Discovery of potent parthenolide-based antileukemic agents enabled by late-stage P450-mediated C-H functionalization.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis and antileukemic activity of novel C9- and C14-functionalized parthenolide analogs.

Parthenolide is a naturally occurring terpene with promising anticancer properties, particularly in the context of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Optimization of this natural product has been challenged by limited opportunities for the late-stage functionalization of this molecule without affecting the pharmacologically important α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety. Here, we report the further developm...

Use of Parthenolide Derivatives as Antileukemic and Cytotoxic Agents

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Nigelladine A via Late-Stage C-H Oxidation Enabled by an Engineered P450 Enzyme.

An enantioselective total synthesis of the norditerpenoid alkaloid nigelladine A is described. Strategically, the synthesis relies on a late-stage C-H oxidation of an advanced intermediate. While traditional chemical methods failed to deliver the desired outcome, an engineered cytochrome P450 enzyme was employed to effect a chemo- and regioselective allylic C-H oxidation in the presence of four...

Parthenolide suppresses pancreatic cell growth by autophagy-mediated apoptosis

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy and is unresponsive to conventional chemotherapies. Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from feverfew, has exhibited potent anticancer effects against various cancers. The purpose of this report was to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of parthenolide in human pancreatic cancer Panc-1 and BxPC3 cells. The results demonstrate...

Enantioselective Synthesis of (−)-Maoecrystal V by Enantiodetermining C–H Functionalization

The evolution of a program directed at the enantioselective total synthesis of maoecrystal V, a highly modified ent-kauranoid, is described. An early stage chiral auxiliary-directed asymmetric C-H functionalization for the construction of a key benzofuran intermediate enabled the first asymmetric synthesis of the natural enantiomer of maoecrystal V, confirming the assigned stereochemistry. A di...