Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Enzymatic Synthesis of Epoxidized Metabolites of Docosahexaenoic, Eicosapentaenoic, and Arachidonic Acids
Published on: June 28, 2019
Synthesis and evaluation of macrocyclic diarylether heptanoid natural products and their analogs
Vashti C Bryant1, G D Kishore Kumar, Abijah M Nyong
1Eppley Institute for Cancer Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
Abstract:
The macrocyclic diarylether heptanoid (MDEH) natural products have been used in folk medicine for centuries. MDEHs are reported to exert anti-tumor properties by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB. Here we report the synthesis of a small MDEH library (first reported synthesis of racemic platycarynol) using a Grubbs cross metathesis/Ullmann cyclization strategy. Evaluation of the library led to the identification of MDEH 9b which sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis.
Related Concept Videos
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Bridged Bicyclic Products: Stereochemistry
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Cyclic Products: Stereochemistry
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Structure of Conjugated Dienes
Conjugated dienes are compounds characterized by the presence of alternating double and single bonds. In a conjugated system like 1,3-butadiene, the unhybridized 2p orbital on each carbon overlaps continuously, allowing the π electrons to be delocalized across the entire molecule. In contrast, this type of overlap does not occur in cumulated and isolated dienes, such as 2,3-pentadiene and 1,4-pentadiene, respectively. Instead, the π electrons remain localized between the double...
Stability of Conjugated Dienes
A comparison of the enthalpies of hydrogenation of dienes reveals that conjugated dienes release less heat on hydrogenation, rendering them more stable than their nonconjugated analogs.

