An Improved Synthesis of 7, 8-Epoxy-1,3,11-cembratriene-15R(α), 16-diol, a Cembranoid of Marine Origin with a Potent Cancer Chemopreventive Activity

An effective method for the synthesis of 7,8-epoxy-1,3,11-cembratriene-15R(α), 16-diol and its in vitro Epstein-Barr Virus Early Antigen (EBV-EA) Activation Chemopreventive Assay are reported. This semisynthetic product is a new cembranoid with a potent tumor inhibitory activity that is expected to be a lead compound for a new class of chemopreventive agents of marine origin.