The antibiotic oligomycin A in the presence of K 2 CO 3 and n-Bu 4 NHSO 4 in chloroform in phase-transfer conditions afforded a novel derivative through the initial retro-aldol fragmentation of the 8,9 bond, followed by further transformation of the intermediate aldehyde. NMR, MS and quantum chemical calculations showed that the novel compound is the acyclic oligomycin A derivative, in which the 8,9 carbon bond is disrupted and two polyfunctional branches are connected with spiroketal moiety in positions C-23 and C-25. The tri-O-acetyl derivative of the novel derivative was prepared. The acyclic oligomycin A derivative retained the ability to induce apoptosis in tumor cells at low micromolar concentrations, whereas its antimicrobial potencies decreased substantially. The derivative virtually lost the inhibitory activity against F 0 F 1 ATP synthasecontaining proteoliposomes, strongly suggesting the existence of the target(s) beyond F 0 F 1 ATP synthase that is important for the antitumor potency of oligomycin A.
INTRODUCTIONThe macrolide antibiotic oligomycin A (1) has long been considered a valuable experimental tool for studies of energy metabolism. The major pharmacological activity of 1 is the suppression of oxidative phosphorylation and a decrease of intracellular ATP content due to interaction with the oligomycin-sensitivity-conferring protein component of F 0 F 1 ATP synthase. 1 These effects of 1 are of particular importance for the interference with ATP-dependent outward transport and the reversal of drug-resistant phenotypes in bacterial and mammalian cells. 2,3 Furthermore, growing interest in the mechanisms of energy disbalance in disease, to the most part (but not limited to) of cancer, opened the way to the application of 1 as a potent cytotoxic agent. Design of new compounds based on 1 scaffold is of interest, as F 0 F 1 ATP synthase inhibitors are drug candidates for the treatment of bacterial infections and cancer. 4 Recently, we reported the modifications at the C 7 carbonyl group and the C 2 ¼ C 3 double bond of the antibiotic. 5 Search for rather selective methods of modifications of 1 prompted us to study the behavior of the molecule in the conditions of phase-transfer reactions.