Discovery of Novel Neo-Clerodane Derivatives as Potent Dual-Functional Antiosteoporosis Agents through Targeting Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ.

A library of 31 natural neo-clerodanes isolated from Ajuga decumbens was assayed for antiosteoporosis. This results in 18 neo-clerodane osteoclastogenesis inhibitors, and compound 3 prevents bone loss in vivo. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that these compounds inhibit osteoporosis by antagonizing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ). We designed and synthesized 17 compounds by chemically modifying the natural neo-clerodane 19 (highly potent and the major composition of A. decumbens extract) by means of structure-based drug design techniques. Among these neo-clerodane derivatives, compound 34 is the most potent osteoporosis inhibitor with a 46-fold improvement in inhibiting osteoclastogenesis (IC50 = 0.042 vs 1.92 µM), 11-fold increased activity in PPARγ antagonism (EC50 = 0.75 vs 8.35 µM), 66-fold enhancement in receptor affinity (KD = 0.27 vs 17.7 µM), and enhanced osteogenic promotion compared to 19. This underscores the potential of neo-clerodane diterpenoids as promising leads for osteoporosis treatment by targeting PPARγ.

Spiro ent-Clerodane Dimers: Discovery and Green Approaches for a Scalable Biomimetic Synthesis.

Scospirosins A (1) and B (2), two unprecedented spiro ent-clerodane dimers with 6/6/10/6 and 6/6/6/6/6 ring systems, respectively, were isolated from Isodon scoparius. Their structures were unambiguously established by spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic, and chemical approaches. A bioinspired protecting-group-free strategy for their synthesis was achieved on a gram scale and featured the application of green methods, including neat reaction, sensitized photooxygenation, and electrochemical oxidation. 2 exhibited selective immunosuppressive activity against the proliferation of T lymphocytes (IC50 = 1.42 µM).

O6C-20-nor-salvinorin A is a stable and potent KOR agonist.

Salvinorin A (SalA) is a potent and selective agonist of the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR), but its instability has frustrated medicinal chemistry efforts. Treatment of SalA with weak bases like DBU leads to C8 epimerization with loss of receptor affinity and signaling potency. Here we show that replacement of C20 with H and replacement of O6 with CH2 stabilizes the SalA scaffold relative to its C8 epimer, so much so that epimerization is completely supressed. This new compound, O6C-20-nor-SalA, retains high potency for agonism of KOR.

Comparative Antileukemic Activity of a Tetranorditerpene Isolated from Polyalthia longifolia Leaves and the Derivative against Human Leukemia HL-60 Cells.

The discovery of potent cytotoxic isolates from botanicals provides an opportunity to explore this viable tool for cancer chemoprevention. The antileukemic potential of clerodane diterpene from Polyalthia longifolia leaves has already been established. However, in this present study, utilizing chromatographic techniques we report for the first time, the isolation of a rare tetranorditerpene (compound 1) from P. longifolia. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated and confirmed by spectrophotometric data. UPLC-MS analysis was conducted on the methanolic extract, ethyl acetate fraction, and isolated tetranorditerpene showed that the tetranorditerpene is one of the major constituents of the plant with a retention time of 30.78 min. In addition, a methyl ester derivative (compound 2) of the isolated tetranorditerpene was synthesized. Using the CCK-8 assay, we compared the cytotoxic potential of isolated tetranorditerpene (1) and methyl ester derivative (2) with the previously isolated clerodane diterpenes. Our results showed that the methyl ester derivative (2) displayed the highest inhibitory activity against human leukemia HL-60 cells. The isolated tetranorditerpene (1) did not exhibit significant inhibitory effect against HL-60 cells. Morphological examination indicated chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation suggesting induction of apoptosis in compound 2 treated HL-60 cells. The methyl esterification of the isolated tetranorditerpene (1) conferred on it a significant level of antileukemic activity suggesting the possibility of a synergistic relationship between pure compound isolation and synthetic reaction in the discovery of new chemopreventive agents.

Total Synthesis of (-)-Salvinorin†A.

Salvinorin A (1) is natural hallucinogen that binds the human κ-opioid receptor. A total synthesis has been developed that parlays the stereochemistry of l-(+)-tartaric acid into that of (-)-1 via an unprecedented allylic dithiane intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to obtain the trans-decalin scaffold. Tsuji allylation set the C9 quaternary center and a late-stage stereoselective chiral ligand-assisted addition of a 3-titanium furan upon a C12 aldehyde/C17 methyl ester established the furanyl lactone moiety. The tartrate diol was finally converted into the C1,C2 keto-acetate.

Fragment Coupling with Tertiary Radicals Generated by Visible-Light Photocatalysis.

