Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of substituted hexahydro-2H-4,6-(epoxymethano)chromen-8(5H)-ones obtained from (–)-verbenone

A number of compounds with a substituted hexahydro-2H-4,6-(epoxymethano)chromen8(5H)-one framework was synthesized starting from monoterpenoid (–)-verbenone and aromatic aldehydes containing methoxy and hydroxy groups. Cytotoxic activity of these compounds on human tumor cell lines was studied for the first time. Compounds containing three methoxy groups in each aromatic ring were found to be the most promising for further studies.