Cinnamomum laubatii

In 2006, EcoBiotics Limited, an Australian company that specializes in the discovery and preclinical development of small-molecule drug leads from the tropical rainforests of Australia and Melanesia, approached me to undertake a total synthesis of EBC-23 (1) (Figure 1). EBC-23 (1) had been isolated from Cinnamomum laubatii (family Lauraceae) in the rainforest in northern Queensland, Australia, after the latter was identified by Dr. Paul Reddell (CSO, EcoBiotics) as a plant of interest. The reason for the synthesis request was that a screening program had identified 1 as a growth inhibitor of the androgen-independent prostate tumor cell line DU 145, which was reinforced... 

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