Scalable Protecting-Group-Free Total Synthesis of Resibufogenin and Bufalin

Org Lett. 2024 Nov 15;26(45):9704-9709. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c03433. Epub 2024 Nov 4.

Abstract

A chemoenzymatic synthesis access to resibufogenin and bufalin was developed in seven steps without protecting groups. Starting with androstenedione (AD), an α-OH was introduced directly at C14 by hydroxylase P-450lun, which was further used as the directing group for hydrogenation to fully control the C17 configuration in the β-orientation after Suzuki cross-coupling. Dehydration of 14α-OH followed by an epoxidation delivered resibufogenin. Simultaneously, bufalin was also obtained via a challenging anaerobic Mukaiyama hydration.

MeSH terms

  • Androstenedione / chemical synthesis
  • Androstenedione / chemistry
  • Bufanolides* / chemical synthesis
  • Bufanolides* / chemistry
  • Bufanolides* / pharmacology
  • Hydrogenation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Bufanolides
  • bufalin
  • Androstenedione