Concerning the structure of islandoquinone isolated from the lichen Cetraria islandica.

An investigation of the oxidative coupling products of some substituted hydroxynaphthazarins led to a revision of the proposed structure of islandoquinone, previously isolated from the lichen Cetraria islandica, and yielding (7aS*, 13aS*)-6,7a-diethyl-2,5,9,11,12,13a-hexahydroxy-7, 4-dioxabenzo[a]tetracene-1,4,8,13(7aH, 13aH)-tetraone through X-ray diffraction analysis of its 2,11-dimethyl ether.

Quinone-carbohydrate nonglucoside conjugates as a new type of cytotoxic agents: synthesis and determination of in vitro activity.

We have found that 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones easily react with primary alcohols to produce the corresponding 2-alkoxyderivatives. Using this reaction, we synthesized methyl-6-O-(naphthalene-1,4-dione-2-yl)-α-D-glucopyranosides, a new type of water soluble quinone-carbohydrate nonglucoside conjugates. The resulting conjugates induced apoptosis in human cancer HeLa and normal mouse JB6 P(+) Cl41 cells with simultaneous inhibition of p53-dependant transcriptional activity, suggesting that the observed cell death was p53-independent.

Synthesis of echinamines A and B, the first aminated hydroxynaphthazarins produced by the sea urchin Scaphechinus mirabilis and its analogues.

The first total synthesis of two marine aminated hydroxynaphthazarins, echinamines A (3-amino-7-ethyl-2,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) and B (2-amino-7-ethyl-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), produced by the sea urchin Scaphechinus mirabilis is described. This was achieved from 1,2,4-triacetoxybenzene (13) through a sequence involving double Fries rearrangement of 13, reduction of 3,5-diacetyl-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene (14), methylation of 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene (15), simultaneous double acylation of 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene (16) with a dichloromaleic anhydride-ethyl radical elimination process, methylation of 6,7-dichloro-3-ethyl-2-hydroxynaphthazarin (17), nucleophilic substitution of a chlorine atom by the methoxy group in 6,7-dichloro-3-ethyl-2-methoxynaphthazarin (18), introduction of an amino group via direct substitution of a chlorine atom in 7-chloro-3-ethyl-2,6-dimethoxy- (11) and 7-chloro-2-ethyl-3,6-dimethoxynaphthazarins (12) by an azido group, and functional group deprotection. The synthesis of amino analogues of spinazarin and spinochrome D is also described.

Echinamines A and B, first aminated hydroxynaphthazarins from the sea urchin Scaphechinus mirabilis.

Two new spinochromes, echinamines A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the sea urchin Scaphechinus mirabilis. Compounds 1 and 2 represent the first examples of natural polyhydroxynaphthazarins with a primary amine group. The structures of 1 and 2 were established by analysis of spectroscopic data and synthesis of their dimethyl ethers.