Comparative cytotoxicity of gambierol versus other marine neurotoxins.

Many microalgae produce compounds that exhibit potent biological activities. Ingestion of marine organisms contaminated with those toxins results in seafood poisonings. In many cases, the lack of toxic material turns out to be an obstacle to make the toxicological investigations needed. In this study, we evaluate the cytotoxicity of several marine toxins on neuroblastoma cells, focusing on gambierol and its effect on cytosolic calcium levels. In addition, we compared the effects of this toxin with ciguatoxin, brevetoxin, and gymnocin-A, with which gambierol shares a similar ladder-like backbone, as well as with polycavernoside A analogue 5, a glycosidic macrolide toxin. For this purpose, different fluorescent dyes were used: Fura-2 to monitor variations in cytosolic calcium levels, Alamar Blue to detect cytotoxicity, and Oregon Green 514 Phalloidin to quantify and visualize modifications in the actin cytoskeleton. Data showed that, while gambierol and ciguatoxin were successful in producing a calcium influx in neuroblastoma cells, gymnocin-A was unable to modify this parameter. Nevertheless, none of the toxins induced morphological changes or alterations in the actin assembly. Although polycavernoside A analogue 5 evoked a sharp reduction of the cellular metabolism of neuroblastoma cells, gambierol scarcely reduced it, and ciguatoxin, brevetoxin, and gymnocin-A failed to produce any signs of cytotoxicity. According to this, sharing a similar polycyclic ether backbone is not enough to produce the same effects on neuroblastoma cells; therefore, more studies should be carried out with these toxins, whose effects may be being underestimated.

Constraining of small-ring cyclic ether triads by stereodefined spiroannulation to an inositol orthoformate platform. Solution- and gas-phase alkali metal binding affinities for three- to five-membered ring structural combinations.

The structural features most conducive to complexation of the alkali metal ions Li(+), Na(+), and K(+) in a series of constrained inositol orthoformate derivatives have been probed in solution, in the solid state, and in the gas phase by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The eight spirotricyclic polyethers differ in the size of the rings containing the potentially ligating oxygen atoms. Although the ring sizes have been limited to three to five atoms inclusively, the combinations of oxirane, oxetane, and tetrahydrofuran are rather extensive and consist of many options. The overall trend for lithium ion affinity is [5.5.5] > [ 5.5.4] > [4.4.4] > [5.5.3] > [5.4.3] > [4.4.3] > [1.1.1] > [3.3.1], an ordering that correlates with the differing polarizabilities of the oxygen atoms, ease of alignment of the nonbonded electron pairs, and the overall size of the ligand as gauged by nonbonded O......O distances.

Spirocyclic restriction of nucleosides. Synthesis of the first exemplary syn-1-oxaspiro[4.4]nonanyl member.

[reaction: see text] The potential benefits associated with the spirocyclic restriction of nucleosides are summarized. Following exploration of a pi-allylpalladium route to 5'-alpha- or syn-dideoxy examples, we evaluated MOM protection of the 5'-hydroxyl as being suited to the synthesis of the first member of this new class of nucleoside mimic.

Spirocyclic restriction of nucleosides. An analysis of protecting group feasibility while accessing prototype anti-1-oxaspiro[4.4]nonanyl mimics.

[reaction: see text] The first spirocyclic nucleoside featuring a beta-hydroxyl (anti) at C5' has yielded to synthesis. While the OMOM functionality proved to be sensitive to the conditions necessary to incorporate heterocyclic bases, PMB protection of the carbinol was readily accommodated. The remarkably similar minimum-energy conformations of the title compounds relative to natural thymidine as deduced by Amber calculations in the gas phase are noted.

Intercalation of multiple carbon atoms between the carbonyls of alpha-diketones.

The reaction of open-chain or cyclic alpha-diketones with specific omega-alkenyl organometallics leads readily under the proper conditions to 1,2-diols bonded to terminal olefinic chains. With 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione, biacetyl, and cyclohexane-1,2-dione, allylindation in aqueous THF proceeds readily at both adjacent carbonyls. For cyclododecane-1,2-dione, recourse must be made to allylmagnesium bromide for completing the second-stage condensation. Grignard reagents have also served well as reactants for biacetyl monoadducts. In contrast, monoallylated camphorquinone is reluctant to couple to Grignard reagents and reacts only when Barbier-type alkyllithium reactions are applied. The ring closing metatheses of these products have been examined. Where six-membered ring formation operates, cyclization can be performed directly on diols. When larger rings are involved, the diols will react only if structural preorganization capable of facilitating mutual approach of the two double bonds is at play. For this purpose, the prior conversion to a cyclic carbonate holds considerable utility. In the latter setting, saponification must precede the diol cleavage step which has been performed with lead tetraacetate. The latter reagent also exhibits the very beneficial effect of facilitating removal of ruthenium and phosphorus byproducts generated during the metathesis step. This chemistry conveniently lends itself to the controlled intercalation of multiple methylene groups between the carbonyl carbons of readily available alpha-diketones to deliver linear or cyclic products.

