Potent antimalarial 1,2,4-trioxanes through perhydrolysis of epoxides

Perhydrolysis of a sterically congested multifunctional epoxide was achieved in ethereal H2O2 with the aid of a recently developed Mo catalyst. The resulting hydroperoxide cyclized to give a 1,2,4-trioxane, which could be readily elaborated into qinghaosu and a range of novel analogues. Some of the compounds with two such trioxane moieties showed in vitro antimalarial activity comparable to or even better than that of artesunate or chloroquine.