Synthesis and biological properties of tensyuic acids B, C, and E, and investigation of the optical purity of natural tensyuic acid B

The first, concise total synthesis of (+/-)-tensyuic acids B, C, and E, using chemoselective formal S(N)2' type Grignard reactions and selective esterification, is described. In addition, the optical purity of natural (+/-)tensyuic acid B was determined using Chirabite-AR. Synthetic tensyuic acids, together with their intermediate compounds, were found to possess useful bioactive properties, with some of them showing potent activity against Trypanosorna brucei brucei strain GUTat 3.1. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.