Back to search

Virginia Tech

The chemistry of cephalomannine

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Cephalomannine is a naturally occurring taxane diterpenoid closely related to the potent anticancer agent Taxol. Three aspects of its chemistry were examined. First, cephalomannine was converted to Taxol. This conversion was accomplished by the reaction of a 2'- benzoyl-7-Troc cephalomannine/Taxol mixture with oxalyl chloride to generate a common oxamic acid intermediate. Treatment of this intermediate with diphenylcarbodiimide cleaved the N-oxalyl group which resulted in a spontaneous transfer of the 2'-benzoyl group to the 3'-N position. Deprotection of the 7-Troc group afforded Taxol. Second, a number of 3'-N-acyl cephalomannine and Taxol analogs were prepared and their biological activity determined. The N-tigloyl group of cephalomannine was modified by oxygenation and halogenation to yield several cephalomannine derivatives. The Taxol analogs were prepared by coupling a protected side chain to baccatin III, deprotecting, and acylating the resulting free amine. This methodology was used to prepare several oxalyl and halogenated analogs as well as N-(phenylglyoxyl) and N-crotonyl derivatives. One derivative in particular, N-debenzoyl-N-(2"-bromopropenoyl)taxol, was found to be significantly more active than Taxol. Third, Taxotere, 10- acetyltaxotere, N-debenzoyl-N-(phenoxyacetyl)taxol, and the cephalomannine diol were synthetically prepared for testing in several tubulin polymerization systems. Earlier studies had shown that some Taxol analogs had the ability to stabilize tubulin polymers to cold, but failed to induce assembly as does Taxol. The compounds prepared were used to investigate the differences and this led to the conclusion that the hypernucleation of tubulin assembly and polymer stabilization observed with Taxol represent two distinct properties of the drug.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1995

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Molinero, Anthony A.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Kingston, David G. I.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Tanko, James M.
  • Hanson, Brian E.
  • Wolfe, James F.
  • Brewer, Karen J.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-06062008-163401
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38228

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Molinero, Anthony A.. The chemistry of cephalomannine. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/38228