SYNPACTS ▌1 Totalsynpacts Synthesis of (+)-Fusarisetin A: A Biomimetic Approach JunBiomimetic Yin, Synthesis ofShuanhu (+)-Fusarisetin A Gao* Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, 3663N Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, P. R. of China Fax +86(21)62604784; E-mail:
[email protected] Received: 26.08.2013; Accepted after revision: 17.09.2013 Abstract: This article outlines our recent efforts to synthesize (+)-fusarisetin A, a naturally occurring 3-acyltetramic acid, by a route based on a hypothetical biosynthesis. Our research suggests that the biosynthesis of (+)-fusarisetin A might involve the aerobic oxidation of equisetin, possibly mediated by metal oxidants or by photochemically produced reactive oxygen species. Key words: radical reactions, total synthesis, biosynthesis, hetero- cycles, polycycles Natural products have proven to be an indispensable Jun Yin (left) was born in Shandong Province, China, in 1977. He 1 source of human therapeutic agents. Many significant received his bachelor’s degree in 2000 and his master’s degree in drugs are based on natural products or compounds derived organic chemistry in 2003, studying under Professor Jianwu Wang from natural products, such as penicillin (antibiotic), qui- at Shandong University. From 2003 to 2005, he worked at WuXi nine and artemisinin (antimalarials), lovastatin (lipid-con- AppTec. (Shanghai) as a chemist. From 2006 to 2011, he worked at 2 Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd. as a medicinal chemist. In 2011, he trol agent), and taxol and doxorubicin (anticancer drugs). joined Professor Shuanhu Gao’s group to pursue doctoral studies at Historically, these drugs have revolutionized human life the Department of Chemistry of East China Normal University.