The Intramolecular Carboxyarylation Approach to Podophyllotoxin

Abstract

Since 1960, only seven plant-derived anticancer drugs have received FDA approval for commercial production. Two are semisynthetic derivatives of podophyllotoxin. This paper describes concise, highly convergent, and conceptually novel approaches to (-)-podophyllotoxin and its enantiomer. These highly convergent syntheses feature a late-stage domino radical reaction to install the lactone ring and the pendant trimethoxyphenyl group.