Convergent synthesis strategies in which a target molecule is prepared by a branched approach wherein two or more complex fragments are combined at a late stage are almost always preferred over a linear approach in which the overall yield of the target molecule is eroded by the efficiency of each successive step in the sequence. As a result, bimolecular reactions that are able to combine complex fragments in good yield and, where important, with high stereocontrol are essential for implementing convergent synthetic strategies. Although intramolecular reactions of carbon radicals have long been exploited to assemble polycyclic ring systems, bimolecular coupling reactions of structurally complex carbon radicals have rarely been employed to combine elaborate fragments in the synthesis of structurally intricate molecules. We highlight in this Account recent discoveries from our laboratories that demonstrate that bimolecular reactions of structurally elaborate tertiary carbon radicals and electron-deficient alkenes can unite complex fragments in high yield using nearly equimolar amounts of the two coupling partners. Our discussion begins by considering several aspects of the bimolecular addition of tertiary carbon radicals to electron-deficient alkenes that commend these transformations for the union of structurally complex, sterically bulky fragments. We then discuss how in the context of synthesizing rearranged spongian diterpenoids we became aware of the exceptional utility of coupling reactions of alkenes and tertiary carbon radicals to unite structurally complex synthetic intermediates. Our initial investigations exploit the early report of Okada that N-(acyloxy)phthalimides reductively fragment at room temperature in the presence of visible light and catalytic amounts of the photocatalyst Ru(bpy)3Cl2 to form carbon radicals that react with alkenes. We show that this reaction of a tertiary radical precursor and an enone can combine two elaborate enantioenriched fragments in good yield with the formation of new quaternary and secondary stereocenters. As a result of the ready availability of tertiary alcohols, we describe two methods that were developed, one in collaboration with the MacMillan group, to generate tertiary radicals from tertiary alcohols. In the method that will be preferred in most instances, the tertiary alcohol is esterified in high yield to give a tert-alkyl hemioxalate salt, which-without purification-reacts with electron-deficient alkenes in the presence of visible light and an Ir(III) photocatalyst to give coupled products having a newly formed quaternary carbon in high yield. Hemioxalate salts containing Li, Na, K, and Cs countercations can be employed in this reaction, whose only other product is CO2. These reactions are carried out using nearly equimolar amounts of the addends, making them ideal for coupling of complex fragments at the late stage in a synthetic sequence. The attractive attributes of the fragment-coupling chemistry that we discuss in this Account are illustrated by an enantioselective total synthesis of a tricyclic trans-clerodane diterpenoid in eight steps and 34% overall yield from commercially available precursors. We anticipate that bimolecular reactions of carbon radicals will be increasingly used for fragment coupling in the future.

Constructing quaternary stereogenic centers using tertiary organocuprates and tertiary radicals. Total synthesis of trans-clerodane natural products.

A new concise construction of trans-clerodane diterpenoids is reported in which oxacyclic and trans-hydronaphthalene fragments are coupled, and the critical C9-quaternary carbon stereocenter formed stereoselectively, by 1,6-addition of a tertiary cuprate or a tertiary carbon radical to ß-vinylbutenolide. This strategy is specifically illustrated by total syntheses of (-)-solidagolactone (4), (-)-16-hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide (5, PL3), and (-)-annonene (6).

Michael acceptor approach to the design of new salvinorin A-based high affinity ligands for the kappa-opioid receptor.

The neoclerodane diterpenoid salvinorin A is a major secondary metabolite isolated from the psychoactive plant Salvia divinorum. Salvinorin A has been shown to have high affinity and selectivity for the κ-opioid receptor (KOR). To study the ligand-receptor interactions that occur between salvinorin A and the KOR, a new series of salvinorin A derivatives bearing potentially reactive Michael acceptor functional groups at C-2 was synthesized and used to probe the salvinorin A binding site. The κ-, δ-, and µ-opioid receptor (KOR, DOR and MOR, respectively) binding affinities and KOR efficacies were measured for the new compounds. Although none showed wash-resistant irreversible binding, most of them showed high affinity for the KOR, and some exhibited dual affinity to KOR and MOR. Molecular modeling techniques based on the recently-determined crystal structure of the KOR combined with results from mutagenesis studies, competitive binding, functional assays and structure-activity relationships, and previous salvinorin A-KOR interaction models were used to identify putative interaction modes of the new compounds with the KOR and MOR.

Microphyllandiolide, a new diterpene with an unprecedented skeleton from Salvia microphylla.

Microphyllandiolide (1), an unprecedented rearranged clerodane-type diterpene with a 9/3 bicyclic ring system, was isolated from the aerial parts of Salvia microphylla Kunth. Its structure was elucidated by analysis of its spectroscopic data and confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. A possible biogenesis for microphyllandiolide (1) is proposed.

Total synthesis of (-)-teucvidin.

