Biofunctional Synthesis

A straightforward one-pot vs. stepwise esterification of lapachol was performed to obtain highly diversified heterocycles. Whereas the one-pot esterification leads to mono esterified lapachol, the stepwise approach generated benzo[h]chromene. Furthermore, benzo[h]chromene architectures with embedded triazole moieties were synthesized through late-stage functionalization of the benzo[h]chromene terminal alkyne moiety by copper catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC) in a one-pot procedure.

The new coumarine derivate with methyl ester of 2-((Z)-1(2,4-dioxochroman-3-ylidene)ethylamino)-3-methylbutanoic acid and the corresponding palladium(II) complex are synthesized and characterized by microanalysis, infrared, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The proposed structure of the ligand was confirmed based on the X-ray structural study.

The first total synthesis of cordyheptapeptide A is described. The synthesis is accomplished by a convergent approach featuring a combination of peptide coupling and the Ugi reaction for the preparation of the main building blocks and the acyclic precursor. The assembly of an N-methylated fragment by the Ugi reaction comprised the utilization of a convertible isonitrile followed by activation of the C-terminal amide. Two different macrocyclization sites were evaluated, proving greater efficacy the macrolactamization at the site Ile-Tyr, likely due of a more suitable conformational bias of the acyclic precursor having an internal β-turn centered at the N-Me-d-Phe-Pro moiety.

A multicomponent approach enabling the installation of turn-inducing moieties that facilitate the macrocyclization of short and medium-size oligopeptides is described. The strategy comprises the Ugi ligation of peptide carboxylic acids and isocyanopeptides in the presence of aldehydes and acid or photolabile amines followed by cyclization and cleavage of the backbone N-substituents to render canonical cyclopeptides. Implementing the approach on solid phase with the use of Rink amide resins led to a new class of backbone amide linker strategy.

Four new hygrophorones (1–4) together with the known hygrophorone B12 (5) have been isolated from fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Hygrophorus abieticola Krieglst. ex Gröger & Bresinsky. Their structures were assigned on the basis of extensive one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopic analyses as well as ESI-HRMS measurements. Among these compounds, two previously undescribed hygrophorone types, named hygrophorone H12 (3) and 2,3-dihydrohygrophorone H12 (4), were identified. The absolute configuration of hygrophorone E12 (2) is suggested based on quantum chemical CD calculations, while a semisynthetic approach in conjunction with computational studies and analysis of NOE interactions allowed the stereochemical assignment of compounds 3 and 4. Additionally, semisynthetic derivatives of hygrophorone B12 (5) were generated by acetylation of the hydroxyl groups. The biological activity of the natural and semisynthetic hygrophorones was evaluated against phytopathogenic organisms, revealing that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl functionality is likely to be an essential structural feature. Hygrophorone B12 (5) was identified as the most active compound, acting against both ascomycetous fungi and oomycetes.

An important development in the field of macrocyclization strategies towards molecular cages is described. The approach comprises the utilization of a double Ugi four‐component macrocyclization for the assembly of macromulticycles with up to four different tethers, that is, hybrid cages. The innovation of this method rests on setting up the macromulticycle connectivities not through the tethers but through the bridgeheads, which in this case involve N‐substituted amino acids. Both dilution and metal‐template‐driven macrocyclization conditions were implemented with success, enabling the one‐pot formation of cryptands and cages including steroidal, polyether, heterocyclic, peptidic, and aryl tethers. This method demonstrates substantial complexity‐generating character and is suitable for applications in molecular recognition and catalysis.

An important development in the field of macrocyclization strategies towards molecular cages is described. The approach comprises the utilization of a double Ugi four‐component macrocyclization for the assembly of macromulticycles with up to four different tethers, that is, hybrid cages. The innovation of this method rests on setting up the macromulticycle connectivities not through the tethers but through the bridgeheads, which in this case involve N‐substituted amino acids. Both dilution and metal‐template‐driven macrocyclization conditions were implemented with success, enabling the one‐pot formation of cryptands and cages including steroidal, polyether, heterocyclic, peptidic, and aryl tethers. This method demonstrates substantial complexity‐generating character and is suitable for applications in molecular recognition and catalysis.

A multicomponent macrocyclization strategy towards cyclic lipopeptides is described. The approach relies on the utilization of the Ugi and Passerini multicomponent reactions for the cyclization of peptides and oxo-peptides, and here it is employed for the construction of a small library of analogues of the natural products mycosubtilin and surfactin A. A key feature of this method is the simultaneous incorporation of either one or two exocyclic lipid tails along with the macrocyclic ring closure, which is only possible due to the multicomponent nature of the macrocyclization step. The evaluation of the anticancer activity of the lipopeptide library showed that the installation of a second lipid moiety in the surfactin scaffold leads to a more potent cytotoxicity in cancer cells. This is a new example of the multicomponent reaction potential in rapidly producing natural product analogues for biological screening.

A first example of 5-component 5-center reactions with isonitriles [Ugi-5CRs] is described. The extended Ugi type reactions involve selenoaldehydes as well as ammonia, both challenging reactants in multicomponent (MCR) systems, to generate methionine and Se-methionine moieties and derivatives as protected building blocks or for direct ligation in peptides or peptoids. The peptoid/peptide building blocks proved to be non-cytotoxic but increased the expression of genes encoding for stress protective selenoproteins (Gpx1).

Synthesis of platinum(II) conjugate with acetylated betulinic acid tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane ester (BATRIS) is presented (BATRISPt). HR-ESI-MS and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis were used for characterization of BATRISPt. Cytotoxicity (3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), crystal violet (CV), and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assays) of BA, BATRIS, BATRISPt, and cisplatin were assessed on seven different tumor cell lines: melanoma B16, colon HCT116 and DLD-1, adenocarcinoma HeLa, breast MCF-7, and anaplastic thyroid tumor 8505C and SW1736; as well as normal MRC-5 fibroblasts. Furthermore, the effect of the mentioned compounds on the apoptosis (Annexin V/PI assay) and autophagy induction (acridine orange (AO) assay) as well as caspase 3, 8, and 9 activation were investigated on the selected B16 melanoma cell line. BATRISPt showed lower activity than BA, BATRIS, or cisplatin. All tested compounds triggered apoptosis in B16 cells. Induction of autophagy was observed in B16 cells exposed only to BATRIS. On the other hand, new conjugate activates caspases 8 and 9 in B16 cells with higher impact than BATRIS or cisplatin alone.