10.1016/j.tetlet.2013.12.044
The research aims to develop an efficient synthetic method for prenylated and geranylated chalcone natural products, which exhibit various biological and pharmacological activities. The study employs regiospecific iodination and Suzuki coupling reactions as key steps to synthesize four natural chalcones: isobavachalcone (1), bavachalcone (2), xanthoangelol (3), and 2,4',4-trihydroxy-5'-geranylchalcone (isoxanthoangelol, 4). The researchers used NIS (N-iodosuccinimide) for iodination and palladium catalysts along with bases like Cs2CO3 for the Suzuki coupling. The new synthetic strategy significantly improves the overall yields of the first three chalcones compared to previously reported methods, and it also achieves the first total synthesis of isoxanthoangelol (4) with a 36% overall yield. The study concludes that this approach offers better regiochemical control and higher efficiency in synthesizing these chalcone natural products, and the authors are exploring its extension to other C-alkyl substituted flavonoids and their derivatives. Isobavachalcone (1), bavachalcone (2), and xanthoangelol (3) are three natural chalcones containing prenyl or geranyl groups that were synthesized. These compounds are part of the flavonoid subclass and are known for their various biological and pharmacological activities.