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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Total Synthesis of Himastatin

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

I. Total Synthesis of Himastatin via Bioinspired Oxidative Dimerization The concise total synthesis of (–)-himastatin via a biomimetic final-stage dimerization is described. Our approach relies on expedient preparation of a macrocyclic depsipeptide monomer via hybrid solution/solid phase peptide synthesis, followed by a newly developed oxidative dimerization reaction to secure the C5–C5' biaryl linkage at the center of himastatin’s homodimeric structure. Application of the oxidative dimerization methodology enabled the preparation of dimeric C5–C5' cyclotryptophans, cyclotryptamines, and indolines via a radical-radical coupling pathway that was supported by mechanistic studies. II. Synthesis and Biological Study of Himastatin Derivatives The modularity and convergence of our hybrid solution/solid-phase approach to the synthesis of macrocyclic peptide monomers enabled general access to several himastatin derivatives and their comparative biological evaluation. Our findings indicate that the central C5–C5' biaryl linkage, depsipeptide linkage, and piperazic acid residue of himastatin are important for bioactivity, but that substitution of the leucine residue has negligible impact. The synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of stereochemical probes further reveal that the absolute stereochemistry of himastatin does not impact its bioactivity, consistent with primarily achiral interactions with its cellular target. Relying on our late-stage dimerization methodology for the union of complex macrocyclic peptide fragments, we also accessed a uniquely active heterodimeric fluorescent probe, TAMRA-himastatin. Confocal microscopy enabled direct observation of the antibiotic’s localization within Gram-positive bacteria, and provided evidence that himastatin targets the bacterial membrane as part of its mode of action.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctoral
Department dc:contributor.department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
2022

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • D'Angelo, Kyan A.
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Movassaghi, Mohammad

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
  • Copyright MIT

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/143372
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/143372

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
MIT
Base URL
dspace.mit.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

D'Angelo, Kyan A.. Total Synthesis of Himastatin. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/143372