The Australian National University

Rodney W Rickards

Robert M Christie

Melvyn Gill

Peter Lindsay MacDonald

Kiaran Kirk

Tony J Herlt

Geoffrey D Smith

The present invention relates to indolo&lsqb;3,2-j&rsqb;phenanthridine compounds and their use in the treatment of cancer and other diseases of humans and animals including parasitic diseases such as those of Apicomplexan origin, compositions containing said compounds and methods of treatment using them.

Compounds and therapeutic methods

Dibenzo[b,d]pyrans are prepared by heating a dihydroxybenzoic acid derivative in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and an inert non-polar solvent in which the dihydroxybenzoic acid is soluble but in which the Lewis acid catalyst is insoluble or very slightly soluble. A typical embodiment involves the preparation of intermediates useful in the synthesis of dronabinol and related dibenzo[b,d]pyrans.

Process for the preparation of dibenzo[b,d]pyrans

Compounds of the general formula I are disclosed as useful intermediates in the preparation of prostanoids: ##STR1## wherein A represents O or H, OR.sup.z ;

Process for the preparation of prostanoids

Compounds of the general formula I are disclosed as useful intermediates in the preparation of prostanoids: ##STR1## wherein A represents O or H, OR.sub.z ;

Growing community of inventors

Weetangera, Australia

Rodney W Rickards