Total asymmetric synthesis of the putative structure of the cytotoxic diterpenoid (-)-sclerophytin a and of the authentic natural sclerophytins A and B.

An enantioselective synthetic route to the thermodynamically most stable diastereomer of the structure assigned to sclerophytin A (5) has been realized. The required tricyclic ketone 33 was prepared by sequential Tebbe-Claisen rearrangement of lactones 29 and 30, which originated from the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of Danishefsky's diene to (5S)-5-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone (14). An allyl and a cyano group were introduced into the resulting adduct by means of stereocontrolled allylindation under aqueous Barbier-like conditions and by way of cyanotrimethylsilane, respectively. Following stereocontrolled nucleophilic addition of a methyl group to 33, ring A was elaborated by formation of the silyl enol ether, ytterbium triflate-catalyzed condensation with formaldehyde, O-silylation, and Cu(I)-promoted 1,4-addition of isopropylmagnesium chloride. The superfluous ketone carbonyl was subsequently removed and the second ether bridge introduced by means of oxymercuration chemistry. Only then was the exocyclic methylene group unmasked via elimination. An alternative approach to the alpha-carbinol diastereomer proceeds by initial alpha-oxygenation of 37 and ensuing 1,2-carbonyl transposition. Neither this series of steps nor the Wittig olefination to follow induced epimerization at C10. Through deployment of oxymercuration chemistry, it was again possible to elaborate the dual oxygen-bridge network of the target ring system. Oxidation of the organomercurial products with O(2) in the presence of sodium borohydride furnished 72, which was readily separated from its isomer 73 after oxidation to 61. Hydride attack on this ketone proceeded with high selectivity from the beta-direction to deliver (-)-60. Comparison of the high-field (1)H and (13)C NMR properties and polarity of synthetic 5 with natural material required that structural revision be made. Following a complete spectral reassessment of the structural assignments to many sclerophytin diterpenes, a general approach to sclerophytin A, three diastereomers thereof, and of sclerophytin B was devised. The presence of two oxygen bridges as originally formulated was thereby ruled out, and absolute configurations were properly determined. Key elements of the strategy include dihydroxylation of a medium-ring double bond, oxidation of the secondary hydroxyl in the two resulting diols, unmasking of an exocyclic methylene group at C-11, and stereocontrolled 1,2-reduction of the alpha-hydroxy ketone functionality made available earlier.

Teubrevin G and teubrevin H: the first total syntheses of rearranged neo-clerodanes including solutions to the problems of chirality merger and furan ring assembly.

Total syntheses of teubrevins G (2) and H (3) are described. The reported strategy relies on a highly regioselective cycloaddition-fragmentation approach to the construction of a 2,3,4-trisubstituted furan and features efficient ring-closing metathesis chemistry made possible through the application of a 1,3-dimesityl-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylideneruthenium precatalyst. The key building blocks 39 and 48 were constructed by asymmetric processes and coupled under conditions where good remote asymmetric induction was realized. The diastereoselection observed in this alkylation reaction appears to be intimately associated with the conformational properties of the beta-keto ester enolate. While the readily separated major diastereomer was transformed via a short route to 2, the minor component served as the precursor to 3. The efficiency of the synthesis was thereby well served.

Selective lithium ion binding involving inositol-based tris(spirotetrahydrofuranyl) ionophores: formation of a rodlike supramolecular ionic polymer from a homoditopic dimer.

The stereoselective replacement of all three hydroxyl groups in myo-inositol orthoformate by spirotetrahydrofuran rings in that manner which projects the C--O bonds in the molecular interior has been examined. The heterocyclic components were introduced sequentially, a protocol that demonstrated the utility of precomplexation to LiClO(4) as a stereocontrol tactic. The capability of 3 to coordinate to alkali metal ions was quantified. The conformationally restricted nature of this ligand conveys high selectivity for binding to lithium ion. Beyond that, the ionophore prefers to form 2:1 complexes with Li(+) and exhibits little tendency for 1:1 stoichiometry. These properties are shared by the "dimer" 36, in which two building blocks of type 3 have been conjoined by a 1,3-butadiyne tether positioned at the ortho ester terminus. This bifacial ligand reacts with one equivalent of LiClO(4) or LiBF(4) to form rodlike ionic polymers. Alternative recourse to lithium picrate results in production of the doubly capped homoditopic complex 41. Various other aspects of the chemistry peculiar to these systems are discussed.

