Synthesis of an analog of ( )-goniopypyrone from 3- O- benzyl-1,2- O-isopropylidene-5- C-phenyl-α-D-gluco-pentofuranose

8,9-Dimethoxy-7-epi-goniopypyrone, an analog of ( )-go-niopypyrone, was synthesized from 3-O-benzyl-1, 2-O-iso-propylidene-5-C-phenyl-α-D-gluco-pentofuranose (3).     

First total synthesis of a new sesquiterpenoid natural product, (±)-3-(2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-4,5-dimethyl-5-(4,8-dimethyl-3(E),7(E)-nonadien-1-yl)tetrahydro-2-furanone

An efficient and stereodefined process is described for the first preparation of a new prenyl-benzoylfuranone type sesquiterpenoid, (±)-3-(2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-4,5-dimethyl-5-(4,8-dimethyl-3(E),7(E)-nonadien-1-yl)tetrahydro-2-furanone. The synthetic strategy is based on nucleophilic addition of organometallic reagents to the functionalized ketoamides elaborated from dihydroxyacetone dimer for the stereoselective construction of the key quaternary carbon center in the target compound.     

Regioselective synthesis of cytotoxic 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2-(5H)-furanones

4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo- and 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones have been regioselectively synthesized in moderate to good yields by a new version of the Pd/Cu-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction involving treatment of 1-alkynes with 3,4-dibromo- and 3,4-dichloro-2(5H)-furanone, respectively, in the presence of KF as a base. 4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo-2(5H)-furanones have been found to be able to undergo Stille-type and Suzuki-type reactions with aryl(tributyl)tins and arylboronic acids, respectively, to give 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-aryl-2(5H)-furanones in modest to satisfactory yields. Some 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2(5H)-furanones so prepared have been found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activities, especially against human leukemia cell lines.     

A concise synthesis of (±)-3-deoxyisoaltholactone

The novel styryl lactone analog (±)-3-deoxyisoaltholactone was synthesized in 5 steps from dihydrofuran. An intramolecular vinylsilane–oxocarbenium condensation thus afforded the central cis-fused bicyclic ether array in near quantitative yield as a single stereoisomer.     

An efficient synthesis of highly substituted furans via the electrophilic cyclization of 1-(1-alkynyl)-cyclopropyl ketones

The electrophilic cyclization of 1-(1-alkynyl)-cyclopropyl ketones offers an efficient and straightforward route to highly substituted furans under extremely mild reaction conditions. Iodine, NIS, and PhSeBr have proven successful as electrophiles in this process.     

Synthesis of 13-amino telekin derivatives and their cytotoxic activity

Telekin is a eudesmane sesquiterpene-lactone naturally occurring in many medicinal plants with antitumour and anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, a series of 13-amino derivatives of telekin have been synthesised through Michael addition reaction, and their relative configurations were exemplified by the single crystal X-ray diffraction of the dimethylamine adduct. The in vitro cytotoxicity against three tumour cell lines of these amine derivatives was evaluated. The piperidine and 4-hydroxypiperidine adducts displayed stronger cytotoxic activity than telekin.     

Total synthesis and cytotoxic activity of dechlorogreensporones A and D

The first and convergent total syntheses of polyketide natural products dechlorogreensporones A and D have been accomplished in 17 longest linear steps with 2.8% and 5.4% overall yields, respectively, starting from known methyl 2-(2-formyl-3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)acetate and commercially available R-(+)-propylene oxide and 1,2-epoxy-5-hexene. Our synthesis exploited key Mitsunobu esterification and (E)-selective ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to assemble the macrocycles as well as a Jacobsen hydrolytic kinetic resolution to install the stereogenic centers. Both synthetic compounds were found to display significant cytotoxic activity against seven human cancer cell lines with the IC₅₀ ranges of 6.66–17.25?μM.     

A new synthesis of (+)- and (-)-cherylline

A new and concise synthesis of enantiopure antipodes of alkaloid cherylline has been devised. The synthetic strategy relies upon the reduction of a diversely and polyprotected diarylenamine bearing a chiral auxiliary. Separation of diastereopure intermediates, concomitant deprotections and intramolecular reductive amination complete the synthesis of the natural (S)-enantiomer and of the unnatural (R)-configured antipode.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Substituted 2-(Z-Styrylsulfonyl)-1H-imidazoles and Benzothiazole

A novel method has been reported involving the synthesis of z-styryl sulfides by the reaction of phenylacetylene with 2-mercpto benzimidazoles and benzthiazole using NaOH as a base in absolute ethanol. On further oxidation with H₂O₂, these resulted in the formation of the desired styryl sulfones in good yields with retention of stereochemistry.     

