Expedient synthesis and structure-activity relationships of phenanthroindolizidine and phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1039/b516152e

The total synthesis of alkaloids phenanthroindolizidine 1a, tylophorine 1b, and phenanthroquinolizidine 1c, has been achieved in 46%, 49%, and 42% overall yield, respectively, starting from the corresponding phenanthrene-9- carboxaldehyde. Compound 1c exhibited potent inhibition activity in three human cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 104 to 130 nM. The structure-activity relations of these alkaloids and some of their synthetic intermediates against the three cell lines were also described. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2006.