Defucogilvocarcin V

Four new analogues of the gilvocarcin-type aryl-C-glycoside antitumor compounds, namely 4'-hydroxy gilvocarcin V (4'-OH-GV), 4'-hydroxy gilvocarcin M, 4'-hydroxy gilvocarcin E and 12-demethyl-defucogilvocarcin V, were produced through inactivation of the gilU gene. The 4'-OH-analogues showed improved activity against lung cancer cell lines as compared to their parent compounds without 4'-OH group (gilvocarcins V and E). The structures of the sugar-containing new mutant products indicate that the enzyme GilU acts as an unusual ketoreductase involved in the biosynthesis of the C-glycosidically linked deoxysugar moiety of the gilvocarcins. The structures of the new gilvocarcins indicate substrate flexibility of the post-polyketide synthase modifying enzymes, particularly the C-glycosyltransferase and the enzyme responsible for the sugar ring contraction. The results also shed light into biosynthetic sequence of events in the late steps of biosynthetic pathway of gilvocarcin V.

A key directed remote metalation (DreM)-carbamoyl migration strategy was applied in an efficient synthesis of the naturally occurring 6H-naphtho[1,2-b]benzopyran-6-one defucogilvocarcin V (1a, Scheme 11). The required biarylcarbamate 33d was best prepared by a high yielding Suzuki coupling reaction of 31a with the differentially protected trioxygenated naphthalene coupling partner 32d which was synthesized using a selective acylation of a juglone derivative. In the late stages of the synthesis, the triflate 39 served as the common intermediate to install the required C-8 vinyl group of 1a (Stille coupling) as well as the required substituents for the preparation of defucogilvocarcins M (1b) and E (1c). A variety of protecting group strategies were investigated and provided insight into which groups are preferred for the DreM-carbamoyl migration process. The strategic lessons learned from this total synthesis were applied in the successful total synthesis of the structurally similar natural product arnottin I (2).

A concise total synthesis of defucogilvocarcin V is reported. The key features of the approach are the formation of the C-ring using a vinylogous Knoevenagel/transesterification reaction and construction of the D-ring by way of an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder-driven domino reaction. The resulting C-8 ester functionality provides a handle for the synthesis of defucogilvocarcin V as well as some C-8 analogues from a common late-stage intermediate.