Concise Synthesis and Cellular Evaluation of 3′-Formyl-4′,6′-dihydroxy-2′-methoxy-5′-methylchalcone (FMC) and Its Analogues

<div><p></p><p>3′-Formyl-4′,6′-dihydroxy-2′-methoxy-5′-methylchalcone (FMC) was a natural product isolated from <i>Cleistocalyx operculatus</i>. A four-step synthetic strategy toward FMC and its four analogues (<b>1b–1e</b>) was first developed. All compounds were synthesized from commercially available 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone; formylation at 3′ position under Vilsmeier–Haack conditions was followed by the introduction of a methyl group at 5′ position. The key step of selective methylation at 2′ position was achieved by trimethylsilyldiazomethane (TMSCHN₂). Then substituted aromatic aldehydes were condensed through Claisen–Schmidt reaction in the presence of potassium hydroxide. All structures were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectra. FMC and analogues were screened for their antiproliferative activity.</p>