Total Syntheses and Antibacterial Evaluations of Neocyclomorusin and Related Flavones

J Nat Prod. 2022 Sep 23;85(9):2217-2225. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00658. Epub 2022 Sep 5.

Abstract

Neocyclomorusin (1), a natural bioactive pyranoflavone mainly isolated from plants of the Moraceae family, was synthesized for the first time using a Friedel-Crafts reaction, a Baker-Venkataraman (BK-VK) rearrangement, a selective epoxidation, and a novel SN2-type cyclization as the key steps. The present protocol was also successfully applied for the total synthesis of oxyisocyclointegrin (2). Structurally related natural products morusin (23) and cudraflavone B (24) were also prepared. We investigated the antibacterial activities of these natural compounds against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains. The prenylated flavones, morusin (23) and cudraflavone B (24), showed comparable activity to ampicillin and kanacycin A against Staphylococcus aureus. Both morusin (23) and cudraflavone B (24) showed better antibacterial activities than ampicillin against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis. Both neocyclomorusin (1) and oxyisocyclointegrin (2) displayed disappointing antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Bacillus subtilis strains.

MeSH terms

  • Ampicillin / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Bacillus subtilis / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli* / drug effects
  • Flavones* / chemical synthesis
  • Flavones* / pharmacology
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria* / drug effects
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Ampicillin
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Flavones
  • Plant Extracts
  • neocyclomorusin