Molecules 2012, 17(2), 1448-1467; doi:10.3390/molecules17021448
Review

Communic Acids: Occurrence, Properties and Use as Chirons for the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds

Alejandro F. Barrero 1,* email, M. Mar Herrador 1,* email, Pilar Arteaga 1 email, Jesús F. Arteaga 2 email and Alejandro F. Arteaga 3 email
1 Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuente Nueva, s/n. 18071 Granada, Spain 2 Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Química Fisíca y Químíca Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Campus el Carmen, s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain 3 Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuente Nueva, s/n. 18071 Granada, Spain
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 25 November 2011; in revised form: 31 January 2012 / Accepted: 31 January 2012 / Published: 6 February 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Terpenoids)
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Abstract: Communic acids are diterpenes with labdane skeletons found in many plant species, mainly conifers, predominating in the genus Juniperus (fam. Cupresaceae). In this review we briefly describe their distribution and different biological activities (anti- bacterial, antitumoral, hypolipidemic, relaxing smooth muscle, etc.). This paper also includes a detailed explanation of their use as chiral building blocks for the synthesis of bioactive natural products. Among other uses, communic acids have proven useful as chirons for the synthesis of quassinoids (formal), abietane antioxidants, ambrox and other perfume fixatives, podolactone herbicides, etc., featuring shorter and more efficient processes.
Keywords: communic acids; labdanes; bioactivity; synthesis; chirons

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Barrero, A.F.; Herrador, M.M.; Arteaga, P.; Arteaga, J.F.; Arteaga, A.F. Communic Acids: Occurrence, Properties and Use as Chirons for the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds. Molecules 2012, 17, 1448-1467.

AMA Style

Barrero AF, Herrador MM, Arteaga P, Arteaga JF, Arteaga AF. Communic Acids: Occurrence, Properties and Use as Chirons for the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds. Molecules. 2012; 17(2):1448-1467.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Barrero, Alejandro F.; Herrador, M. Mar; Arteaga, Pilar; Arteaga, Jesús F.; Arteaga, Alejandro F. 2012. "Communic Acids: Occurrence, Properties and Use as Chirons for the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds." Molecules 17, no. 2: 1448-1467.

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