Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Synthesis of Indoxyl-glycosides for Detection of Glycosidase Activities
Published on: May 27, 2015
Synthesis and Antiproliferative Activity of Novel A-Ring Cleaved Glycyrrhetinic Acid Derivatives
Daniela P S Alho1,2, Jorge A R Salvador3,4, Marta Cascante5,6
1Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
A series of new glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives was synthesized via the opening of its ring A along with the coupling of an amino acid. The antiproliferative activity of the derivatives was evaluated against a panel of nine human cancer cell lines. Compound 17 was the most active compound, with an IC50 of 6.1 µM on Jurkat cells, which is 17-fold more potent than that of glycyrrhetinic acid, and was up to 10 times more selective toward that cancer cell line. Further biological investigation in Jurkat cells showed that the antiproliferative activity of compound 17 was due to cell cycle arrest at the S phase and induction of apoptosis.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Acidity and Basicity of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
The relative acidic strength of the derivatives can be explained based on the extent of resonance stabilization of the conjugate base. The...
Structures of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives contain an acyl group attached to a heteroatom such as chlorine, oxygen, or nitrogen. The carbonyl carbon and oxygen are both sp2-hybridized with an unhybridized p orbital.
The three sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl carbon form three σ bonds, one each with the carbonyl oxygen, the α carbon, and the heteroatom, whereas the other two sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl oxygen are occupied by the lone pairs. Further, the unhybridized p...
Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Nomenclature of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Acid Halides, Esters, and Acid Anhydrides
The IUPAC and common names of acid halides are derived from the corresponding carboxylic acids, by changing “ic acid” to “yl halide.” For example, as shown below, the IUPAC name ethanoyl chloride is derived from ethanoic acid, and the common name, acetyl chloride, is obtained from acetic acid.
Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Overview
Relative Reactivity of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
A key factor in assessing the reactivity of the acid derivatives is the basicity of the substituent or the leaving group. The lower the basicity of the leaving group, the higher the reactivity of the derivative. The basicity of the leaving group follows this order:
Halide ions < Acyloxy ions < Alkoxy ions < Amine ions