A new indole-alkaloid and a new phenolic-glycoside with cytotoxic activity from Strychnos fendleri

A new indole alkaloid strychnosinol (1) and a new phenolic-glycoside (2) were isolated from the bark and leaves of Strychnos fendleri Sprague & Sandwith, together with six known compounds reported for the first time in this species. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data; mainly those obtained by using ¹H and ¹³C NMR (1D and 2D) and mass spectrometry. Strychnosinol (1) and the phenolic glycoside (2) together with compounds 3–8 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against a panel of five tumour cell lines; IC₅₀ values between 0.090 and 0.227 μM for the human tumour cell lines were observed for compound 2.     

Major terpenoids from Telekia speciosa flowers and their cytotoxic activity in vitro

In addition to known constituents of Telekia speciosa, an acetone extract from ray florets of the plant yielded: 5,5?-dibutoxy-2,2?-bifuran (1), 5,5?-diisobutoxy-2,2?-bifuran (2), α-tocopherol (3), β-tocopherol (4), loliolide palmitate (5), a mixture of calenduladiol esters - 16β-hydroxylupeol-3-O-palmitate (7) and 16β-hydroxylupeol-3-O-myristate (8), 1-epiinuviscolide (12), inuviscolide (13), 3-epiisotelekin (16), 4α-hydroxy-9β,10β-epoxy-1β(H)-11(13)-guaien-8α,12-olide (17), 4α-hydroxy-1β(H)-9(10),11(13)-guaiadien-8α,12-olide (18), loliolide (19) and 4β,10β-dihydroxy-1α(H),5α(H)-11(13)-guaien-8α,12-olide (20). Calenduladiol esters and asperilin (14) were the major constituents of the extract. Their cytotoxic effect on human normal prostate epithelial cells (PNT-2), human prostate carcinoma cell lines, human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and human melanoma cell lines was examined in vitro. Triterpene esters showed no cytotoxicity against nearly all cell lines tested, except for Du145 prostate carcinoma cells (IC₅₀ – 62.0 μΜ). Asperilin displayed activity against the cell lines under study, especially against three tested lines of melanomas (A375, IC₅₀ – 17.6 μΜ, WM793, IC₅₀ – 28.2 μΜ and Hs 294T, IC₅₀ – 29.5 μΜ).     

A new cytotoxic biflavonoid from the rhizome of Wikstroemia indica

One new chalcone-flavone biflavonoid, 3′-hydroxydaphnodorin A (1), together with 12 known biflavonoids (2–13), was isolated from the rhizome of Wikstroemia indica. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods. Eight isolated compounds 1–3, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 13 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against cancer-derived cell lines Hep3B, HepG2 and CNE2, and 1 was found to possess moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2 and CNE2 cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 65.5 ± 11.4 and 53.6 ± 10.1 μM, respectively.     

A new cytotoxic 2-（2-phenylethyl）chromone from Chinese eaglewood

A new compound 8-chloro-5,6,7-trihydroxy-2-（3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenethyl）-5,6,7,8-tetralaydro-4H-chromen-4-one （1） was isolated from the Chinese eaglewood [Aquilaria sinensis （Lour.） Gilg]. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of spectral data. Compound I showed cytotoxicity against human gastric cancer cell line （SGC-7901） in vitro by MTT method with the IC50 value of 14.6 μg/mL.     

A scalable synthesis of (R)-3-(2-aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole via resolution

(±)-3-(2-Aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole 1, assembled from 7-benzyloxyindole 3 in 59% overall yield, is resolved with O,O′-di-p-toluoyl l-(2R,3R)-tartaric acid 7 into (R)-1, a key intermediate of AJ-9677 2 (selective adrenaline β₃-agonist) in 99.5% e.e. and 36% overall yield. The unwanted enantiomer (S)-1 (61.9% e.e.; recovered in 57% yield from the crystallization filtrate) can be reused in another round of resolution after its enantiomeric purity is lowered to 3.7% by Raney Co treatment under a hydrogen atmosphere.     

A new synthesis of 2-(hetero)aryl-substituted pyrazines

2-Chloropyrazine showed remarkable reactivity towards AlCl₃-mediated heteroarylation of arenes and heteroarenes providing direct access to a variety of 2-aryl and heteroaryl-substituted pyrazines, respectively, in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions.