(π-Allyl)palladium coupling of 2-(tributylstannyl)cyclopent-2-enone for the synthesis of jasmonoid analogs

Synthesis and Anti-Proliferative Evaluation of Arctigenin Analogues with C-9' Derivatisation

Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans (DBLs) are a class of natural products with a wide variety of biological activities. Due to their potential for the development of human therapeutic agents, DBLs have been subjected to various SAR studies in order to optimise activity. Previous reports have mainly considered changes on the aromatic rings and at the benzylic carbons of the compounds, whilst the effects of substituents in the lactone, at the C-9' position, have been relatively unexplored. This position has an unexploited potential for the development of novel dibenzyl butyrolactone derivatives, with previous preliminary findings revealing C-9'-hydroxymethyl analogues inducing programmed cell cycle death. Using the core structure of the bioactive natural product arctigenin, C-9' derivatives were synthesised using various synthetic pathways and with prepared derivatives providing more potent anti-proliferative activity than the C-9'-hydroxymethyl lead compound.

Synthesis of Pyrethroids and Jasmonoids through Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions

The synthesis of jasmone and related jasmonoids and pyrethroids is described. These compounds play a defensive role in plants and share a common cyclopentenone core with variations in the side chains. Jasmone, cinerone, allylrethrone, and derivatives were synthesized through π-allyl palladium cross-coupling of stannane derivatives. With selective hydrogenation, dihydrojasmone, and dihydrocinerone were also synthesized.