Synthesis of new anthracycline derivatives containing pyruvic, aspartic, or N-acetylaspartic acid molecule

The new anthracycline analogues (2-10) as potential anti-cancer agents were synthesized from daunomycin (1a) and doxorubicin (1b). Compounds 2, 6, and 7 were prepared by the nucleophilic displacement type esterification of a 14-bromodaunomycin (1c) with a sodium pyruvate, aspartate, and N-acetylaspartic acid, respectively. Whereas compounds (3, 8) and (4, 9) were prepared by the reaction of daunomycin (1a) or doxorubicin (1b) with one equivalent of the corresponding acids in the presence of EDCI/PP, compounds (5, 10) were obtained from 1b by reaction with two equivalents of the corresponding acids in the same manner.