Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001 Mar; 65(3): 732-5.

Synthesis of gibbilimbols A-D, cytotoxic and antibacterial alkenylphenols isolated from Piper gibbilimbum.

Abe Y, Takikawa H, Mori K.

Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Graduate School of Science, Science University of Tokyo, Japan.

Gibbilimbols A [(E)-4-(4-decenyl)phenol, 1], B [(E)-4-(3-decenyl)phenol, 2], C [(E)-4-(4-octenyl)phenol, 3] and D [(E)-4-(3-octenyl)phenol, 4] were synthesized by coupling the phenolic parts with the alkyne parts and then reducing the triple bond of the resulting alkynylphenols. These alkenylphenols (1-4) are the cytotoxic and antibacterial constituents of the leaves of a medicinal plant (Piper gibbilimbum) that is used as a traditional medicine in Papua New Guinea.