Revision of the Absolute Configuration of Preussilides A-F Established by the Exciton Chirality Method.

In a recent contribution to this Journal (J. Nat. Prod. 2017, 80, 1531-1540), Noumeur et al. reported the isolation and structure elucidation of six novel polyketides named preussilides A-F, endowed with remarkable antiproliferative activity. The absolute configuration of the new compounds was established mainly by analyzing exciton-coupled electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. However, the application of the exciton chirality method (ECM) was incorrect, because the chirality defined by transition moments was assigned in a wrong way. A correct application of the ECM, substantiated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations of ECD spectra, led us to revise the absolute configuration of Preussilides A-F. A brief discussion on the criteria required for a correct application of the ECM is also presented.