A Unified Strategy Targeting the Thiodiketopiperazine Mycotoxins Exserohilone, Gliotoxin, the Epicoccins, the Epicorazines, Rostratin A and Aranotin

A unified synthetic strategy directed towards mycotoxins belonging to the thiodiketopiperazine family is reported. The building blocks for a number of natural products—including exserohilone, gliotoxin, the epicoccins, the epicorazines, rostratin A and aranotin—have been synthesised stereoselectively from a common precursor. This key intermediate was constructed through an efficient and highly diastereoselective [2+2] cycloaddition between a ketene and an enecarbamate derived from L‐pyroglutamic acid. The annelation of the second ring was accomplished through ring‐closing metathesis and enol ether–olefin ring‐closing metathesis to provide both cis‐ and trans‐annelated azabicyclic cyclohexenones, as well as an annelated seven‐membered cyclic enol ether. A Pd‐catalysed elimination of allyl acetate gave rise to the cyclohexadienol structure of gliotoxin. Dimerisation of one building block to afford the diketopiperazine core was demonstrated. Mycotoxins by metathesis: Ring‐closing metathesis has been successfully employed for the construction of cis‐ and trans‐annelated azabicyclic cyclohexenones, as well as an azabicyclic seven‐membered cyclic enol ether (see scheme; Boc=tert‐butoxycarbonyl). These molecules are building blocks for a number of thiodiketopiperazine natural products. A unified synthetic strategy targeting these natural products is reported.