SYNTHESIS AND ANTITUMOR-ACTIVITY OF ISODOXORUBICIN ANALOGS

The synthesis and biological activity of the new 4-demethoxyanthracycl ines 15, 22, and 23 are reported. They were obtained from synthetic ea cetyl-9-(hydroxymethyl)-4-demethoxydaunomycinone (isopropylidene deriv ative 9) and from 4-azido- or 4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-L-lyxo-hexoses. A nthracycline 22 (hydrochloride salt), the most active compound in the series, was slightly more potent than doxorubicin in vitro against thr ee cell lines (L1210, HT29, A549). It was found to exhibit similar ant itumor activity in vivo (iv route) against L1210 leukemia, but was les s active than doxorubicin against three human tumors in a subrenal cap sule assay (LXF, A549, and HT29).