In the total stereo-controlled synthesis of natural prostaglandins (PGs) and their structural analogs, a vast class of compounds and drugs, known as the lactones, are encountered in a few key steps ...to build the final molecule, as: δ-lactones, γ-lactones, and 1,9-, 1,11-, and 1,15-macrolactones. After the synthesis of 1,9-PGF
and 1,15-PGF
lactones, many 1,15-lactones of E
, E
, F
, F
, A
, and A
were found in the marine mollusc
and the quest for understanding their biological role stimulated the research on their synthesis. Then 1,9-, 1,11-, and 1,15-PG lactones of the drugs were synthesized as an alternative to the corresponding esters, and the first part of the paper describes the methods used for their synthesis. The efficient Corey procedure for the synthesis of prostaglandins uses the key δ-lactone and γ-lactone intermediates with three or four stereocenters on the cyclopentane fragment to link the PG side chains. The paper describes the most used procedures for the synthesis of the milestone δ-Corey-lactones and γ-Corey-lactones, their improvements, and some new promising methods, such as interesting, new stereo-controlled and catalyzed enantioselective reactions, and methods based on the chemical/enzymatic resolution of the compounds in different steps of the sequences. The many uses of δ-lactones not only for the synthesis of γ-lactones, but also for obtaining 9β-halogen-PGs and halogen-substituted cyclopentane intermediates, as synthons for new 9β-PG analogs and future applications, are also discussed.
Shoot branching is a major determinant of plant architecture and is highly regulated by endogenous and environmental cues. Two classes of hormones, auxin and cytokinin, have long been known to have ...an important involvement in controlling shoot branching. Previous studies using a series of mutants with enhanced shoot branching suggested the existence of a third class of hormone(s) that is derived from carotenoids, but its chemical identity has been unknown. Here we show that levels of strigolactones, a group of terpenoid lactones, are significantly reduced in some of the branching mutants. Furthermore, application of strigolactones inhibits shoot branching in these mutants. Strigolactones were previously found in root exudates acting as communication chemicals with parasitic weeds and symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Thus, we propose that strigolactones act as a new hormone class-or their biosynthetic precursors-in regulating above-ground plant architecture, and also have a function in underground communication with other neighbouring organisms.
Eight samples of Eupatorium heterophyllum leaves were collected at different locations in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China, and their chemical constituents were investigated. Thirteen previously ...undescribed sesquiterpene lactones—seven germacranolides, three eudesmanolides, two guaianolides, and a 2-norelemanolide—were isolated, and their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analyses. The major constituents in the six samples from northwestern Yunnan and Sichuan are hiyodorilactones A and B, whereas that in the two samples from the region near Kunming, Yunnan is eupatoriopicrin. These results and previously reported results suggest the presence of locality-dependent intra-specific diversity in the chemical constituents of E. heterophyllum leaves.
Benzenediol lactones are a structurally variable family of fungal polyketide metabolites possessing a macrolide core structure fused into a resorcinol aromatic ring. These compounds are widespread in ...fungi mainly in the genera such as Aigialus, Cochliobolus, Curvularia, Fusarium, Humicola, Lasiodiplodia, Penicillium and Pochonia etc. Most of these fungal metabolites were reported to possess several interesting biological activities, such as cytotoxicities, nematicidal properties, inhibition of various kinases, receptor agonists, anti-inflammatory activities, heat shock response and immune system modulatory activities etc. This review summarizes the research on the isolation, structure elucidation, and biological activities of the benzenediol lactones, along with some available structure–activity relationships, biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that lead to the revision of structure or stereochemistry, published up to the year of 2014. More than 190 benzenediol lactones are described, and over 300 references cited.
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•The numerous biological activities of benzenediol lactones have been discussed.•The chemical scaffolds of benzenediol lactones have been discussed.•The natural sources of benzenediol lactones have been discussed.•The structure activity relationships (SAR) of benzenediol lactones for different activities have been discussed in this review.
