Benzopsoralenquinone derivatives have been synthesized by linear annulation of a benzofuran moiety to the coumarin system and by selective oxidation to obtain the p-quinone function.
Proteasome subunit specificity: Psoralenquinones were identified as a novelclass of nonpeptide proteasome inhibitors. Depending on the scaffold decoration, these compounds demonstrate interesting subunit specificity. Interactions with Thr1, Thr21 and Ser129 are critical for inhibition.