Anti-AIDS agents 82: synthesis of seco-(3'R,4'R)-3',4'-di-O-(S)-camphanoyl-(+)-cis-khellactone (DCK) derivatives as novel anti-HIV agents.

Thirteen novel seco-DCK analogs (4–16) with several new skeletons were designed, synthesized and screened for in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity. Among them, three compounds (5, 13, and 16) showed moderate activity, and compound 9 exhibited the best activity with an EC50 value of 0.058μM and a therapeutic index (TI) of 1000. The activity of 9 was better than that of 4-methyl DCK (2, EC50: 0.126μM, TI: 301.2) in the same assay. Additionally, 9 also showed antiviral activity against a multi-RT inhibitor-resistant strain (RTMDR), which is insensitive to most DCK analogs. Compared with 2, compound 9 has a less complex structure, fewer hydrogen-bond acceptors, and a reduced logP value. Therefore, it is likely to exhibit better ADME, and appears to be a promising new lead for further development as an anti-HIV candidate.