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Synthesis of Deoxyradicinin, an Inhibitor of Xylella fastidiosa and Liberibacter crescens, a Culturable Surrogate for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
Journal of Natural Products

2020
Authors: Connor A. Brandenburg, Claudia A. Castro, Alex A. Blacutt, Elizabeth A. Costa, Kyler C. Brinton, Diana W. Corral, Christopher L. Drozd, M. Caroline Roper, Philippe E. Rolshausen, Katherine N. Maloney, and Jonathan W. Lockner
Pierce's disease of grapevine and citrus huanglongbing are caused by the bacterial pathogens Xylella fastidiosa and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), respectively. Both pathogens reside within the plant vascular system, occluding water and nutrient transport, leading to a decrease in productivity and fruit marketability and ultimately death of their hosts. Field observations of apparently healthy plants in disease-affected vineyeards and groves led to the hypothesis that natural products from endophytes may inhibit these bacterial pathogens. Previously, we showed that the natural product radicinin from Cochliobolus sp. inhibits Xfastidiosa. Herein we describe a chemical synthesis of deoxyradicinin and establish it as an inhibitor of both Xfastidiosa and Liberibacter crescens, a culturable surrogate for CLas. The key to this three-step route is a zinc-mediated enolate C-acylation, which allows for direct introduction of the propenyl side chain without extraneous redox manipulations. 
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