The cyclic depsipeptide, teixobactin, possesses promising activity against a range of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Teixobactin contains a number of non-canonical residues, including the synthetically challenging amino acid, l-allo-enduracididine, complicating clinical application of this peptide. Herein, we report the synthesis of six analogues of teixobactin, in which the non-canonical l-allo-enduracididine amino acid is replaced by isosteric, commercially available Fmoc-amino acid building blocks. Biological evaluation of the analogues has revealed promising activity, particularly for guanidine isosteres, against AMR strains of S. aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, highlighting the potential for this class of cyclic depsipeptides in the treatment of Gram-positive infections.

A flexible total synthesis of the 2-nitropyrrole-derived marine natural product, (+)-heronapyrrole C, is reported. The approach is based on regioselective access to key building blocks containing the rare 4-substituted 2-nitropyrrole motif. Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and dihydroxylation and a Shi epoxidation were used to introduce the five stereogenic centers of the bis-THF-diol side chain. The N-benzoyloxymethyl (Boz) protecting group was crucial for functionalization of the 2-nitropyrrole moiety and enabling final deprotection under mild conditions.

Nitropyrrole-containing natural products are relatively rare in nature. Known examples are limited to the β-nitropyrrole-containing pyrrolomycins and α-nitropyrrole-containing nitropyrrolins and heronapyrroles. Their unique structures and interesting bioactivity are of ongoing interest to the chemistry community. This review describes the isolation, biological activity, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis of nitropyrrole-containing natural products reported to date.

The total synthesis of the 2-nitropyrrole natural products nitropyrrolins A and B and the formal synthesis of nitropyrrolin D are reported. The key 2-nitro-4-alkylpyrrole core was efficiently assembled by Sonogashira cross-coupling, with complete control of regioselectivity. An unusual carboxylative cyclization, sulfonylcarbamate formation, and base-promoted cleavage sequence enabled access to the key hydroxy ketone without affecting the protected 2-nitropyrrole unit. The total synthesis provides a general approach for preparation of the bioactive nitropyrrolin family of natural products.