An accelerated Rauhut-Currier dimerization enabled the synthesis of (±)-incarvilleatone and anticancer studies

Beilstein J Org Chem. 2023 Feb 21:19:204-211. doi: 10.3762/bjoc.19.19. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

The total synthesis of racemic incarvilleatone has been achieved by utilizing unexplored accelerated Rauhut-Currier (RC) dimerization. The other key steps of the synthesis are oxa-Michael and aldol reactions in a tandem sequence. Racemic incarvilleatone was separated by chiral HPLC and the configuration of each enantiomer was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. In addition, a one-pot synthesis of (±)-incarviditone has been achieved from rac-rengyolone by using KHMDS as a base. We have also assessed the anticancer activity of all the synthesized compounds in breast cancer cells nonetheless, they exhibited very limited growth suppression activity.

Keywords: Rauhut–Currier; dimerization; incarviditone; incarvilleatone; oxa-Michael.

Grants and funding

T.K.K. and S.P are grateful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for the award of Senior Research Fellowships (SRF) respectively.