Synthesis and study of polyhydroxylated phenol derivatives with potential cosmetic and phytoiatric applications

Tyrosinase (polyphenol oxidase, E.C. 1.14.18.1) and laccase (phenol oxidase, E.C. 1.10.3.2) are multifunctional copper-containing enzymes, that are keys in melanin biosynthesis, melanisation in animals and browning in plants. Tyrosinase inhibitors can therefore be clinically useful for treatment of some dermatological disorders associated with melanin hyperpigmentation, these inhibitors are also known to be useful in cosmetics as whitening agents . The involvement of laccase in cuticle sclerotization or tanning is essential to insect survival . In the past few decades, a number of polyphenols tyrosinase inhibitors and laccase inhibitors from both natural and synthetic sources, including polyhydroxylated flavonoids, stilbenes and terpenoids have intensively investigated. To our knowledge, however, only few biphenyl inhibitors have been reported to date. Our study is aimed to prepare new monomer and dimer phenol derivatives as potential inhibitors of melanin production starting from natural hydroxylated aromatic units.