FR901464 is a potent anticancer natural product that lowers the mRNA levels of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In this article, we report a convergent enantioselective synthesis of FR901464, which was accomplished in 13 linear steps. Central to the synthetic approach was the diene-ene cross olefin metathesis reaction to generate the C6-C7 olefin without the use of protecting groups as the final step. Additional key reactions include a Zr/Ag-promoted alkynylation to set the C4 stereocenter, a mild and chemoselective Red-Al reduction, a reagent-controlled stereoselective Mislow-Evans-type [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to install the C5 stereocenter, a Carreira asymmetric alkynylation to generate the C4′ stereocenter, and a highly efficient ring-closing metathesis-allylic oxidation sequence to form an unsaturated lactone. The decomposition pathways of FR901464's right fragment were studied under physiologically relevant conditions. Facile epoxide opening by -elimination gave two enones, one of which could undergo dehydration via its hemiketal to form a furan. To prevent this decomposition pathway, a right fragment was rationally designed and synthesized. This analogue was 12 times more stable than the right fragment of the natural product. Using this more stable right fragment analogue, an FR901464 analogue, meayamycin, was prepared in 13 linear steps. The inhibitions of human breast cancer MCF-7 cell proliferation by synthetic FR901464 and meayamycin were studied, and the GI 50 values for these compounds were determined to be 1.1 nM and 10 pM, respectively. Thus, meayamycin is among the most potent anticancer small molecules that do not bind to either DNA or microtubule.

FR901464 is a potent anticancer agent that regulates the transcription of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. A convergent enantioselective synthesis of FR901464 was accomplished in 13 linear steps. Central to the synthetic approach was the diene-ene cross olefin metathesis reaction to generate the C6-C7 olefin, without the use of protecting groups, as the final coupling. Additional key reactions include a Zr/Ag-promoted alkynylation to set the C4 stereocenter, a mild and chemoselective Red-Al reduction, a stereoselective Mislow-Evans-type [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to install the C5 stereocenter, a Carreira asymmetric alkynylation to generate the C4' stereocenter, and a highly efficient ring-closing metathesis-allylic oxidation sequence to form an unsaturated lactone.

Both enantiomers of oxindoles 2a-h, having a stereogenic quaternary carbon center at the C3 position and a different N-protective group, were readily prepared by the lipase-catalyzed desymmetrization protocol. Thus, the transesterification of the prochiral diols 3a-h with 1-ethoxyvinyl 2-furoate 5 was catalyzed by Candida rugosa lipase to give (R)-(+)-2a-h (68-99% ee), in which the use of a mixed solvent, (i)Pr(2)O (diisopropyl ether)-THF, was crucial. The same lipase also effected the enantioselective hydrolysis of the difuroates 4a-h in a mixture of (i)Pr(2)O, THF, and H(2)O to provide the enantiomers (S)-(-)-2a-h (82-99% ee). The products 2 obtained by both methods were stable against racemization. These enzymatic desymmetrization reactions were also applicable for other typical symmetrical difuroates 12b and 15b to provide the racemization-resistant products 13b and 16b.

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[reaction: see text] An intramolecular enantiodivergent synthesis of both enantiomers of the ABCDE-ring analogue 22 of fredericamycin A is reported. Key steps involve an intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of 17 and an aromatic Pummerer-type reaction of 19. A lipase-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization of prochiral diol 2 using 1-ethoxyvinyl 2-furoate 3 led to the pivotal intermediate (R)-4.