The natural prostanes are produced due to the activity of the intracellular ciclooxygenase (COX) on unsaturated fatty acids of the cellular membranes. In the human metabolism, the most important substrate for these enzymes is the arachidonic acid (C20), which is the precursor of most prostaglandins. In plants, however, the most important substrate is linoleic acid, which gives place to a wide variety of phytoprostanes.
The prostaglandins have a wide variety of functions and biological activities. Some drugs lately developed are synthetic analogues of the prostaglandins. The phytoprostanes are not so well-known, but in the last few years, the interest for their biologic activity has increased considerably.

All this compounds are similar because they all have a cyclopentenone or hydroxycyclopentenone rings. These structural characteristics convert them into suitable substrates to be synthesized by a Pauson-Khand reaction. In our research group, we have developed some enantioselective synthesis of phytoprostanes. In collaboration with Prof. P. Evans (Trinity College, Dublin) we have transformed the Pauson-Khand adduct of norbornadiene into several dehydroisoprostanes (dPPJ1). Its biological activity is being studied by Prof. Martin Mueller in Germany.