Vermiculin derivatives. Part 1: Synthesis of vermiculin derivatives.

Hydrogenation of the macrodiolide antibiotic vermiculin (1) over Adams catalyst afforded [8S, 16S]-8,16-bis(2'-oxopropyl)-1,9- dioxyacyclohexadeca-2,5,10,13-tetrone (2), [8S, 16S]-8,16-bis(2'-oxopropyl)-13-hydroxy-1,9-dioxacyclohexadeca- 2,5,10-trione (3), [8S,16S]-8,16-bis(2' oxopropyl)-1,9- dioxacyclohexadeca-2,5,10-trione (4) together with [7S]-4,9-dioxo-7-(4',9'-dioxodecanoyloxy)decanoic acid (5). Hydrogenation of diolide 1 over Pd/C gave tetrahydrovermiculin (2) only. The prepared compounds showed lower antibacterial and cytotoxic activities than vermiculin (1).