Bibenzyls and Stilbenes: Compounds with Potential Biological Activity; Synthesis and Structure Modifications

Bibenzyls and stilbenes (Figure 1) are widely distributed in the plant kingdom where they mostly act as phytoalexins. Some of them have been reported to show remarkable biological activities as anticancer and chemopreventive agents. Since many years we are interested in the synthesis of both natural and modified bibenzyls and stilbenes with the objective to investigate their biological targets. [1-3] In this communication we will present our recent results in the field, also in the perspective of the most recent achievements concerning their biological activities. We will describe the synthesis of some derivatives that present modifications of the ring substituent pattern and of the alkyl chain interconnecting the two phenyl rings. The syntheses can be roughly divided into two main parts: the construction of the skeleton through Wittig-type condensations, and the modification of the ring substituents and/or of the interconnecting alkyl chain. Finally, we will present new results concerning the structure-activity relationships of these derivatives towards different biological end points. Refs.1. Orsini, F.; Verotta, L.; Lecchi, M.; Restano, R.; Curia, G.; Redaelli, E.; Wanke, E. J. Nat. Prod., 67, 421-426, (2004) 2. Orsini, F.; Verotta, L. “Stilbenes and bibenzyls with potential anticancer or chemopreventive activity” in: Advances in Nutrition and Cancer II, Zappia, V. Della Ragione, F., Barbarisi, A., Russo, G. L. eds, Plenum Press, London, UK, p. 169-186, 1999. 3. Orsini, F.; Pelizzoni, F.; Verotta, L.; Aburjai, T.; Rogers C.B. J. Nat. Prod., 60, 1082-1087, (1997).