Synthesis and preliminary anticancer activity studies of C4 and C8-modified derivatives of catechin gallate (CG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG).
We have developed an improved and reliable method for stereoselective functionalization at C4 of naturally occurring (+)-catechin. Our method utilizes DDQ oxidation followed by trapping of the quinonemethide intermediate with allyl alcohol. The quinonemethide intermediate can be regenerated from the allyl ether by exposure to boron trifluoride diethyl etherate. This reactive intermediate can be trapped with a wide range of external nucleophiles. NBS bromination, lithium halogen exchange, and alkylation gave access to C8-allyl derivatives of (+)-catechin, and this allyl group was used in a series of cross-metathesis experiments to prepare novel dimeric catechin-derived products. Gallate ester derivatives of the novel C4- and C8-substituted catechins were prepared, and these materials were screened for potential anticancer activity in a range of human cancer cell lines. From these preliminary cytotoxicity assays (MTT) we found that C8-propyl-catechin gallate was more active (IC50 = 31 microM) than catechin gallate (CG, IC50 = 53 microM) or epicatechin gallate (ECG, IC50 = 76 microM) against the colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line HCT116. Differential sensitivity in pancreas (Pan1), bladder (RT112), stomach (MGLVA1), liver (HepG2), and fibroblasts (46Br.1G1) cell lines was also observed.
Hayes
Christopher J
CJ
School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
Whittaker
Benjamin P
BP
Watson
Susan A
SA
Grabowska
Anna M
AM
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C417939:catechin gallate; D002392:Catechin; C062669:epicatechin gallate