Fused pentathiepins have attracted attention recently because of their stability, biological activity and high energy barrier for inversion of the chair-like pentathiepin ring. 1 The first naturally occurring examples varacin, 2 lissoclinotoxin A, 3,4 and N,N-dimethyl-7-(methylthio)varacin 5 have strong antimicrobial and antifungal activity, selectively inhibit protein kinase C, 5 and varacin is highly toxic towards human colon cancer HCT116. 2 The polysulfur ring of these ...