The syntheses of ganbajunins D and E and of the structure proposed for thelephantin D, as well as its regioisomer, were achieved in a divergent manner via a common monoester intermediate. The proposed structure of thelephantin D had NMR chemical shifts different from those of natural thelephantin D. This supported Takahashi's suggestion that the true structure of natural thelephantin D should be the same as that of terrestrin C, as was deduced from the similarities in their NMR spectra. The presence of isomerization equilibria between 2′,5′- and 2′,6′-diacyloxy-p-terphenyl derivatives in solution, which are the cause of the inseparability of these derivatives, was also demonstrated by monitoring the dynamic transition from a 2′,6′-diacyloxy-p-terphenyl-rich mixture of the derivatives to an equilibrium mixture. The results of biological and chemical property tests – such as cytotoxicity against cancer cells, affinity towards Fe²⁺ ion, and antioxidative activity – with the synthesized compounds are also described.

Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2) is a shellfish toxin and has a non-anomeric spiroacetal, which is not stabilized by an anomeric effect. The selective construction of the non-anomeric spiroacetal has been a major problem in the synthesis of PTX2. Described herein is the stereoselective total synthesis of PTX2 via the isomerization of anomeric spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2b (PTX2b). The synthesis of PTX2b was achieved by a simple process including sulfone-mediated assembly of spirocyclic and bicyclic acetals and subsequent macrocyclization by ring-closing olefin metathesis. Finally, the selective construction of PTX2 was accomplished by the early termination of a dynamic transition process to equilibrium in the acid-catalyzed isomerization of anomeric PTX2b. [6,6]-Spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2c (PTX2c) was also synthesized from PTX2b. The cytotoxicity assay of the synthetic compounds against HepG2 and Caco2 cancer cells showed a potency of the order: PTX2≫PTX2b>PTX2c.

Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2) is a shellfish toxin and has a non-anomeric spiroacetal, which is not stabilized by an anomeric effect. The selective construction of the non-anomeric spiroacetal has been a major problem in the synthesis of PTX2. Described herein is the stereoselective total synthesis of PTX2 via the isomerization of anomeric spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2b (PTX2b). The synthesis of PTX2b was achieved by a simple process including sulfone-mediated assembly of spirocyclic and bicyclic acetals and subsequent macrocyclization by ring-closing olefin metathesis. Finally, the selective construction of PTX2 was accomplished by the early termination of a dynamic transition process to equilibrium in the acid-catalyzed isomerization of anomeric PTX2b. [6,6]-Spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2c (PTX2c) was also synthesized from PTX2b. The cytotoxicity assay of the synthetic compounds against HepG2 and Caco2 cancer cells showed a potency of the order: PTX2≫PTX2b>PTX2c.