Total Synthesis of Tagitinins, Goyazensolide and Related Furanoheliangolides and their Covalent Interaction with Importin‐5 (IPO5)

Abstract Herein, we detail an extension of our research on the synthesis of a small library of furanoheliangolides and the characterization of the covalent interaction between goyazensolide and IPO5. Using a build‐couple‐pair strategy, we assembled a small library of germacrene‐type lactones and diversified them into eight groups of structurally different analogues. The germacrene lactones were synthesized using Sonogashira coupling and Barbier‐type macrocyclization, while the furanoheliangolides were further elaborated through gold‐catalyzed transannulation followed by esterification. This synthetic approach enabled the generation of a goyazensolide alkyne‐tagged cellular probe, which was used to identify the selective binding between goyazensolide and the oncoprotein importin‐5 (IPO5). Mass spectrometry analysis of the proteolytic digest from the reaction between the goyazensolide probe and a recombinant IPO5 indicated a covalent engagement at Cys560 of IPO5, which was confirmed by site‐directed mutagenesis.