@article{breunig_lin_pierce_2024, title={An enantioselective formal synthesis of thienamycin}, volume={144}, ISSN={["1873-3581"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2024.155132}, DOI={10.1016/j.tetlet.2024.155132}, abstractNote={Thienamycin is a carbapenem antibiotic with potent activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Due to its promising activity but lack of chemical stability, thienamycin serves as inspiration for new synthetic antibiotic scaffolds. In this study, we report a nine-step enantioselective formal synthesis of thienamycin. Our route utilizes an asymmetric reduction, enabled by NaBH}, journal={TETRAHEDRON LETTERS}, author={Breunig, Jamie L. and Lin, You-Chen and Pierce, Joshua G.}, year={2024}, month={Jul} }
 @article{breunig_valdes-pena_ratchford_pierce_2024, title={Total Synthesis and Microbiological Evaluation of Leopolic Acid A and Analogues}, volume={1}, ISSN={["2694-2437"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00068}, DOI={10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00068}, abstractNote={New antimicrobial scaffolds are scarce, and there is a great need for the development of novel therapeutics. In this study, we report a convergent 9-step synthesis of leopolic acid A and a series of targeted analogues. The designed compounds allowed for incorporation of non-natural ureido dipeptide moieties and 4- and 5-position substituents around the 2,3-pyrrolidinedione of leopolic acid A. Leopolic acid A displayed modest antimicrobial activity (32 μg/mL) against MRSA, while the most active analogues displayed slightly improved activity (8-16 μg/mL). Additionally, several of the leopolic acid A analogues displayed promising antibiofilm activity, most notably having an MBEC:MIC ratio of ∼1. Overall, this work represents an initial SAR of the natural product and a framework for further optimization of these bioactive scaffolds within the context of bioactive pyrrolidinediones.}, journal={ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU}, author={Breunig, Jamie L. and Valdes-Pena, M. Alejandro and Ratchford, Andrew W. and Pierce, Joshua G.}, year={2024}, month={Jan} }