(−)-Jiadifenin synthesis

Glenn Micalizio and colleague at Dartmouth College have reported in JACS on the synthesis of jiadifenin.

 

JACS paper

MAP4K4 for neurodegenerative diseases

Herbert Waldmann and co-workers at Technische Universität Dortmund have reported in ACIE on MAP4K4 as a target for neurodegenerative diseases.

ACIE paper

Merrilactone synthesis

Hongbin Zhai and co-workers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published in ACIE on the synthesis of merrilactone where they used a Pauson-Khand reaction as one of the key steps.

ACIE paper

Arundic acid synthesis

Rodney Fernandes and co-workers from IIT Bombay have reported in European JOC on the synthesis of arundic acid.

European JOC paper

Jiadifenone

Miwa Kubo and co-workers at Tokushima Bunri University have reported in Tetrahedron Letters on some norsesquiterpenoids from Illicium jiadifengpi possessing neurotrophic activity.  This Illicium species is the same name that merrilactone came from (Illicium merrillianum)

TL paper

Ganglioside LLG-3 Synthesis

Makoto Kiso and co-workers at Gifu University have published in ACIEE on a total synthesis of ganglioside LLG-3.

ACIEE paper

Synthesis of Merrilactone

Michael Greaney and co-workers at the University of Edinburgh have published on the racemic synthesis of merrilactone.  One of the highlights is a radical cascade that involves the use of a titanium reagent on an epoxy alkyne substrate, which undergoes an epoxide opening and a 5-exo dig cyclization.

ACIEE paper

Hoiamides

William Gerwick and co-workers have published on their studies of hoiamides, which may be a target for voltage gate sodium channels (VGSC).  This channel is a target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders – there are neurotoxin sites (at least seven) on VGSCs that are targeted by drugs.

JNP paper