Total synthesis of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids (±)-antofine,(±)-deoxypergularinine, and their dehydro congeners and evaluation of their cytotoxic activity
Due to their limited natural abundance and significant biochemical effects, we synthesized the alkaloids (±)-antofine (1a),(±)-deoxypergularinine (1b), and their dehydro congeners (2 and 3) starting from the corresponding phenanthrene-9-carboxaldehydes. We also evaluated their in vitro cytotoxic activity. Compounds 1a and 1b showed significant potency against various human tumor cell lines, including a drug-resistant variant, with EC50 ...