The naturally occurring pyranonaphthoquinone (PNQ) antibiotic lactoquinomycin and related aglycones were found to be selective inhibitors of the serine-threonine kinase AKT. A set of synthetic PNQs were prepared and a minimum active feature set and preliminary SAR were determined. PNQ lactones inhibit the proliferation of human tumor cell lines containing constitutively activated AKT and show expected effects on cellular biomarkers. Biochemical data are presented supporting a proposed bioreductive alkylation mechanism of action.
The pyranonaphthoquinones (+)-7-deoxyfrenolicin B and (+)-7-deoxykalafungin were synthesized in four steps using an oxa-Pictet-Spengler cyclization that directly provided the natural (3a,5)-trans-substituted dihydronaphthopyrans with high diastereoselectivity. This outcome is in contrast to the unnatural (3a,5)-cis-substituted dihydronaphthopyrans reported under similar conditions for the syntheses of (+)-frenolicin B and (+)-kalafungin. Computational modeling is presented that provides insight into this unusual stereoselectivity.
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