No abstract

Analysis of published NMR data for natural products containing the oxetane moiety, with the help of a recently developed parametric/DFT hybrid computational method DU8+, has revealed that oxetanes and related compounds constitute yet another significant challenge in structure elucidation and stereochemistry assignment, as more than 30 structures required revision. The most common pitfalls are discussed, and revised structures are suggested for 26 natural products.

NMR data for natural products containing the epoxy moiety have been revisited and reanalyzed with the help of a recently developed parametric/DFT hybrid computational method, DU8+. More than 20 structures needed revision, which points to challenges in NMR solution structure assignment for molecules possessing this structural feature. Among the revised structures are achicretin 2, acremine P, aromaticane I, artanomalide B, botryosphaerihydrofuran, chloroklotzchin, crithmifolide, crotodichogamoin A, emervaridone C, 9α,15-epoxyafricanane, fischambiguine B, grandilobalide B, guaianolide A, guatterfriesols A and B, juncenolide G, roscotane D, secoafricane 7, taccalonolides AJ and AF, and related compounds.

Total synthesis has been an effective and broadly practiced approach for structure validation (or revision) of complex natural products. It appears that computational methods for structure elucidation are gradually becoming a better alternative, being faster and more reliable, as found in the case of alstofolinine A.

Structurally unique halimanes EBC‐232 and EBC‐323, isolated from the Australian rainforest plant Croton insularis, proved considerably difficult to elucidate. The two diastereomers, which consist an unusual oxo‐6,7‐spiro ring system fused to a dihydrofuran, were solved by unification and consultation of five in silico NMR elucidation and prediction methods [i.e., ACDLabs, olefin strain energy (OSE), DP4, DU8+ and TD DFT CD]. Structure elucidation challenges of this nature are prime test case examples for empowering future AI learning in structure elucidation.