Total Synthesis Based on the Natural Furanonaphthoquinone Scaffold and Their Biological Activity Evaluation

Abstract

Furanonaphthoquinones (FNQs) have been found to exhibit a variety of biological activities, including antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Bioactivity-guided fractionation and isolation of Radermachera boniana Dop led to the separation and identification of napabucasin, which is a cytotoxic FNQ that can selectively target cancer stemness and metastasis. To cope with the increasing demand of an effective synthesis approach for the lead compound for its further development into a drug candidate, a facile and economic total synthesis route has been established. Moreover, derivatives of napabucasin have been synthesized in order to study the structure-activity relationship (SAR) so as to provide evidence for lead optimization and also for unraveling the mechanism of action.