Total synthesis of desacetylumuravumbolide, umuravumbolide and their biological evaluation

Abstract

Stereoselective synthesis of naturally occurring α,β-unsaturated lactones desacetylumuravumbolide and umuravumbolide is described. Commercially available propargyl alcohol was used as the starting material. The key steps of this synthesis were alkynylation, a Noyori asymmetric reduction and Still–Gennari olefination. Additionally, the biological activity of umuravumbolides was evaluated on HeLa, MDA-MB-231, MCF7 and A549 cancer cell lines. Umuravumbolide (2) showed potent anticancer activity.