Total Synthesis of (-)-Quinocarcin and (-)-10-Decarboxyquinocarcin.

Abstract The title total synthesis was accomplished by employing diastereoselective reduction of 1, 3-disubstituted isoquinolines as a key step. The cytotoxicity of 10-decarboxyquinocarcin and its 7-cyano congeners were found to be 10–1000 times more potent than those of quinocarcin and its 7-cyano congeners against P388 murine leukemia.