A novel series of cytotoxic iridoid glucosides derived from aucubin: design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships.

Five new unsaturated iridolactones 3-7 related to natural cytotoxic oxylipins, Tei 9826, and iridolactone 2, were prepared by parallel synthesis from natural aucubin. It was found that perpivaloyl iridoid glucosides 2, 3, and 4 were markedly cytotoxic against both L1210 and KB-3-1 cell lines.