Engineering Fluorine Into Verticillins (Epipolythiodioxopiperazine Alkaloids) Via Precursor-Directed Biosynthesis

Precursor-directed biosynthesis was used to generate a series of fluorinated verticillins. The biosynthesis of these epipolythiodioxopiperazine alkaloids was monitored in situ via the droplet liquid microjunction surface sampling probe (droplet probe), and a suite of NMR and mass spectrometry data were used for their characterization. All analogues demonstrated nanomolar IC50 values vs a panel of cancer cell lines. This approach yielded new compounds that would be difficult to generate via synthesis.