Chiral alkynylcarbinols from marine sponges: asymmetric synthesis and biological relevance

Natural and Bioinspired Lipidic Alkynylcarbinols as Leishmanicidal, Antiplasmodial, Trypanocidal, Fungicidal, Antibacterial, and Antimycobacterial Agents

The present review article recapitulates for the first time the antipathogenic biological data of a series of lipidic natural products and synthetic analogues thereof characterized by the presence in their structure of an alkynylcarbinol unit. The cytotoxic properties of such natural and bioinspired compounds have been covered by several literature overviews, but to date, no review article detailing their activity against pathogens has been proposed. This article thus aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the field including early studies from the 1970s and 1980s with a specific focus on results published from the late 1990s until nowadays. Publications presenting the data of almost 50 different natural products are reported. Detailed activities encompass the fields of leishmanicidal, antiplasmodial, trypanocidal, fungicidal, and mainly antibacterial and antimycobacterial compounds. The few published studies aimed at exploring the structure-activity relationship in these series are also described. Around 15 different synthetic analogues of natural products, selected among the most active reported, are also presented. The rare data available regarding the antipathogenic mode of action of these products are recalled, and finally, a comparative analysis of the available biological data is proposed with the aim of identifying the key structural determinants for the bioactivity against pathogens of these unusual compounds.

Phenyl dialkynylcarbinols, a Bioinspired Series of Synthetic Antitumor Acetylenic Lipids

A series of 25 chiral anti-cancer lipidic alkynylcarbinols (LACs) were devised by introducing an (hetero)aromatic ring between the aliphatic chain and the dialkynylcarbinol warhead. The resulting phenyl-dialkynylcarbinols (PACs) exhibit enhanced stability, while retaining cytotoxicity against HCT116 and U2OS cell lines with IC50 down to 40 nM for resolved eutomers. A clickable probe was used to confirm the PAC prodrug behavior: upon enantiospecific bio-oxidation of the carbinol by the HSD17B11 short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR), the resulting ynones covalently modify cellular proteins, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress, ubiquitin-proteasome system inhibition, and apoptosis. Insights into the design of LAC prodrugs specifically bioactivated by HSD17B11 vs its paralogue HSD17B13 were obtained. The HSD17B11/HSD17B13-dependent cytotoxicity of PACs was exploited to develop a cellular assay to identify specific inhibitors of these enzymes. A docking study was performed with the HSD17B11 AlphaFold model, providing a molecular basis of the SDR substrates mimicry by PACs. The safety profile of a representative PAC was established in mice.

Cytotoxic Alkylynols of the Sponge Cribrochalina vasculum: Structure, Synthetic Analogs and SAR Studies

A series of twenty-three linear and branched chain mono acetylene lipids were isolated from the Caribbean Sea sponge Cribrochalina vasculum. Seventeen of the compounds, 1–17, are new, while six, 18–23, were previously characterized from the same sponge. Some of the new acetylene-3-hydroxy alkanes 1, 6, 7, 8, 10 were tested for selective cytotoxicity in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells over WI-38 normal diploid lung fibroblasts. Compound 7, presented clear tumor selective activity while, 1 and 8, showed selectivity at lower doses and 6 and 10, were not active towards NSCLC cells at all. The earlier reported selective cytotoxicity of some acetylene-3-hydroxy alkanes (scal-18 and 23), in NSCLC cells and/or other tumor cell types were also confirmed for 19, 20 and 22. To further study the structure activity relationships (SAR) of this group of compounds, we synthesized several derivatives of acetylene-3-hydroxy alkanes, rac-18, scal-S-18, R-18, rac-27, rac-32, R-32, S-32, rac-33, rac-41, rac-42, rac-43, rac-45, rac-48 and rac-49, along with other 3-substituted derivatives, rac-35, rac-36, rac-37, rac-38, rac-39 and rac-40, and assessed their cytotoxic activity against NSCLC cells and diploid fibroblasts. SAR studies revealed that the alcohol moiety at position 3 and its absolute R configuration both were essential for the tumor cell line selective activity while for its cytotoxic magnitude the alkyl chain length and branching were of less significance.

