Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.139, No.30, 10196-10199, 2017
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Nigelladine A via Late-Stage C-H Oxidation Enabled by an Engineered P450 Enzyme
An enantioselective total synthesis of the norditerpenoid alkaloid nigelladine A is described. Strategically, the synthesis relies on a late-stage C-H oxidation of an advanced intermediate. While traditional chemical methods failed to deliver the desired outcome, an engineered c-ytochrome P450 enzyme was employed to effect a chemo- and regioselective allylic C-H oxidation in the presence of four oxidizable positions. The enzyme variant was readily identified from a focused library of three enzymes, allowing for completion of the synthesis without the need for extensive screening.