Versatile approach to naphthoquinone phosphonium salts and evaluation of their biological activity

A new efficient method for the synthesis of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthylmethyl-and 1,4-dioxo-2(1H,4H)-2-naphthylmethyl-phosphonium salts by reactions of 2-methyl-1,4-naphtho-quinone with appropriate P–H-phosphonium trifluoroacetates has been suggested. The reactions were carried out under mild conditions and provided high yields of target compounds. Representative reaction products have been found to possess moderate antimicrobial and antitumor activity.