The two marine natural products rubrolide R (1) and S (2) were synthesised in only three linear steps starting from commercially available tetronic acid without using protecting‐group chemistry. Key steps in the syntheses were the Pd‐catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling followed by a vinylogous aldol condensation. Both compounds have been tested for their antibiotic and antiviral activities. At a concentration of 10 µm rubrolide R (1) and S (2), a 2‐log and 1.5‐log reduction in virus titre has been detected for a seasonal influenza virus (H3N2) and the pandemic swine influenza virus (pH1N1), respectively.

Zwitterionic thin films containing α-amino phosphonic acid moieties were successfully introduced on silicon surfaces and their antifouling properties were investigated. Initially, the substrates were modified with a hybrid polymer, composed of poly(methylsilsesquioxane) (PMSSQ) and poly(4-vinyl benzaldehyde) (PStCHO). Next, a Kabachnik-Fields post-polymerization modification (sur-KF-PMR) of the functionalized aldehyde surfaces was conducted with different amines and dialkyl phosphonates. After subsequent deprotection reaction of dialkyl phosphonates, the obtained zwitterionic surfaces were characterized by various techniques and we found excellent antifouling properties of the resulting films.