Natural Bridged Biaryls with Axial Chirality and Antimitotic Properties

Numerous molecules containing a biaryl unit have been found in Nature. Many of them exhibit a variety of biological actions. In this review, we will focus only on natural bridged biaryls that possess axial chirality and exhibit antimitotic activities. Thus, we will first present the occurrence and structure of three families of natural compounds that display these particular structural and biological features: the allocolchicinoids, steganes and rhazinilam-type compounds. We will then describe the semi-synthetic and synthetic approaches to biaryls belonging to these three series. Their interaction with tubulin, a heterodimeric protein that is critical for the formation of microtubules and consequently of the mitotic spindle, will be discussed.