Spirotryprostatin A

Spirotryprostatin A is an indolic alkaloid found in the Aspergillus fumigatus fungus. Spirotryprostatin A and several other indolic alkaloids (including Spirotryprostatin B, as well as other tryprostatins and cyclotryprostatins) have been found to have anti-mitotic properties, and as such they have become of great interest as anti-cancer drugs. Because of this, the total syntheses of these compounds is a major pursuit of organic chemists, and a number of different syntheses have been published in the chemical literature.

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One such total synthesis was published in 1999, which showed that the isopropylidene side chain was not necessary to the biological activity of the compound, leading to a number of new theorized analogues.^[1]

References

1. ^ Edmondson, S et al (1999). "Total Synthesis of Spirotryprostatin A, Leading to the Discovery of Some Biologically Promising Analogues". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 121 (10): 2147-2155.doi:10.1021/ja983788i