A divergent and concise base-promoted Dieckmann-type keto-ester condensation strategy is demonstrated to generate two unique spiro [cyclohexadiene-isoxazoline] moieties. The consecutive di-bromination-elimination-bromination of the corresponding spiro moiety has been successfully utilized to furnish the desired core structure of many bromotyrosine derived spiroisoxazoline natural products. The spiroisoxazoline
IntroductionThe natural occurrence and the discovery of new synthetic agents displaying antineoplastic activity are important topics of research in medicinal chemistry.[1] Since the first reports pertaining to the herbicidal and plant hormonal activity, [2] spiroisoxazoline containing natural products and their analogues have stimulated a great deal of interest in biomedicinal chemistry.[3] Among the broad spectrum of α-oximinotyrosine derived natural products isolated from marine sponges, in particular 11-deoxyfistularin-3 (1), [4a] purealidin P (6), [4b] and Q (7) [4d] are cytotoxic against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (LD 50 = 17 μg/L),[4a] murine lymphoma K1210 (IC 50 2.8 and 0.95 μg mL -1 , respectively), [4b] and human epidermal carcinoma KB (nasopharynx) (IC 50 7.6 and 1.2 μg mL -1 , respectively) [4d] cell lines (Figure 1). The other members from the same family are also widely known for their diverse pharmacological activities including antiviral, [5] antimicrobial, [6] anti-HIV, [7] antifungal, [8] antifouling, [9] Na + /K + ATPase inhibition, [10] HDAC inhibition, [11] histamine H 3 antagonism, [12] mycothiol S-conjugate amidase inhibition, [13] and isoprenylcysteine carboxymethyl transferase (Icmt) inhibition.[14] The distinguishable molecular diversity arises due to several prominent structural features including; (a) brominated spiroisoxazoline core that contains a cyclohexadiene, a bromo epoxy ketone, or a bromohydrin moiety, (b) the R or S absolute stereochemistry of the spiro stereogenic center of spiroisoxazoline amide core, (c) the presence of a [a]