Asymmetric Synthesis and DNA Intercalation of (-)-6-[[(Aminoalkyl)oxy]methyl]-4-demethoxy-6,7- dideoxydaunomycinones(1)(,).

The BF(3).Et(2)O-promoted Diels-Alder addition of 1-acetylvinyl RADO(Et)-ate (RADO(Et)-ate = 3-ethyl-2-oxo-6,8-dioxa-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-7-exo-carboxylate) to 1-(dimethoxymethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetramethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane led to one major monoadduct that added to 1,2-didehydrobenzene and was converted into (-)-4-demethoxy-7-deoxydaunomycinone and (2R)-12-acetoxy-2-acetyl-5-(bromomethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthacen-2-yl RADO(Et)-ate. The latter compound was used to construct (8R)-8-acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11-[[(3'-[(aminopropyl)oxy]-, -4'-[(aminobutyl)oxy], and -5'-[(aminopentyl)oxy]methyl]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride (-)-8, (-)-9, (-)-10, respectively, as well as (8R)-8-acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11- [[[2'-[(3"-aminopropyl)amino]ethyl]oxy]- ((-)-11) and -[[3'-[(3"-aminopropyl)amino]propyl]oxy]methyl]-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride ((-)-12). (8R)-8-Acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11-[[(alpha-L-daunosaminyl)oxy]methyl]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride ((-)-13), a mimic of idarubicin, was also prepared. Absorbance and fluorescence titration experiments showed (-)-8, (-)-9, and (-)-10 to intercalate calf thymus DNA whereas (-)-11, (-)-12, and (-)-13 did not. The best intercalator was (-)-9 (K(b) = (1.1 +/- 0.1) x 10(5) M(-)(1)) with the [(4'-aminobutyl)oxy]methyl chain. Inhibition of topoisomerase II-induced DNA strand religation was observed for (-)-8 at a concentration of 50 &mgr;M.