Alpha-pyrone access with gold

Stuart Schreiber and co-workers have reported in Organic Letters on a gold catalyzed coupling of alkynes and propiolic acids to access alpha-pyrones.

OL paper

Beta-Lactone to Alpha-Pyrone

Patrick Pale and co-workers from CNRS have published in Organic Letters on a gold catalyzed cycloisomerization of a beta-alkynylpropiolactone to furnish an alpha-pyrone ring. This is an extension of the cycloisomerization reaction of an epoxy-alkyne to a furan ring.

 

OL paper

Angelmarin Synthesis

Mark J. Coster in the University of Queensland in Australia has come up with a very nice synthesis of angelmarin (racemic).  The activity is 0.01 micrograms/mL towards PANC-1 cells.

JOC paper

Myxopyronin A an RNA polymerase inhibitor

This article in ACIEE explains the Cell paper on how myxopyronin A inhibits an RNA polymerase from a bacteria that causes tuberculosis.

ACIEE paper

Cell paper