We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a new series of 8-oxoadenines substituted at the 9-position with a 4-piperidinylalkyl moiety. In vitro evaluation of the piperidinyl-substituted oxoadenines 3a–g in human TLR7- or TLR8-transfected HEK293 cells and in human PBMCs indicated that TLR7/8 selectivity/potency and cytokine induction can be modulated by varying the length of the alkyl linker. Oxoadenine 3f containing a 5-carbon linker was found to be the most potent TLR7 agonist and IFNα inducer in the series whereas 3b possessing a 1-carbon linker was the most potent TLR8 agonist.

(-)-Bulgecinine is a nonproteinogenic amino acid component present in bulgecins A, B, and C, antibiotic glycopeptides derived from Pseudomonas acidophila and Pseudomonas mesoacidophila. In combination with beta-lactam antibiotics, bulgecins exihibit a unique synergistic antibacterial activity against various Gram-negative microorganisms. Utilizing d-serine as a chiral template and employing a highly regio- and stereoselective intramolecular amidomercuration-oxidation protocol in the key pyrrolidine ring forming step, an efficient total synthetic route to enantiopure bulgecinine is reported herein.

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Starting from readily available (R)-glycidol, an efficient pathway to a strategically functionalized ezoaminuroic acid derivative of the antifungal ezomycins has been developed. A key transformation in the synthesis involves regio- and stereoselective conversion of the olefinic functionality of a 5,6-dihydropyran-2-one to the C-2, C-3 trans-1,2-amino alcohol moiety as present in ezoaminuroic acid.

TLR4 agonists that favor TRIF-dependent signaling and the induction of type 1 interferons may have potential as vaccine adjuvants with reduced toxicity. CRX-547 (4), a member of the aminoalkyl glucosaminide 4-phosphate (AGP) class of lipid A mimetics possessing three (R)-3-decanoyloxytetradecanoyl groups and D-relative configuration in the aglycon, selectively reduces MyD88-dependent signaling resulting in TRIF-selective signaling, whereas the corresponding secondary ether lipid 6a containing (R)-3-decyloxytetradecanoyl groups does not. In order to determine which secondary acyl groups are important for the reduction in MyD88-dependent signaling activity of 4, the six possible ester/ether hybrid derivatives of 4 and 6a were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to induce NF-κB in a HEK293 cell reporter assay. An (R)-3-decanoyloxytetradecanoyl group on the 3-position of the D-glucosamine unit was found to be indispensable for maintaining low NF-κB activity irrespective of the substitutions (decyl or decanoyl) on the other two secondary positions. These results suggest that the carbonyl group of the 3-secondary lipid chain may impede homodimerization and/or conformational changes in the TLR4–MD2 complex necessary for MyD88 binding and pro-inflammatory cytokine induction.