New 7-aryl analogues of anthracyclines: Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of (±)-7-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-7-deoxyidarubicinone

The synthetic methodology for the preparation of 7-aryl-7-deoxyanthracyclinones, a new class of anthracycline analogues, is described. Readily available materials are easily transformed into the key intermediate ketone, that is converted into bent and planar tetracyclic compounds. Cytotoxic studies of the final and intermediate products reveal a moderate activity of bent products and a lack of activity of planar products, thus supporting a non-intercalating mechanism for their cytotoxic activity.