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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of α-Imino γ-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones
Published on: February 7, 2019
A Cycloaddition Strategy for Use toward Berkelic Acid, an MMP Inhibitor and Potent Anticancer Agent Displaying a
Yaodong Huang1, Thomas R R Pettus
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA 93106-9510, USA Fax +1(805)8935690;
Abstract:
A kinetically controlled diastereoselective cycloaddition between a chiral enol ether and an ortho-quinone methide (o-QM) produces a chroman spiroketal motif that is found in the core of berkelic acid, a novel matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor and potent anticancer agent. The transformation lays the groundwork for preparation of future inhibitors aimed at distinguishing among the active sites of the twenty-three known MMP. Experimental findings suggest that the stereochemistry that emerges from cycloaddition is opposite that which results from thermodynamic ketalization.
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