Sesquiterpene lactones are of considerable interest due to their potent bioactivities, including cancer cell cytotoxicity and antineoplastic efficacy in in vivo studies. Among these compounds, ...artesunate, dimethylaminoparthenolide, and L12ADT peptide prodrug, a derivative of thapsigargin, are being evaluated in the current cancer clinical or preclinical trials. Based on the structures of several antitumor sesquiterpene lactones, a number of analogues showing greater potency have been either isolated as natural products or partially synthesized, and some potential anticancer agents that have emerged from this group of lead compounds have been investigated extensively. The present review focuses on artemisinin, parthenolide, thapsigargin, and their naturally occurring or synthetic analogues showing potential anticancer activity. This provides an overview of the advances in the development of these types of sesquiterpene lactones as potential anticancer agents, including their structural characterization, synthesis and synthetic modification, and antitumor potential, with the mechanism of action and structure-activity relationships also discussed. It is hoped that this will be helpful in stimulating the further interest in developing sesquiterpene lactones and their derivatives as new anticancer agents.
A carotenoid-derived hormonal signal that inhibits shoot branching in plants has long escaped identification. Strigolactones are compounds thought to be derived from carotenoids and are known to ...trigger the germination of parasitic plant seeds and stimulate symbiotic fungi. Here we present evidence that carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 8 shoot branching mutants of pea are strigolactone deficient and that strigolactone application restores the wild-type branching phenotype to ccd8 mutants. Moreover, we show that other branching mutants previously characterized as lacking a response to the branching inhibition signal also lack strigolactone response, and are not deficient in strigolactones. These responses are conserved in Arabidopsis. In agreement with the expected properties of the hormonal signal, exogenous strigolactone can be transported in shoots and act at low concentrations. We suggest that endogenous strigolactones or related compounds inhibit shoot branching in plants. Furthermore, ccd8 mutants demonstrate the diverse effects of strigolactones in shoot branching, mycorrhizal symbiosis and parasitic weed interaction.
Bacteria can coordinate and synchronize activities through a cell density-dependent regulatory mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). Bacteria can measure their population by the synthesis, secretion, ...and perception of QS signal molecules to regulate specific gene expression when the population reaches a critical threshold. QS participates in various microbial processes such as marine organism bioluminescence, bacterial biofilm formation, and virulence factor expression. The use of QS systems mediated by
N
-acyl-homoserine lactones and autoinducer-2 has been recently recognized as a promising regulatory approach in environmental science and technology that can intrinsically promote the profound comprehension of wastewater treatment from a microbiology perspective. This article reviewed the study of QS in several environmental systems in wastewater treatment, including systems of aerobic granular sludge, biological nitrogen removal, and bioaugmentation, while several future prospects and suggestions are proposed on the basis of current studies.
Sesquiterpene lactones (SL), characterized by their high prevalence in the
family, are one of the major groups of secondary metabolites found in plants. Researchers from distinct research fields, ...including pharmacology, medicine, and agriculture, are interested in their biological potential. With new SL discovered in the last years, new biological activities have been tested, different action mechanisms (synergistic and/or antagonistic effects), as well as molecular structure-activity relationships described. The review identifies the main sesquiterpene lactones with interconnections between immune responses and anti-inflammatory actions, within different cellular models as well in in vivo studies. Bioaccessibility and bioavailability, as well as molecular structure-activity relationships are addressed. Additionally, plant metabolic engineering, and the impact of sesquiterpene lactone extraction methodologies are presented, with the perspective of biological activity enhancement. Sesquiterpene lactones derivatives are also addressed. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of sesquiterpene lactones within immune and inflammatory activities, highlighting trends and opportunities for their pharmaceutical/clinical use.
A versatile method for the rapid synthesis of diverse enantiomerically enriched lactones has been developed based on Cu-catalyzed enantioselective radical oxyfunctionalization of alkenes. The scope ...of this strategy encompasses a series of enantioselective difunctionalization reactions: oxyazidation, oxysulfonylation, oxyarylation, diacyloxylation, and oxyalkylation. These reactions provide straightforward access to a wide range of useful chiral lactone building blocks containing tetrasubstituted stereogenic centers, which are hard to access traditionally.
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