Enantioselective syntheses of authentic sclerophytin A, sclerophytin B, and cladiell-11-ene-3,6,7-triol.

[figure: see text] Two distinctively different total syntheses of natural sclerophytin A in its revised structural formulation are reported. The first proceeds from (S)-carvone via a cladiellene triol and involves photoisomerization of the double bond. The second route makes use of (5S)-5-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone, which is subjected to cycloaddition, Claisen ring expansion, and regiocontrolled dihydroxylation tactics.

Stereospecific anionically promoted transannular hydride shifts in medium-ring hydroxy ketones. Probe of their reversibility and the potential for regiocontrol.

Examples are provided of stereospecific transannular oxidation-reduction processes involving the conjugate bases of delta-hydroxy ketones in a nine-membered ring setting. The ability to control the direction of these equilibria by proper modulation of the solvent environment and level of hydroxyl group protection is demonstrated. MM3-derived steric energies of the isomer pairs suggest that the equilibrium distributions are the outcome of the extent to which intramolecular hydrogen bonding forces are disrupted by polar solvent molecules when present.

Direct synthesis of previously inaccessible bridgehead azabicyclics by intramolecular cyclization of alpha-sulfonamido and alpha-sulfonimido radicals.

Syntheses of the first bridgehead sultams and the only known bridgehead disulfonimide are described. Both approaches capitalize on the electrophilicity of alpha-sulfonyl radicals and their propensity to undergo intramolecular ring closure. Where double bonds are concerned, 5-exo and 6-exo pathways operate preferentially as long as structural strain is not excessive. When the reaction center is a carbon-carbon triple bond, the first cyclization gives rise to vinyl radicals that hold sufficient reactivity to capture solvent benzene. In the case of 45, this sequential reaction leads importantly to the introduction of a styrene functionality sufficiently activated to allow a second ring closure to be kinetically feasible. The solid-state structural features of 12 and 17 have been elucidated by X-ray crystallographic methods. Despite key differences from the norm in the alignment of the nitrogen lone pair relative to the adjacent sulfonyl groups, these compounds exhibit good hydrolytic stability. For 13, generation of the alpha-sulfonamide carbanion is possible and regiospecific oxidation with chromyl acetate has been achieved.

1-Oxaspiro[4.4]nonan-6-ones. Synthetic access via oxonium ion technology, optical resolution, and conversion into enantiopure spirocyclic alpha,beta-butenolides.

A general approach to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure spirocyclic alpha,beta-butenolides is presented where the fundamental framework is rapidly elaborated by acid- or bromonium ion-induced rearrangement of the carbinol derived by addition of 2-lithio-4,5-dihydrofuran to cyclobutanone. Subsequent resolution of the resulting ketones by either sulfoximine or mandelate acetal technology has been applied effectively. The availability of these building blocks makes possible in turn the acquisition of the enantiomers of dihydrofurans typified by 17, 35, and 38 and lactones such as 25 and 31, as well as the targeted title compounds. Complementary reductions of the early intermediates provide the added advantage that the alpha- and beta-stereoisomeric carbinol series can be obtained on demand. These capabilities have been coordinated to allow the crafting of any member of the series in relatively few steps.

The sclerophytin A adventure.

The structural designation A originally made by Sharma and Alam to sclerophytin A was considered to be ambiguous and so notably strained relative to B that the latter was targeted for de novo synthesis (Scheme 1). Our two successful routes began with (5S)-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone and involved the application of cycloaddition, Claisen ring expansion, transannular oxymercuration, and 1,2-carbonyl transposition tactics to arrive at B. It was immediately apparent from polarity considerations and spectroscopic data that the antileukemic marine metabolite in question was in need of more deep-seated structural revision. Following close re-examination of an acquired authentic sample by advanced NMR techniques, the strong inference was made that sclerophytin A actually lacked a second oxygen bridge and was in reality the triol C. This conclusion was unequivocally confirmed by diverting an advanced intermediate generated earlier into a short sequence beginning with regiocontrolled dihydroxylation and terminating with configurational inversion at the secondary carbinol center. The status of other members of this series is also presented.

Vicinal tetrahydrofuranyl substitution of alkyl chains. Tetra-, penta-, and hexafunctionalized arrays.

The tetrakis (tetrahydrofuranyl) dialdehydes 14 and 19 are accessible by oxidative cleavage of extensively substituted cyclohexenes, which have in turn been assembled in a stereocontrolled manner. Reaction of 14 with an excess of the Normant reagent followed by ring closure resulted in conversion to the hexafunctionalized polyether 15. Allylindation of the same dialdehyde gave rise to lactol 16, a reactivity pattern that was essentially duplicated when 19 was treated with the Normant reagent. Attempts to add allylmagnesium bromide to 19 resulted in operation of a Tishchenko reaction with formation of lactone 23. By means of X-ray diffraction analysis, it was possible to ascertain the conformation adopted by 20 and 23 in the solid state. In addition, 15 was shown to populate a conformation in which the oxygen are very predominantly in gauche arrangements, this structural preorganization taking place in the absence of any metal ions.

