The total synthesis of the epidermal growth factor inhibitor reveromycin B (2) in 25 linear steps from chiral methylene pyran 13 is described. The key steps involved an inverse electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between dienophile 13 and diene 12 to construct the 6,6-spiroketal 11 which upon oxidation with dimethyldioxirane and acid catalyzed rearrangement gave the 5,6-spiroketal aldehyde 9. Lithium acetylide addition followed by oxidation/reduction and protective group manipulation provided the reveromycin B spiroketal core 8 which was converted into the reveromycin A (1) derivative 6 in order to confirm the stereochemistry of the spiroketal segment. Introduction of the C1-C10 side chain began with sequential Wittig reactions to form the C8-C9 and C7-C6 bonds, and a tin mediated asymmetric aldol reaction installed the C4 and C5 stereocenters. The final key steps to the target molecule 2 involved a Stille coupling to introduce the C21-C22 bond, succinoylation, selective deprotection, oxidation, and Wittig condensation to form the final C2-C3 bond. Deprotection was effected by TBAF in DMF to afford reveromycin B (2) in 72% yield.

The first enantiospecific synthesis of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor (-)-cinatrin B (2) from the D-arabinose derivative 9 is described. The spirolactone system was formed by an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of the allyl ester 8 followed by hydrolysis and stereoselective iodolactonization. The stereoselectivity of the rearrangement was controlled by the asymmetry in the allylic alcohol fragment. Ester (S)-8 gave the desired rearrangement product 7 and the epimer 13 in high yield as a 73:27 ratio, respectively. The final stereocenter at C2 was introduced via a chelation-controlled addition of the Grignard reagent derived from trimethylsilylacetylene to alpha-hydroxy ketone 6. Transformation of the terminal alkyne into the methyl ester 21 followed by acetal hydrolysis and selective lactol oxidation afforded cinatrin B methyl ester (22). Base hydrolysis and acid-induced relactonization then gave (-)-cinatrin B (2).

The asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-reveromycin A is described. The key steps involved a Lewis acid catalyzed inverse electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction followed by hydroboration/oxidation to afford the spiroketal core 4 in a highly stereoselective manner and introduction of the C18 hemisuccinate by high-pressure acylation.

A number of diazepines are known to inhibit bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins. Their BET inhibitory activity derives from the fusion of an acetyl-lysine mimetic heterocycle onto the diazepine framework. Herein we describe a straightforward, modular synthesis of novel 1,2,3-triazolobenzodiazepines and show that the 1,2,3-triazole acts as an effective acetyl-lysine mimetic heterocycle. Structure-based optimization of this series of compounds led to the development of potent BET bromodomain inhibitors with excellent activity against leukemic cells, concomitant with a reduction in c- expression. These novel benzodiazepines therefore represent a promising class of therapeutic BET inhibitors.

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