Antitumor agents LXII: synthesis and biological evaluation of podophyllotoxin esters and related derivatives

Synthetic esters of the C-4 hydroxyl group of podophyllotoxin (I) were prepared. In addition, esters were synthesized using the diol system of tetrahydropyranyl podophyllol (XV), produced by reducing the lactone ring of tetrahydropyranyl podophyllotoxin with lithium aluminum hydride. Six compounds, the acrylate (IV), 3,3-dimethyl acrylate (V), phenoxyacetate (IX), and ethyl adipate (XI) of I as well as podophyllol (XIV) and tetrahydropyranyl podophyllol dimesylate (XVIII), showed significant activity when tested using the P-388 lymphocytic leukemia screen at 3 mg/kg/day. None of the esters showed higher activity than that shown by the parent molecule I when tested at the same dosage level.