Total Synthesis of Isoprekinamycin: Structural Evidence for Enhanced Diazonium Ion Character and Growth Inhibitory Activity toward Cancer Cells

The structurally novel diazobenzo[a]fluorene antibiotic isoprekinamycin (IPK) has been synthesized for the first time employing a Suzuki
coupling of a brominated AB ring synthon with a boronate ester representing the D ring, followed by anionic cyclization and appropriate
functional group manipulations. The first indication that the diazobenzo[a]fluorene system exhibits in vitro anticancer activity is provided and
X-ray crystallographic evidence for enhancement of diazonium ion character as a consequence of intramolecular H-bonding is described.