The total synthesis of the optically active (aR)- and (aS)-16-methyllamellarins N (3a and 3b) was achieved via resolution on HPLC chiral stationary phase. The kinase inhibitory activities of both enantiomers were evaluated on eight protein kinases relevant to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (CDK1/cyclin B, CDK2/cyclin A, CDK5/p25, GSK-3α/β, PIM1, DYRK1A, CLK3, and CK1). Isomer (aR)-3b exhibited potent but nonselective inhibition on all protein kinases except CK1, while (aS)-3a selectively inhibited only GSK-3α/β, PIM1, and DYRK1A. The different inhibition profiles of (aS)-3a and (aR)-3b were elucidated by docking simulation studies. Although parental lamellarin N (2) inhibited the action of topoisomerase I, both (aS)-3a and (aR)-3b showed no inhibition of this enzyme. The phenotypic cytotoxic activities of 2, (aS)-3a, and (aR)-3b on three cancer cell lines (HeLa, SH-SY5Y, and IMR32) changed according to their topoisomerase I and protein kinase inhibitory activities.

-In order to estimate the free energy barrier to rotation around the C1-C11 single bond in lamellarins, new lamellarin analogues (1a), (1b), (2a), and (2b) possessing diastereotopic protons or carbons at the C1 aryl moiety were synthesized. Variable-temperature 1 H and 13 C NMR measurements of these analogues revealed that the free energy barriers to rotation around the C1-C11axis in 5,6-saturated and 5,6-unsaturated lamellarins were around 72-74 and 83-87 kJ/mol, respectively.