Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Natural and Designed Tubulysins

A streamlined total synthesis of N 14-desacetoxytubulysin H (Tb1) based on a C–H activation strategy and a short total synthesis of pretubulysin D (PTb-D43) are described. Applications of the developed synthetic strategies and technologies to the synthesis of a series of tubulysin analogues (Tb2–Tb41 and PTb-D42) are also reported. Biological evaluation of the synthesized compounds against an array of cancer cells revealed a number of novel analogues (e.g., Tb14), some with exceptional potencies against certain cell lines [e.g., Tb32 with IC50 = 12 pM against MES SA (uterine sarcoma) cell line and 2 pM against HEK 293T (human embryonic kidney) cell line], and a set of valuable structure–activity relationships. The highly potent cytotoxic compounds discovered in this study are highly desirable as payloads for antibody–drug conjugates and other drug delivery systems for personalized targeted cancer chemotherapies.