Illudin analogs useful as antitumor agents

A method to treat cancer comprising administering an effective amount of a compound of the formula

• wherein
• R1 is (CH2)n—X—Y,
• where n is 0 to 4;
• X is O or S or NH, and
• Y is —CH2OC(O)(C1-C4)alkyl;
• (C1-C8)alkyl optionally substituted with 1-2 OH or 1-2 halo;
• a monosaccharide;
• —CH2C(O)—O—(CH2)2—O—C(O)CH2SH;
• —(CH2)2—O—(CH2)2W where W is halo;
• —(C1-C8)alkyl-O—(C1-C8)alkyl;
• (C6-C10)aryl;
• (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C4)alkyl or —C(O)O(C6-C10)aryl wherein the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1-2 OH, halo, (C1-C4)alkyl, or O(C1-C4)alkyl;
• —CH2CO2(C1-C4)alkyl;
• —CH2CO2H;
• Si((C1-C4)alkyl)3 or an amino acid residue;
• R3 is H or (C1-C4)alkyl;
• R4 is SCH2CO2(C1-C4)alkyl, —S—(C6-C10)aryl optionally substituted with halo, OH or (C1-C4)alkyl, or H;
• R5 is H, OH or absent;
• R6 is (C1-C4)alkyl or H;
• R7 is OH or —O(Si((C1-C4)alkyl)3;
• or
• R6 and R7 together are ethylenedioxy;
• R8 is (C1-C4)alkyl optionally comprising OH or halo;
• the bond represented by ---- is present or absent;
• or
• a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a subject in need thereof, wherein the cancer is lung cancer or hematopoietic cell cancer.