title: The first total synthesis of the marine fatty acid (+/-)-2-methoxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acid: a cytotoxic fatty acid to leukemia cells.
abstract: The recently discovered marine fatty acid (+/-)-2-methoxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acid was synthesized for the first time in six steps (26% overall yield) starting from commercially available methyl 12-methyltridecanoate. The synthetic approach provided enough material to corroborate the structure of the acid, which was recently identified in the sponge Amphimedon complanata from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and to test its cytotoxicity to three leukemia cell lines. The key step in the synthesis was the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to 12-methyltridecanal under triethylamine catalysis. Nuclear magnetic resonance data are provided for the first time for this methoxylated fatty acid and the synthetic approach utilized is of general applicability since it can be used in the synthesis of other methyl-branched 2-methoxylated fatty acids. We also report that the acid (+/-)-2-methoxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acid is cytotoxic to human chronic myelogenous leukemia K-562 (EC50=238 microM), histiocytic lymphoma U-937 (EC50=250 microM), and promielocytic leukemia HL-60 (EC50=476 microM) in RPMI 1640 medium.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 23346, San Juan 00931-3346, Puerto Rico. ncarball@upracd.upr.clu.edu
authors: Néstor M
authors: NM
authors: Carballeira
authors: Heidyleen
authors: H
authors: Cruz
authors: Elsie A
authors: EA
authors: Orellano
authors: Fernando A
authors: FA
authors: González
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: C422845:2-methoxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acid; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids