The synthesis of 2′,2′-bis-benzylisoquinolines and their cytostatic activities

The novel laudanosine dimers in which two laudanosine units are linked via a C-2′ biaryl bond have been prepared by a sequence that involves formation of the biaryl bond first and then formation of the isoquinoline rings. Two of these compounds showed higher cytostatic activity on three cancer cell lines than thalicarpine.