(-)-Terpestacin and L-tenuazonic acid, inducers of pigment and aerial mycelium formation by Fusarium culmorum JP 15.

Surface cultures of Fusarium culmorum JP15 were found to respond to extracts of other fungi by enhanced production of orange-red fusarubin pigments and formation of aerial mycelium. Two inducers from strain Ulocladium sp. HKI 0226, the new (-)-terpestacin (1) and L-tenuazonic acid (2), were isolated. 1 inhibited syncytium formation by cells infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Colossolactones, new triterpenoid metabolites from a Vietnamese mushroom Ganoderma colossum.

Seven new triterpenoid metabolites (colossolactones; 1-7) were isolated from a fruiting body of Ganoderma colossum, and their structures were determined by MS and NMR methods.

Synthesis of N-carboxyalkyl and N-aminoalkyl functionalized dipeptide building units for the assembly of backbone cyclic peptides.

To improve the assembly of backbone cyclic peptides, N-functionalized dipeptide building units were synthesized. The corresponding N-aminoalkyl or N-carboxyalkyl amino acids were formed by alkylation or reductive alkylation of amino acid benzyl or tert-butyl esters. In the case of N-aminoalkyl amino acid derivatives the aldehydes for reductive alkylation were obtained from N,O-dimethyl hydroxamates of N-protected amino acids by reduction with LiAlH4. N-carboxymethyl amino acids were synthesized by alkylation using bromoacetic acid ester and the N-carboxyethyl amino acids via reductive alkylation using aldehydes derived from formyl Meldrums acid. Removal of the carboxy protecting group leads to free N-alkyl amino acids of very low solubility in organic solvents, allowing efficient purification by extraction of the crude product. These N-alkyl amino acids were converted to their tetramethylsilane-esters by silylation with N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)acetamide and could thus be used for the coupling with Fmoc-protected amino acid chlorides or fluorides. To avoid racemization the tert-butyl esters of N-alkyl amino acids were coupled with the Fmoc-amino acid halides in the presence of the weak base collidine. Both the N-aminoalkyl and N-carboxyalkyl functionalized dipeptide building units could be obtained in good yield and purity. For peptide assembly on the solid support, the allyl type protection of the branching moiety turned out to be most suitable. The Fmoc-protected N-functionalized dipeptide units can be used like any amino acid derivative under the standard conditions for Fmoc-solid phase synthesis.

New thrombin inhibitors based on D-cha-Pro-derivatives.

A series of new analogs with modifications in the C-terminal residue were prepared based on the known thrombin inhibitor D-Phe-Pro-agmatine. These include several compounds alkylated at the N delta-, N omega- and N omega'-atoms of the guanidino group and a number of inhibitors derived from commercially available diamines. All analogs with alkylation of the guanidino group showed very poor activity. In contrast, the most potent and selective inhibitor with a cyclic and basic residue in the P1-position was found to be Ph-CH2-SO2-D-Cha-Pro-4-(amidomethyl) amidinopiperidine 11 with a Ki of 0.27 nM. In addition, a number of compounds were synthesized, in which the basic amidino group of the P1-residue was replaced by a hydroxyl group. Although the inhibition constants of these phenol derivatives showed still remarkable potency (16, Ki = 130 nM), their activity in clotting assays was strongly reduced.