Cyclic peptides containing biaryl and biaryl ether linkages

This review describes the isolation, activities and synthetic approaches of the naturally occurring cyclic peptides containing biaryl and/or biaryl ether linkages. These compounds range from monocyclic, to bicyclic, to the polycyclic glycopeptide antibiotics, and most of them exhibit significant biological properties such as cytotoxic or antimicrobial activities. Interestingly, vancomycin is used clinically as the antibiotic of last resort for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The medicinal significance and the structural complexity of these macrocycles have challenged chemists towards the total synthesis of these compounds and in designing synthetic analogues. Non-natural macrocycles reported from 1999 to 2004 are also covered.