The aim of this research is the total synthesis of olivin and chromomycinone, the aglycones of the antitumor aureolic acid antibiotics. The olivomycins, chromomycins and mithramycin are now being evaluated clinically in cancer chemotherapy. In addition, synthesis of some alkaloids is planned using the intramolecular imino Diels-Alder reaction as the key synthetic strategy. Included as major synthetic targets are the alkaloids ipalbidine, septicene, slaframine, elaeocarpine, isoelaecarpine, lupinine and xylopinine. A synthesis of the cytotoxic alkaloid cryptopleurine is in progress as are syntheses of the Elaeocarpus alkaloids elaeokanine-A and -B. We hope this work will lead to the development of new cancer chemotherapeutic agents, as well as the development of new methods of organic synthesis.
