Syntheses of marchantins C, O and P as promising highly bioactive compounds.

Recently, remarkable microtubule inhibitor and anti-tumor activities of the bis(bibenzyl) marchantin C--isolated from liverworts like Marchantia polymorpha since 1983--were found. In this paper we describe the efficient total synthesis of this subtype of bis(bibenzylic) compounds with two biarylether connections. Two selectively methylated derivatives known as natural compounds marchantin O and P were synthesized for the first time by modification of the arene subunits and can now be considered as promising highly bioactive compounds.