Iron(III)-templated macrolactonization of trihydroxamate siderophores.

A method was developed to synthesize macrocyclic trihydroxamate siderophores using optimized Yamaguchi macrolactonization conditions. The natural ability of siderophores to bind iron(III) was exploited to template the reactions and allowed for rapid reaction rates, high product conversions, and the formation of large macrolactone rings up to 35 atoms. An X-ray structure of a 33-membered macrolactone siderophore-Fe(III) complex is presented.