Abstract
AbstractEribulin (Halaven) is the most structurally complex non-peptidic drug made by total synthesis and has challenged preconceptions of synthetic feasibility in drug discovery and development. However, despite decades of research, the synthesis and manufacture of eribulin remains a daunting task. Here, we report syntheses of the most complex fragment of eribulin (C14–C35) used in two distinct industrial routes to this important anticancer drug. Our convergent strategy relies on a doubly diastereoselective Corey–Chaykovsky reaction to affect the union of two tetrahydrofuran-containing subunits. Notably, this process relies exclusively on enantiomerically enriched α-chloroaldehydes as building blocks for constructing the three densely functionalized oxygen heterocycles found in the C14–C35 fragment and all associated stereocenters. Overall, eribulin can now be produced in a total of 52 steps, which is a significant reduction from that reported in both academic and industrial syntheses.
Funder
Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
General Physics and Astronomy,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Chemistry,Multidisciplinary