Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of antifungal coniothyriomycin analogues.

The structure of the antifungal metabolite coniothyriomycin was systematically modified by changing the acids of the open chain imide, modification of the hydrophobicity, variation in the degree of saturation, replacement of carbons by nitrogen or oxygen, and incorporation of the open chain molecule into cyclic arrangements. Structure-activity studies showed that antifungal activity was retained by replacement of phenylacetic acids by benzoic acids in the imide structure but diminished by hydrogenation of the fumaric ester part.