Chemistry and Antimicrobial Activity of Caryoynencins Analogs

Caryoynencins (1) are antibiotics isolated from liquid cultures of a plant pathogen, Pseudomonas caryophylli, and are unstable C₁₈ carboxylic acids with a conjugated dienetetrayne structure. Enyne analogs of caryoynencins were synthesized from monosilylated 1,3-butadiyne 2 (n = 2), 1,3,5-hexatriyne 2 (n = 3), and 1,3,5,7-octatetrayne 2 (n = 4) by alkynyl metal addition to 2,4-hexadienal (3) followed by allylic rearrangement and deprotection. Tetraynol 5 (n = 4) thus obtained was resolved by enzyme reactions. The conjugated dienetetrayne compounds are mixtures of 3E,5E- and 3E,5Z-isomers, which equilibrate by room light. ¹³C-NMR chemical shifts of polyynes obey simple rules, which can be used for signal assignments. Antimicrobial activities of conjugated enynes and related compounds were examined. The tetrayne analog 6 (n = 4) possesses potent antibacterial and antifixngal activities, while triyne and diyne analogs 6 (n = 3 and 2) are less active. Chirality does not affect the activities. An isomeric enyne compound, 2,4-tetradecadiene-7,9,11,13-tetrayn-6-ol (8), showed potent activity against Tricophyton.