Total Synthesis of Mitomycin C, an Anti-Cancer Therapeutic

Institution:	California Institute of Technology
Investigator(s):	Eric Ashley,
Award Cycle:	2002 (Cycle 11)	Grant #: 11DT-0207	Award: $59,947
Subject Area:	Cancer
Award Type:	Dissertation Awards

Abstracts

Initial Award Abstract

Mitomycin C is a highly potent anti-cancer therapeutic currently used in the treatment of several cancers, including lung cancer. Mitomycin-based therapy can provide extended and improved lives to patients suffering from tobacco-caused cancers. Extensive research has therefore been directed towards making Mitomycin C from simple, readily-available materials. However, the highly sensitive nature of the compound has thwarted most synthetic attempts and forced the two successful syntheses through long, inefficient processes.

This project proposes a new, highly efficient way to make Mitomycin C. The information gathered by this research has the potential to illuminate an extremely rapid, cost-effective method of making the currently utilized therapeutic. More importantly, small alterations of this method would provide compounds similar to, but slightly different from Mitomycin C. These compounds could be even more effective than Mitomycin C in the treatment of cancer, and would represent an advance both to synthetic chemistry and to the treatment of tobacco-related diseases.

Publications

The total synthesis of (-)-lemonomycin.
Periodical: Journal of the American Chemistry Society			Index Medicus:
Authors: Ashley ER, Cruz EG, Stoltz BM				ART
Yr: 2003	Vol: 125	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: 15000-15001

The total synthesis of (-)-lemonomycin.
Periodical: Journal of the American Chemistry Society			Index Medicus:
Authors: Ashley ER, Cruz EG, Stoltz BM				ART
Yr: 2003	Vol: 125	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: 15000-15001