Béatrice Pelotier

Total synthesis of bistramide A and its 36(Z) isomers: differential effect on cell division, differentiation, and apoptosis.

The total synthesis of bistramide A and its 36(Z),39(S) and 36(Z),39(R) isomers shows that these compounds have different effects on cell division and apoptosis. The synthesis relies on a novel enol ether-forming reaction for the spiroketal fragment, a kinetic oxa-Michael cyclization reaction for the tetrahydropyran fragment, and an asymmetric crotonylation reaction for the amino acid fragment. Preliminary biological studies show a distinct pattern of influence of each of the three compounds on cell division, differentiation, and apoptosis in HL-60 cells, thus suggesting that these effects are independent activities of the natural product.

Solvent-free, metal-free, aza-Prins cyclization: unprecedented access to δ-sultams.

Aza-Prins and the pauper: Aza-Prins cyclization between γ,δ-unsaturated tosylamines and aldehydes was successfully performed under solvent-free and metal-free conditions. When applied to β,γ-unsaturated sulfonamides, the corresponding δ-sultams were isolated in good yields (see scheme). This approach constitutes a new route to cyclic sulfonamides.