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Sanjuanolide, psorachalcone A and its seven new analogues were synthesized via a combinatorial strategy by aldol reaction. In order to investigate the effect between electron density in π-conjugated systems and biological activities, several electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups were introduced at C-4 and the phenolic hydroxyl groups of sanjuanolide. The two natural products and its seven new analogues were investigated for their inhibitory effects against five cancer cell lines. Moreover, the hydroxyisoprenyl group may be important to maintain the biological activities of sanjuanolide.

Four natural chalcones bearing hydroxyisoprenyl or prenyl groups, named Paratocarpin E (2), Xanthoangelol D (3), Angusticornin A (4) and Kanzonol C (5), were prepared by employing the Claisen-Schmidt condensation as the key step. In an attempt to investigate the effect of the hydroxyisoprenyl group on biological activity, two of their derivatives were also prepared for antibacterial activity research. The synthesized compounds were investigated for their expected antibacterial activities against Gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) as well as Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Paratocarpin E (2) was found to be the most potent against two Gram positive bacteria while the majority of the remaining compounds showed promising activity as well. However, all of the compounds were inactive against both Gram-negative bacteria.