ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A novel, stereoselective and practical protocol for the synthesis of 4β-aminopodophyllotoxins

Ying-Qian Liu, Lin-Hai Li, Liu Yang, and Hong-Yu Li

MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

E-mail: lihy@lzu.edu.cn

Received: 1 October 2009  Revised: 26 November 2009  Accepted: 2 December 2009

Abstract: Ritter reaction of podophyllotoxins with chloroacetonitrile and subsequent cleavage of the chloroacetyl group in the resulting chloroacetamide with thiourea under both classical heating and ultrasonic conditions is an efficient procedure for the synthesis of 4β-aminopodophyllotoxins. In general, significant improvements in the rates of reaction and yields of the sonochemical reactions relative to the classical heating reactions were observed.

Keywords: 4β-aminopodophyllotoxins - anticancer drugs - Ritter reaction - ultrasound

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0020-z

Chemical Papers 64 (4) 533–536 (2010)