Synthesis of 3-(3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl) propyl-3-(3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl) propanoate (18), a cytotoxic natural ester, was carried out by a convenient synthetic path with a total yield of 49%. Sixteen of its analogues (19-34) were also prepared. Seventeen unsaturated derivatives of 18, compounds 1-17, were also synthesized to examine the structure-activity relationship of this type of ester. All of the synthetic compounds were passed through the ...
