An Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,2,4-Trioxane Anticancer Agents via Desymmetrization of Peroxyquinols through a Brønsted Acid Catalysis Cascade

The desymmetrization of p-peroxyquinols using a Brønsted acid-catalyzed acetalization/oxa-Michael cascade was achieved in high yields and selectivities for a variety of aliphatic and aryl aldehydes. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds through a dynamic kinetic resolution of the peroxy hemiacetal intermediate. The resulting 1,2,4-trioxane products were derivatized and show potent cancer cell-growth inhibition.