(Department of Organic Chemistry, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne NEl 7RU) ... Summary The title compound (3a) undergoes Diels- Alder reactions with isoprene, cyclopentadiene, and cyclohexa-1,3-diene; the adducts (4) and (5a,b) can be transformed into the leucoquinizarins (6) and (7a, b) which are potentially valuable precursors of anthracycli- none analogues. ... ADRIAMYCIN (1) and daunomycin (lb), members of the anthracycline group of antibiotics, are of ...