Synthesis of demethylasterriquinone B1 analogs as potential anti-diabetic drugs

ORGN 106

Theresa Massoud, tmass001@ucr.edu, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
Demethylasterriquinone B1 (DAQ B1), a natural product, was synthesized and biologically tested on insulin receptor cells. It displayed oral anti-diabetic activity in mice. We are synthesizing analogs of DAQ B1 that consist of replacing the quinone ring with other ketones such as pyrones or pyridones (replacing one of the carbonyls on quinone with a heteroatom). Synthesis of these analogs is done through a Stille coupling between the desired indole and the ketone. This method is used in order to build a diverse library of potential anti-diabetes drugs.