Cyclic peptides have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their ability to inhibit protein– protein interactions. Current strategies to prepare cyclic peptides often rely on functional amino acid side chains or the incorporation of unnatural amino acids, thus limiting their structural diversity. Here, we describe the development of a highly versatile peptide macrocyclization st...

Bryostatin is a unique lead in the development of potentially transformative therapies for cancer, Alzheimer's disease and the eradication of HIV/AIDS. However, the clinical use of bryostatin has been hampered by its limited supply, difficulties in accessing clinically relevant derivatives, and side effects. Here, we address these problems through the step-economical syntheses of seven members ...

Excised thioesterase domains are versatile catalysts for macrocyclization. However, thioesterase-catalyzed cyclization is often precluded due to the occurrence of hydrolysis and product inhibition. To circumvent these obstacles, we devised an unprecedented strategy: coincubation with DNA to capture the cyclic products possessing DNA-binding properties. In experiments involving echinomycin thioe...

A comparative study on in vitro and in silico inhibition of trypsin and matriptase by derivatives of the sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 at near physiological pH is reported. Besides wild-type bicyclic SFTI-1, monocyclic variants possessing native cystine as well as redox-stable triazolyl side-chain macrocyclization motifs were studied for the first time in matriptase inhibition assays. Interesti...

The pikromycin polyketide synthase (PKS) is unique in its ability to generate both 12 and 14 membered ring macrolactones. As such, dissection of the molecular basis for controlling metabolic diversity in this system remains an important objective for understanding modular PKS function and expanding chemical diversity. Here, we describe a series of experiments designed to probe the importance of...

The pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) group is more electronegative, lipophilic and sterically bulky relative to the well-explored trifluoromethyl (CF3) group. As such, the SF5 group could offer access to pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and optoelectronic materials with novel properties. Here, the first synthesis of phthalocyanines (Pcs), a class of compounds used as dyes and with potential as photodyna...

Macrocyclic peptidomimetics are valuable in research and serve as lead compounds in drug discovery efforts. New methods to prepare such structures are of considerable interest. In this pilot study, we show that an organic template harboring a latent cinnamyl cation participates in novel Friedel-Crafts macrocyclization reactions with tryptophan. Upon joining the template to Trp-Trp-Tyr, a single...

Peptide-protein interactions are important mediators of cellular-signaling events. Consensus binding motifs (also known as short linear motifs) within these contacts underpin molecular recognition, yet have poor pharmacological properties as discrete species. Here, we present methods to transform intact peptides into stable, templated macrocycles. Two simple steps install the template. The key ...

A new family of diphenylethanes has been synthesized as conformationally restricted analogues of antimitotic combretastatins. The two phenyl rings are linked between the para-phenolic positions through a 3-oxapentamethylene or hexamethylene chain. The key macrocyclization step was achieved in moderate yields by using an intramolecular McMurry pinacol coupling of linked aromatic dialdehydes, exc...