Dehydrophenylahistins and analogs thereof and the synthesis of dehydrophenylahistins and analogs thereof

A compound having the structure of Formula (I):

• wherein
• R1, and R6, are each separately selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, hydroxy, and cyano, or seperately from the group consisting of saturated C1–C24 alkyl, unsaturated C1–C24 alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, nitro, azido, phenyl, carboxy, —CO—O—R7, alkylthio, halogenated alkyl including polyhalogenated alkyl, halogenated carbonyl, and carbonyl —CCO—R7, each optionally substituted with one or more of alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, acyl, aclyamino, acyloxy, amino, aminoacyl, aminoacyloxy, oxyacylamino, cyano, halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, hydroxyamino, alkoxyamino, nitro, —SO—alkyl, —SO—aryl, —SO—heteroaryl, —SO2—alkyl, —SO2—aryl, and —SO2—heteroaryl;
• R7 is selected from a hydrogen atom or, a halogen atom, or selected from the group consisting of saturated C1–C24 alkyl, unsaturated C1–C24 alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, nitro, azido, and phenyl groups, each optionally substituted with one or more of alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, acyl, aclyamino, acyloxy, amino, aminoacyl, aminoacyloxy, oxyacylamino, cyano, halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, hydroxyamino, alkoxyamino, nitro, —SO—alkyl, —SO—aryl, —SO—heteroaryl, —SO2—alkyl, —SO2—aryl, and —SO2—heteroaryl;
• R4 is a tert-butyl group;
• R1′ and R1″ are each independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, hydroxy, and cyano, or indepently selected from the group consisting of saturated C1–C24 alkyl, unsaturated C1–C24 alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, nitro, azido, phenyl, carboxy, —CO—O—R7, alkylthio, halogenated alkyl including polyhalogenated alkyl, halogenated carbonyl, and carbonyl —CCO—R7, each optionally substituted with one or more of alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, acyl, aclyamino, acyloxy, amino, aminoacyl, aminoacyloxy, oxyacylamino, cyano, halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, hydroxyamino, alkoxyamino, nitro, —SO—alkyl, —SO—aryl, —SO—heteroaryl, —SO2—alkyl, —SO2—aryl, and —SO2—heteroaryl;
• R, R1′ and R1″ are either covalently bound to one another or are not covalently bound to one another;
• R2, R3, and R5 are each separately selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom, or seperately selected from the group consisting of saturated C1–C12 alkyl, unsaturated C1–C12 alkenyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, nitro, and sulfonyl and substituted sulfonyl groups, each optionally substituted with one or more of alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, acyl, aclyamino, acyloxy, amino, aminoacyl, aminoacyloxy, oxyacylamino, cyano, halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, hydroxyamino, alkoxyamino, nitro, —SO—alkyl, —SO—aryl, —SO—heteroaryl, —SO2—alkyl, —SO2—aryl, and —SO2—heteroaryl;
• X1 and X2 are separately selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom, each either unsubstituted or substituted with a R5 group, as defined above;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen atom, a nitrogen atom substituted with R5, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a oxidized sulfur atom, a methylene group and a substituted methylene group substituted with one or more R5;
• n is an integer equal to zero, one or two;
• Z, for each separate n, if non-zero, and Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are each separately selected from a carbon atom, a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom;
• and
• the dashed bonds may be either single or double bonds.