Antineoplastic Agents. 410. Asymmetric Hydroxylation of <i>trans</i>-Combretastatin A-4
作者:George R. Pettit、Brian E. Toki、Delbert L. Herald、Michael R. Boyd、Ernest Hamel、Robin K. Pettit、J. Charles Chapuis
DOI:10.1021/jm9807149
日期:1999.4.22
The South African willow tree Combretum caffrum has yielded a number of potent cancer cell growth inhibitors. The present SAR studies of the antineoplastic agent combretastatin A-4 (1c) were focused mainly on the olefinic bridge to determine the effects on cancer cell growth and, potentially, to better define the combretastatin A-4 binding site on tubulin. The geometric trans-isomer 3a of combretastatin A-4 was converted to the (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-vicinal diols 4c and 4d, respectively, under Sharpless' asymmetric dihydroxylation conditions. Cancer cell line testing showed the (1S,2S)-diol 4c to be more potent than its enantiomer 4d. Diol 4c weakly inhibited tubulin polymerization (IC50 = 22 mu M, versus 1.2 mu M for combretastatin A-4), while 4d was inactive (IC50 > 40 mu M). Esterification of either stereoisomer at the diol and/or phenolic positions resulted in elimination of inhibitory activity.