31.07.2015 Views

Advances in the stereoselective synthesis of antifungal agents and ...

Advances in the stereoselective synthesis of antifungal agents and ...

Advances in the stereoselective synthesis of antifungal agents and ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Chapter 1 8HO2Figure 1.7: Ergosterol 2Dim<strong>in</strong>uition <strong>of</strong> ergosterol 2 is believed to be <strong>the</strong> primary mechanismby which many fungicides <strong>in</strong>hibit fungal growth.HO3HO3aFigure 1.8: Lanosterol 3 <strong>and</strong> 24-methylenedihydrolanosterol 3a.An early precursor <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> syn<strong>the</strong>sis <strong>of</strong> ergosterol 2 is mevalonic acidwhich is condensed via several steps <strong>in</strong>to squalene. The cyclization <strong>of</strong>squalene oxide leads to lanosterol 3 <strong>and</strong> 24-methylene-dihydrolanosterol11,12 3a ( Fig. 1.8). 3a accumulates <strong>in</strong> drug treated cells because <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ability <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se cells to remove <strong>the</strong> C-14 methyl group. In contrast,demethylation would lead to 4,4-dimethylfecosterol, <strong>the</strong> next sterol along<strong>the</strong> biosyn<strong>the</strong>tic pathway lead<strong>in</strong>g to ergosterol.The specific action <strong>of</strong> fungicides <strong>in</strong> prevent<strong>in</strong>g demethylation at C-14is controlled by a Cytochrome P-450 enzyme <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>demethylation process. It is believed to <strong>in</strong>volve <strong>the</strong> association <strong>of</strong> aheterocyclic nitrogen atom with <strong>the</strong> protoheme <strong>of</strong> Cytochrome P-450 13,17 . The demethylation at C-14 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sterol nucleus <strong>in</strong>volves threereaction steps, shown <strong>in</strong> Scheme 1.1.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!