Synthesis of the alleged structure of sclerophytin A. The setting of two oxygen bridges within the fused cyclodecanol B ring is not Nature's Way.

[reaction: see text] The structure attributed to sclerophytin A, a cytotoxic soft coral metabolite, was synthesized in an enantioselective manner from (5S)-5-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone. The spectral properties and polarity of the synthetic product require that the structural assignment to the natural material be revised.

Revised constitution of sclerophytins A and B.

[structure: see text] Spectroscopic reevaluation of sclerophytin B, the acetate of sclerophytin A, has demonstrated unequivocally that these coral metabolites are not composed of two ether bridges.

A modular approach to marine macrolide construction. 3. Enantioselective synthesis of the C1-C28 sector of spongistatin 1 (altohyrtin A).

[structure: see text] A completely stereocontrolled approach to assembly of the major C1-C28 subunit of spongistatin 1 (altohyrtin A) is described. Key steps included the control of two asymmetric aldols by means of Fujita-Nagao (chiral N-acyl-1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione auxiliary) and Mukaiyama (BF3 x OEt2-promoted enolsilane coupling) protocols in complex settings.

Preorganized ligand arrays based on spirotetrahydrofuranyl motifs. Synthesis of the stereoisomeric 1,8,14-trioxatrispiro[4.1.4.1.4. 1]octadecanes and the contrasting conformational features and ionic binding capacities of these belted ionophores.

The cis,trans trispiro ether 4 is accessible from several synthetic directions as a consequence of a crossover in reaction selectivity when proceeding from nucleophilic attack on the cis dispiro ketone to oxygenation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated ester 17. Its cis,cis isomer 3 was obtained in 17 steps and 14.6% overall yield from 3, 5-dimethoxybenzoic acid by making use of the alicyclic side chain in N as a "conformational lock". Although 4 shows no measurable tendency to complex with alkali metal ions, 3 binds strongly to Li(+) and Na(+) ions, as well as to CH(3)NH(3)(+). Whereas the 3eq conformation is populated in the solid state and in solution, complex formation occurs readily. (13)C NMR studies have defined slow exchange limits as the 2:1 sandwich complex with lithium ion is initially formed and transformed progressively into a 1:1 species upon the addition of more LiClO(4). Only the 2:1 complex with sodium ion is formed during comparable titration with NaClO(4). Association constants, molecular mechanics calculations, and X-ray crystallographic studies provide insight into the binding capacity of this belted tridentate ionophore.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of analogs of the marine toxin polycavernoside A.

Second generation analogs of polycavemoside A (2) possessing a side chain at C-15 different from that of the natural toxin have been synthesized. The in vivo toxicities of these new compounds (expressed as the minimal lethal dose) have been evaluated in mice (ip) and compared to 2, its aglycone (8), and polycavemoside B (9). The bioactivity profile of enynene 5 is particularly notable.

A [[TiCl2(isodiCp)]2(mu-O)] dimer and a twinned cyclic [TiCl(isodiCp)(mu-O)]4 tetramer.

The mu-oxo dimer mu-oxo-bis[dichloro[(1,2,3,3a,7a-eta)- 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indenyl]titanium], [Ti2Cl4(mu-O)(C10H11)2], and the mu-oxo cyclic tetramer, cyclo-tetra-mu-oxo-tetrakis[chloro[(1,2,3,3a,7a-eta)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro- 4,7-methano-1H-indenyl]titanium], [Ti4Cl4(mu-O)4(C10H11)4], have been synthesized by electrophilic attack of TiCl4 on the exo-trimethylsilyl derivative of isodiCp (isodiCp is the isodicyclopentadienide anion or 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indene) in the presence of trace amounts of moisture. Both structures are endo isomers, with each Ti atom bonded in a eta 5 manner to the Cp ring of the isodiCp ligand. Both display a slight bending of the isodiCp group about the bond common to the Cp ring and the norbornane fragment, such that the norbornane group is displaced in the direction away from the Ti atom. The dihedral angles which describe this bending are 9.0 (3) and 10.2 (3) degrees for the dimer, and 9.2 (2) degrees for the tetramer. The dimer contains a bent Ti-O-Ti angle of 159.5 (2) degrees. The tetramer forms tetragonal crystals, which are twinned by merohedry on the (110) plane. The tetramer molecule contains a crystallographic 4 axis, with the Ti atoms linked by the O atoms in a mu-oxo manner to form an eight-membered ring.