The title totalsynthesis was accomplished by employing diastereoselective reduction of 1, 3-disubstituted isoquinolines as a key step. The cytotoxicity of 10-decarboxyquinocarcin and its 7-cyano congeners were found to be 10–1000 times more potent than those of quinocarcin and its 7-cyano congeners against P388 murine leukemia.
Enantioselective synthesis of 5-substituted- and 3,5-disubstituted-2-formylpyrrolidine derivatives, the key D-ring fragments of (−)-quinocarcin and (−)-10-decarboxyquinocarcin
The title synthesis was achieved starting from (S)-glutamic acid and (S)-pyroglutamic acid by featuring formation of an N-protected aminal, substitution of the methoxy group with cyanide anion, and reduction of the cyanide to an aldehyde as common key steps.