A concise enantioselective synthesis of (-)-teucvidin has been achieved. Our synthetic strategy involved the diastereoselective Michael/Conia-ene cascade cyclization reaction for rapid establishment of the cis-decalin skeleton with three new stereogenic centers in one pot (72%, single diastereomer), the epoxidation/dealkoxycarbonylation protocol for construction of the fused furanone moiety, and the O-allylation/Claisen rearrangement protocol for construction of the all-carbon quaternary center at C9 of the clerodane skeleton.

Semisynthetic neoclerodanes as kappa opioid receptor probes.

Modification of the furan ring of salvinorin A (1), the main active component of Salvia divinorum, has resulted in novel neoclerodane diterpenes with opioid receptor affinity and activity. Conversion of the furan ring to an aldehyde at the C-12 position (5) has allowed for the synthesis of analogues with new carbon-carbon bonds at that position. Previous methods for forming these bonds, such as Grignard and Stille conditions, have met with limited success. We report a palladium catalyzed Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling reaction of a thioester and a boronic acid that occurs at neutral pH and ambient temperature to produce ketone analogs at C-12. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported usage of the Liebeskind-Srogl reaction to diversify a natural product scaffold. We also describe a one-step protocol for the conversion of 1 to 12-epi-1 (3) through microwave irradiation. Previously, this synthetically challenging process has required multiple steps. Additionally, we report in this study that alkene 9 and aromatic analogues 12, 19, 23, 25, and 26 were discovered to retain affinity and selectivity at kappa opioid receptors (KOP). Finally, we report that the furan-2-yl analog of 1 (31) has similar affinity to 1. Collectively, these findings suggest that different aromatic groups appended directly to the decalin core may be well tolerated by KOP receptors, and may generate further ligands with affinity and activity at KOP receptors.

Differential signaling properties at the kappa opioid receptor of 12-epi-salvinorin A and its analogues.

The kappa opioid receptor (KOPR) has been identified as a potential drug target to prevent or alter the course of mood, anxiety and addictive disorders or reduce response to stress. In a search for highly potent and selective KOPR partial agonists as pharmacological tools, we have modified 12-epi-salvinorin A, a compound which we have previously observed to be a KOPR partial agonist. Five analogues of 12-epi-salvinorin A were synthesized and their effects on G protein activation as well as ß-arrestin2 recruitment were evaluated. Only 12-epi-salvinorin A (1) partially activated signaling through G proteins, yet acted as a full agonist in the ß-arrestin 2 DiscoveRx assay. Other salvinorin analogues tested in these functional assays were full agonists in both assays of KOPR activation. By comparison, the non-selective opioid ligand nalbuphine, known to be a partial agonist for G-protein activation, was also a partial agonist for the ß-arrestin mediated signaling pathway activated through KOPR.

Synthesis of neoclerodane diterpenes and their pharmacological effects.

Salvinorin A is a neoclerodane diterpene that has been shown to be an agonist at kappa opioid receptors. Its unique structure makes it an attractive target for synthetic organic chemists due to its seven chiral centers and diterpene scaffold. This molecule is also interesting to pharmacologists because it is a non-serotonergic hallucinogen, and the first opioid ligand discovered that lacks a basic nitrogen. There have been several total synthesis approaches to salvinorin A, and these will be detailed within this chapter. Additionally, research efforts have concentrated on structure modification of the salvinorin A scaffold through semi-synthetic methods. Most modifications have focused on the manipulation of the acetate at C-2 and the furan ring. However, chemistry has also been developed to generate analogs at the C-1 ketone, the C-4 methyl ester, and the C-17 lactone. The synthetic methodologies developed for the salvinorin A scaffold will be described, as well as specific analogs with interesting biological activities.

Opioid receptor probes derived from cycloaddition of the hallucinogen natural product salvinorin A.

As part of our continuing efforts toward more fully understanding the structure-activity relationships of the neoclerodane diterpene salvinorin A, we report the synthesis and biological characterization of unique cycloadducts through [4+2] Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Microwave-assisted methods were developed and successfully employed, aiding in functionalizing the chemically sensitive salvinorin A scaffold. This demonstrates the first reported results for both cycloaddition of the furan ring and functionalization via microwave-assisted methodology of the salvinorin A skeleton. The cycloadducts yielded herein introduce electron-withdrawing substituents and bulky aromatic groups into the C-12 position. Kappa opioid (KOP) receptor space was explored through aromatization of the bent oxanorbornadiene system possessed by the cycloadducts to a planar phenyl ring system. Although dimethyl- and diethylcarboxylate analogues 5 and 6 retain some affinity and selectivity for KOP receptors and are full agonists, their aromatized counterparts 13 and 14 have reduced affinity for KOP receptors. The methods developed herein signify a novel approach toward rapidly probing the structure-activity relationships of furan-containing natural products.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new salvinorin A analogues incorporating natural amino acids.

