Biomimetic stereoselective formation of methyllanthionine.

Fmoc-(2R,3S)-3-methyl-Se-phenylselenocysteine was used for the synthesis of dehydrobutyrine (Dhb)-containing peptides. Biomimetic cyclization via Michael addition of Cys to a Dhb yielded the B-ring of the lantibiotic subtilin as a single diastereomer. The methyllanthionine product was shown to have the natural configuration by preparation of the authentic stereoisomer. The formation of a single isomer suggests that the prepeptide has a strong intrinsic preference for the stereochemistry observed in lantibiotics. [reaction: see text]