well as a 22-membered macrocycle are described. The macrolactone contains a peptidic backbone characterized by an unusual [beta]-substituted (S)-piperazic acid and (S)-m-hydroxyphenylalanine units. These studies resulted in the synthesis of advanced intermediate 358...
Amphidinolide B₁ is one of the most potent cytotoxic compounds in the
amphidinolide family. Its bioactivity and intriguing structure has drawn
attention from synthetic chemists. Although numerous synthetic efforts toward
the total synthesis of amphidinolide B₁ have been published, it still remains an
unconquered synthetic target.
One of the unique...