Crystal Studies and Antitumor Activities of Novel D-seco-taxoids Derived from 1-Deoxybaccatin Ⅵ

Two novel taxoids were synthesized from 1-deoxybaccatin Ⅵ and their crystal structures were determined by X-ray crystallographic techniques. The influences of oxetane ring on molecular conformations and bioactivity were investigated. The result shows that the oxetane ring plays an important role in the conformation and bioactivity of the diterpenoid core. In the structure of compound 3, the six-membered A ring exhibits the 1,4-di-planar conformation, the eightmembered B ring adopts a boat-chair conformation, and the six-membered C ring exhibits a slightly distorted half-chair conformation. However, in D-seco-taxoid 4, the six-membered C ring exhibits a boat conformation with the release of ring strain for the D-ring opening.