Alkynyl Sulfonium Salts Can Be Employed as Chalcogen-Bonding Catalysts and Generate Alkynyl Radicals under Blue-Light Irradiation

Chalcogen bonding (ChB) has emerged as a promising tool in organic synthesis. However, compared with the well-developed selenium- and tellurium-based salt catalysts, the ChB catalysis of sulfonium salts is still unknown. Here, we report a new type of alkynyl-sulfonium salt ChB catalysis for various ionic transformations, including transfer hydrogenation, bromination, bromolactonization, dimerization of 1,1-diphenylethylene, nitro-Michael addition reaction and Ritter reaction. More importantly, the photocapability of ChB was first demonstrated to generate alkynyl radicals for the synthesis of a variety of chalcogenoacetylenes. Mechanistic studies shed light on the mechanism of the photoinduced reactions and confirmed the involvement of alkynyl radicals which are difficult to generate otherwise.

Chiral Aminoalcohols and Squaric Acid Amides as Ligands for Asymmetric Borane Reduction of Ketones: Insight to In Situ Formed Catalytic System by DOSY and Multinuclear NMR Experiments

A series of squaric acid amides (synthesized in 66-99% isolated yields) and a set of chiral aminoalcohols were comparatively studied as ligands in a model reaction of reduction of α-chloroacetophenone with BH3•SMe2. In all cases, the aminoalcohols demonstrated better efficiency (up to 94% ee), while only poor asymmetric induction was achieved with the corresponding squaramides. A mechanistic insight on the in situ formation and stability at room temperature of intermediates generated from ligands and borane as possible precursors of the oxazaborolidine-based catalytic system has been obtained by 1H DOSY and multinuclear 1D and 2D (1H, 10/11B, 13C, 15N) NMR spectroscopy of equimolar mixtures of borane and selected ligands. These results contribute to better understanding the complexity of the processes occurring in the reaction mixture prior to the possible oxazaborolidine formation, which play a crucial role on the degree of enantioselectivity achieved in the borane reduction of α-chloroacetophenone.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Heck Carbonylation Reactions: Asymmetric Synthesis of 2-Oxindole Ynones and Carboxylic Acids

Herein, we report a Pd-catalyzed enantioselective domino Heck carbonylation reaction of o-iodoacrylanilides with terminal alkynes and water as the nucleophiles, affording a diversity of β-carbonylated 2-oxindole derivatives bearing a 3,3-disubstituted all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, in high yields (55-99 %) with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee). The synthetic utilities of the protocol were demonstrated in the gram-scale synthesis of 2-oxindole-derived ynone 3 ea and carboxylic acid 4 a, as well as the facile synthesis of chiral 2-oxindoles with a pyrazole or isoxazole moiety.

Reversal of Enantioselectivity in the Copper-Aminophenol Sulfonamide Catalyzed Alkynylation of Isatins by Slightly Tuning the Ligand Structure and Basic Additives

A series of new chiral aminophenol sulfonamide ligands with a monochiral arm has been developed for the first Cu(I) catalyzed enantiodivergent alkynylation of isatins. Dramatic reversal of enantioselectivity was accomplished by slightly tuning the substituted benzenesulfonamide and achiral basic additives. A wide range of both terminal alkynes and isatins are tolerated by this new catalyst system with up to 99% yield and 97% ee.

Total Synthesis of Natural Lembehyne C and Investigation of Its Cytotoxic Properties

The first Z-stereoselective method for the synthesis of the natural marine alkynol lembehyne C, containing a 1Z,5Z,9Z-triene moiety, in 41% yield was developed using the new Ti-catalyzed cross-coupling of oxygenated and aliphatic 1,2-dienes as the key step. It was found for the first time that lembehyne C exhibits moderate cytotoxicity against Jurkat, K562, U937, and HL60 cancer cells and also efficiently induces apoptosis in Jurkat cells, with the cell death mechanism being activated by the mitochondrial pathway. The lembehyne C inhibition of the cell cycle follows the mitotic catastrophe mechanism.

New 1,3-Diynoic Derivatives of Natural Lembehyne B: Stereoselective Synthesis, Anticancer, and Neuritogenic Activity

An original method has been developed for the synthesis of 1,3-dyine derivatives of natural lembehyne B in high yields (50-67%) and with high selectivity (>98%). The key stage of the synthesis is new Ti-catalyzed cross-cyclomagnesiation of oxygenated and aliphatic 1,2-dienes induced by Grignard reagents. For studying the effect of the structure on the antitumor and neuritogenic activities, a series of lembehyne B analogues with different distances between the terminal hydroxy group and the 1,3-diyne moiety was prepared and tested for neuritogenic activity on mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2A cells and for cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and effects on the cell cycle using Jurkat, U937, K562, HeLa, and Hek293 tumor cell lines.

Synthesis of chiral propargyl alcohols following the base-induced elimination protocol: application in the total synthesis of natural products

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure propargyl alcohols is one of the most important tools in organic synthesis and “base-induced elimination of β-alkoxy chlorides” could offer the enantiomerically pure propargyl alcohols.

Fluorinated analogues of lipidic dialkynylcarbinol pharmacophores: synthesis and cytotoxicity in HCT116 cancer cells

Lipidic alkynylcarbinols (LACs) have been identified as potential antitumor compounds, and a thorough understanding of their pharmacophoric environment is now required to elucidate their biological mode of action. In the dialkynylcarbinol (DAC) series, a specific study of the pharmacophore potential has been undertaken by focusing on the synthesis of three fluorinated derivatives followed by their biological evaluation. This work highlights the requirement of an electron-rich secondary carbinol center as a key structure for cytotoxicity in HCT116 cells.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective alkynylation of pyrazole-4,5-diones with terminal alkynes

A copper-catalyzed enantioselective alkynylation between pyrazole-4,5-diones and terminal alkynes is developed, and both enantiomers of chiral propargylic alcohols can be achieved by using the ligand illustrated and its diastereomer.

Skeletal Optimization of Cytotoxic Lipidic Dialkynylcarbinols

In line with a recent study of the pharmacological potential of bioinspired synthetic acetylenic lipids, after identification of the terminal dialkynylcarbinol (DAC) and butadiynyl alkynylcarbinol (BAC) moieties as functional antitumor pharmacophoric units, this work specifically addresses the issue of carbon backbone length. A systematic variation of the aliphatic chain length was thus carried out in both the DAC and BAC series. The critical impact of the length of the lipidic skeleton was first confirmed in the racemic series, with the highest cytotoxic activity observed for C₁₇ to C₁₈ backbones. Enantiomerically enriched samples were prepared by asymmetric synthesis of the optimal C₁₈ DAC and C₁₇ BAC derivatives. Samples with upgraded enantiomeric purity were alternatively produced by enzymatic kinetic resolution. Eutomers possessing the S configuration displayed cytotoxicity IC₅₀ values as low as 15 nm against HCT116 cancer cells, the highest level of activity reached to date in this series.

The first total synthesis of the marine acetylenic alcohol, lembehyne B - a selective inducer of early apoptosis in leukemia cancer cells

The communication reports a new stereoselective method for the synthesis of a natural acetylenic alcohol, lembehyne B. The key stage of the process uses new cross-cyclomagnesiation reaction of aliphatic and oxygenated 1,2-dienes with Grignard reagents in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cp₂TiCl₂. A study of the cytotoxic properties of lembehyne B on tumor cell lines using flow cytometry demonstrated that this is a selective inducer of early apoptosis of the Jurkat, HL-60 and K562 cell cultures and hypodiploid (sub-G1) sub-population inducer in cell cycle studies for all cell lines used.

Compounds from the marine sponge Cribrochalina vasculum offer a way to target IGF-1R mediated signaling in tumor cells

In this work two acetylene alcohols, compound 1 and compound 2, which were isolated and identified from the sponge Cribrochalina vasculum, and which showed anti-tumor effects were further studied with respect to targets and action mechanisms. Gene expression analyses suggested insulin like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) signaling to be instrumental in controlling anti-tumor efficacy of these compounds in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Indeed compounds 1 and 2 inhibited phosphorylation of IGF-1Rβ as well as reduced its target signaling molecules IRS-1 and PDK1 allowing inhibition of pro-survival signaling. In silico docking indicated that compound 1 binds to the kinase domain of IGF-1R at the same binding site as the well known tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1024. Indeed, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) confirmed that C. vasculum compound 1 binds to IGF-1R but not to the membrane localized tyrosine kinase receptor EGFR. Importantly, we demonstrate that compound 1 causes IGF-1Rβ but not Insulin Receptor degradation specifically in tumor cells with no effects seen in normal diploid fibroblasts. Thus, these compounds hold potential as novel therapeutic agents targeting IGF-1R signaling for anti-tumor treatment.

Lewis-base-catalysed selective reductions of ynones with a mild hydride donor

Nucleophilic phosphines catalyze efficient 1,2-reductions of ynones employing pinacolborane as a mild hydride donor in the presence of alcohol additives.

Ethynylogation approach in antitumor lipid pharmacochemistry: from dialkynyl-carbinols to trialkynyl-carbinols

A recently proposed "ethynylogation" pharmacochemical approach, first envisaged in the series of anticancer lipidic dialkynylcarbinols (DACs) H–C≡C–CH(OH)–C≡C–R at the levels of the H–C⋮ and ⋮C–R bonds for R = n-C12H25, is completed here at the level of the (HO)C–H bond. The so-devised mono-lipidic trialkynylcarbinol (TAC) target (HC≡C)2C(OH)–C≡CR and its bis-lipidic counterpart HC≡C–C(OH)(C≡CR)2 were synthesized in 4 steps and with 33 % and 23 % overall yield, respectively. Their antitumor cytotoxicity has been evaluated towards HCT116 cells: while the latter TAC is totally inactive, the former DAC-ethynylogous TAC still exhibits a significant toxicity with an IC50 of 10 µM.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of (R), (S) and (R/S)-2-hexyne-1,4-diol, a natural product produced by fungus Clitocybe catinus, and related analogs as potential anticancer agents

The search for natural products and related analogs as potential anticancer agents has seen a significant growth worldwide. Since small sized propargylic diols can be found in nature and chemically synthesized, their evaluation against cancer cells has been of great interest, being a topic of relevance to be investigated. For this purpose, a scalable approach aiming at the synthesis of several propargylic diols and their bioactivity against seven tumor cell lines were evaluated. Interestingly, when the compound 1a, a natural product produced by fungus Clitocybe catinus, was tested in its racemic mixture a more effective activity was observed if compared when enantiopure R-1a or S-1a were tested separately.

Enzymatic kinetic resolution of internal propargylic diols. Part I: a new approach for the synthesis of (S)-pent-2-yn-1,4-diol, a natural product from Clitocybe catinus

An efficient two round EKR of bis-substituted propargylic diols has been described and applied for synthesize (S)-pent-2-yn-1,4-diol, a natural product from Clitocybe catinus.

On terminal alkynylcarbinols and derivatization thereof

The chemistry of three prototypes of secondary alkynylcarbinols (ACs), recently highlighted as challenging targets in anti-tumoral medicinal chemistry, is further documented by results on n-alkyl, alkynyl and alkenyl representatives. The N-naphthyl carbamate of an n-butyl-AC is thus characterized by X-ray crystallography. A novel dialkynylcarbinol (DAC) with synthetic potential is described, namely the highly dissymmetrical triisopropylsilyl-protected version of diethynylmethanol. The latter is shown to act as a dipolarophile in a selective Huisgen reaction with benzyl azide under CuAAC click conditions, giving an alkenyl-AC, where the alkene unsaturation is embedded in a 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole ring, as confirmed by X-ray crystallography.