Total synthesis of syringolin A and B.

Total syntheses of two recently discovered proteasome inhibitors, syringolin A and B, are reported. The key to our approach was creation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated 12-membered lactam via intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction. Such reactions have been broadly used to prepared macrolactones, but this work presents a rarer example of its application to macrolactams. The final steps involved attachment of the bis(valinyl)urea side chain using peptide coupling procedures, including a method based on the unprotected valine N-carboxy anhydride. The additional alkene of syringolin A was created through cross-metathesis.