A series of 34 3-benzyl-5-(arylmethylene)furan-2(5H)-ones, designed using the naturally occurring toxins nostoclides as a lead structure, was synthesized as potential inhibitors of the photosynthetic electron transport. All compounds were fully characterized by IR, NMR (1H and 13C), and MS spectrometry. HMBC and HSQC bidimensional experiments allowed 13C and 1H assignments. Their biological activities were evaluated in vitro as the ability to interfere with light-driven reduction of ferricyanide by isolated spinach chloroplasts. About two-thirds of the compounds exhibited inhibitory properties in the micromolar range against the basal electron flow from water to K3[Fe(CN)6]. The inhibitory potential of these 3-benzyl-5-(arylmethylene)furan-2(5H)-one lactones is higher than that of other nostoclide analogues previously synthesized in the same laboratories.

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