The family of anthra­quinone-fused enediyne antitumor antibiotics was established by the discovery of dynemicin A and deoxy-dynemicin A. It was then expanded, first by the isolation of unciala­mycin, and then by the addition to the family of tianci­mycins A–F and yangpu­micin A. This family of natural products provides opportunities in total synthesis, biology, and medicine due to their novel and challenging molecular structures, intriguing biological properties and mechanism of action, and potential in targeted cancer therapies. Herein, the total syntheses of tianci­mycins A and B, yangpu­micin A, and a number of related anthra­quinone-fused enediynes are described. Biological evaluation of the synthesized compounds revealed extremely potent cytotoxicities against a number of cell lines, thus enriching the structure–activity relationships within this class of compounds. The findings of these studies may facilitate future investigations directed toward antibody–drug conjugates for targeted cancer therapies and provide inspiration for further advances in total synthesis and chemical biology.

A new strategy is described for the total synthesis of halichondrin B featuring reversal of the sequential construction of a number of its cyclic ethers from the classical approach by instead forming C–O bonds first followed by C–C bond formation. Employing the Nicholas reaction to generate linear ethers as precursors for the total synthesis of halichondrin B and other members of the halichondrin and eribulin families of compounds, this novel approach provides new opportunities for the development of improved syntheses of these complex and valuable compounds. In this Article, we report the syntheses of defined fragments I, MN, EFG, and A. Fragments I and MN were then coupled and elaborated to advanced intermediate IJKLMN, which was joined with fragment EFG to afford, after appropriate elaboration and macrolactonization, the more advanced polycyclic intermediate EFGHIJKLMN. Elaboration of the latter and coupling with fragment A followed by further functionalization completed the total synthesis of halichondrin B through a short and convergent pathway.

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as valuable targeted anticancer therapeutics with at least 11 approved therapies and over 80 advancing through clinical trials. Enediyne DNA-damaging payloads represented by the flagship of this family of antitumor agents, N-acetyl calicheamicin γ1I, have a proven success track record. However, they pose a significant synthetic challenge in the development and optimization of linker drugs. We have recently reported a streamlined total synthesis of uncialamycin, another representative of the enediyne class of compounds, with compelling synthetic accessibility. Here we report the synthesis and evaluation of uncialamycin ADCs featuring a variety of cleavable and noncleavable linkers. We have discovered that uncialamycin ADCs display a strong bystander killing effect and are highly selective and cytotoxic in vitro and in vivo.

A new synthetic strategy for the total synthesis of norhalichondrin B featuring a highly convergent approach and our recently disclosed reverse approach for the synthesis of cyclic ether structural motifs is disclosed. Resulting in the shortest route to norhalichondrin B disclosed thus far, the reported total synthesis was achieved through the synthesis of two almost equally complex fragments whose coupling and short elaboration sequence featured an essential epimerization of the C16 stereocenter occurring concurrently with a simple acid-induced deprotection, a tactic based on a prior study along the synthetic route. This unprecedented strategy within the halichondrin family of natural products could find practical application to the synthesis of other more or less complex natural or designed halichondrin analogues.

Diastereoselective approaches toward the synthesis of a marine-derived sesquiterpenoid fungal metabolite, asperaculin A, are delineated, combining step economy and simplicity. Two distinct lactonization sequences from a common intermediate led to the first synthesis of 9-deoxyasperaculin A, a novel dioxa[5.5.5.6]fenestrane, in 14 steps (16% overall yield) and 16 steps (18% overall yield), respectively. [2,3]-Wittig-Still rearrangement and Ti(III)-mediated epoxide opening-cyclization were employed as some of the key steps for the stereoselective generation of the vicinal all-carbon quaternary centers of the target molecule.

An efficient and scalable total synthesis of the architecturally challenging sesquiterpenoid (±)-penifulvin A has been accomplished via a 12-step sequence with an overall yield of 16%. For the construction of this structurally complex tetracyclic molecule, the key steps used included 1,4-conjugate addition, a Pd(0) catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between an enol phosphate and trimethyl aluminum, Claisen rearrangement using the Johnson orthoester protocol, Ti(III)-mediated reductive epoxide opening-cyclization, Lewis acid catalyzed epoxy-aldehyde rearrangement, and finally a substrate controlled oxidative cascade lactonization process.

An expedient approach toward the unified total syntheses of (+)-iridomyrmecin, (-)-isoiridomyrmecin, (+)-7- epi-boschnialactone, (+)-teucriumlactone, and (-)-dolichodial in chirally pure forms starting from readily available (+)-β-citronellene is delineated combining step economy and simplicity. Highlights include a Ti(III)-mediated reductive epoxide opening-cyclization for the construction of the core cyclopenta[ c]pyran skeleton of the iridoid lactones with complete diastereoselectivity for the newly created bridgehead stereogenic centers. Subsequent transformations facilitate a short access to (+)-teucriumlactone and (-)-dolichodial and formal access to potentially other iridoids.

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