Total synthesis of an antitumor antibiotic, Fostriecin (CI-920)

The total synthesis of an antitumor antibiotic, fostriecin (CI-920), via a highly convergent route is described. A characteristic feature of the present total synthesis is that the synthesis was achieved via a coupling procedure of three segments A, B, and C. The unsaturated lactone moiety of fostriecin, corresponding to segment A, was constructed from a known Horner-Emmons reagent, and the stereochemistry of the C-5 position was introduced by asymmetric reduction with (R)-BINAl-H. Segment B having a series of stereogenic centers was synthesized from (R)-malic acid and the stereogenic centers at the C-8 and C-9 positions were prepared by a combination of Wittig reaction and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction. The conjugated Z,Z,E-triene moiety of fostriecin, corresponding to segment C, was eventually constructed by Wittig reaction and Stille coupling reaction. The phosphate moiety, which is known to be essentially important for the antitumor activity, was introduced via two routes: (i) direct phosphorylation of the monohydroxyl derivative in which other hydroxyl groups are protected with silyl groups; (ii) cyclic phosphorylation and selective cleavage of the cyclic phosphate derivative. Although the former route is basically the same as those reported by other groups, the latter route is novel and more effective than the former one. The present total synthesis would serve as a versatile synthetic route to not only fostriecin, but also its various analogues including stereoisomers.