Enediyne

Enediynes are a class of bacterial, cyclic natural products, which are among the cycloalkenes and diynes. Characteristic here is the nine- or ten rings, containing one carbon- carbon double bond between two corresponding triple bonds. Through this motif, these compounds are able to enter into a Bergman cyclization and can thus damage the DNA. The diradical formed here leads to a double-strand break of the DNA. This property this class of compounds is interesting as a chemotherapeutic agent against cancer; they are now partly in the clinical phase. Neocarzinostatin is already used clinically in Japan today.

There are various natural substances or types known to carry the structural motif of the enediynes:

• Calicheamicins
• Esperamicin
• Dynemicin
• Chromoproteins