The synthesis and in vitro evaluation of a new series of salvinorin A analogues substituted at the C(2) position with natural amino acids is reported. Compound 12, containing Val, displayed high affinity and full agonist activity at the kappa-opioid receptor. Analogues with bulky and/or aromatic residues were inactive, showing the importance of size and electronegativity of C(2)-substituents for binding affinity of salvinorin A derivatives.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of C-2 halogenated analogs of salvinorin A.

Salvinorin A (1), the main active ingredient of Salvia divinorum, is a potent and selective κ opioid receptor (KOPR) agonist. Based on the SAR, its C-2 position is one of the key binding sites and has very little space tolerance (3-4 carbons atoms) and limited to only lipophilic groups. In our attempt to prepare PET brain imaging agent for mapping KOPR, a series of C-2 halogenated analogs have been synthesized and screened for binding affinity at κ (KOPR), µ (MOPR), and δ (DOPR). These C-2 halogenated analogs with sequential changes of atomic radius and electron density serve as excellent molecular probes for further investigating the binding pocket at C-2, particularly on the effects of α verses ß configuration at C-2 position. The results of KOPR binding and functional studies reveal ß isomer in general binds better than α isomer with the exception of iodinated analogs and none of the C-2 halogenated analogs shows any improvement of KOPR binding affinity. Interestingly, functional assay has characterized that 6b is a partial agonist with E(max) of 46% of the kappa receptor full agonist U50,488H at 250 nM (K(i)). We have also observed that the affinity to the kappa receptor increases with atomic radius (I>Br>Cl>F) which is in good agreement with halogen bonding interactions reported in the literature.

Intramolecular transacetylation in salvinorins D and E.

Extraction of fresh Salvia divinorum leaves afforded salvinorins E and D as potential biosynthesis precursors of salvinorin A, a major metabolite and a potent hallucinogen. Attempts at HPLC purification of salvinorin E (2) with acetonitrile as a solvent revealed an equilibrium with its regioisomer, salvinorin D (3), in a 3:5 ratio. The presence of both compounds was readily observed in the (1)H NMR spectrum. This spontaneous formation of the mixture of isomers occurs via a dynamic intramolecular transacetylation process.

Chemical methods for the synthesis and modification of neoclerodane diterpenes.

Diterpenes are a structural class of molecules that are derived from four isoprene subunits and are widespread throughout nature. A number of neoclerodane diterpenes have been found to have biological activity but a limited number of chemical investigations have been conducted. Recently, the neoclerodane diterpene, salvinorin A (12) has been investigated due to its unique pharmacological profile. This review will discuss the chemical methods used to chemically modify and synthesize 12.

Synthetic studies of neoclerodane diterpenes from Salvia divinorum: role of the furan in affinity for opioid receptors.

Further synthetic modification of the furan ring of salvinorin A (1), the major active component of Salvia divinorum, has resulted in novel neoclerodane diterpenes with opioid receptor affinity and activity. A computational study has predicted 1 to be a reproductive toxicant in mammals and is suggestive that use of 1 may be associated with adverse effects. We report in this study that piperidine 21 and thiomorpholine 23 have been identified as selective partial agonists at kappa opioid receptors. This indicates that additional structural modifications of 1 may provide ligands with good selectivity for opioid receptors but with reduced potential for toxicity.

Structure-based design, synthesis, and biochemical and pharmacological characterization of novel salvinorin A analogues as active state probes of the kappa-opioid receptor.

Salvinorin A, the most potent naturally occurring hallucinogen, has attracted an increasing amount of attention since the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) was identified as its principal molecular target by us [Roth, B. L., et al. (2002) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99, 11934-11939]. Here we report the design, synthesis, and biochemical characterization of novel, irreversible, salvinorin A-derived ligands suitable as active state probes of the KOR. On the basis of prior substituted cysteine accessibility and molecular modeling studies, C315(7.38) was chosen as a potential anchoring point for covalent labeling of salvinorin A-derived ligands. Automated docking of a series of potential covalently bound ligands suggested that either a haloacetate moiety or other similar electrophilic groups could irreversibly bind with C315(7.38). 22-Thiocyanatosalvinorin A (RB-64) and 22-chlorosalvinorin A (RB-48) were both found to be extraordinarily potent and selective KOR agonists in vitro and in vivo. As predicted on the basis of molecular modeling studies, RB-64 induced wash-resistant inhibition of binding with a strict requirement for a free cysteine in or near the binding pocket. Mass spectrometry (MS) studies utilizing synthetic KOR peptides and RB-64 supported the hypothesis that the anchoring residue was C315(7.38) and suggested one biochemical mechanism for covalent binding. These studies provide direct evidence of the presence of a free cysteine in the agonist-bound state of the KOR and provide novel insights into the mechanism by which salvinorin A binds to and activates the KOR.