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Palladium(0)-mediated Suzuki−Miyaura and Heck transformations have been exploited to provide examples of 8-methylquino[4,3,2-kl]acridines and 8,13-dimethylquino[4,3,2-kl]acridinium iodides bearing bulky saturated (3-acetoxy)propyl or (E)-3-(morpholin-4-yl)-3-oxopropenyl substituents variously in the 3-, 6-, or 10-positions of the pentacyclic nucleus. The pharmacological/pharmaceutical properties of four compounds (4, RHPS4), (5, IH383), (6, RHPS16), and (17, RHPS19) were measured to assess their clinical potential as DNA G-quadruplex-stabilizing/telomerase inhibitory agents. The following properties were measured:  stability in tissue culture media in the presence of A549 lung and MCF-7 breast tumor cells, metabolic stability when incubated with rat liver microsomes, and rate of uptake and subcellular location in A549 and MCF-7 cells. Compound 17 was unstable in tissue culture media, failed to achieve nuclear access, and was excluded from further consideration. Of the other agents, 4 exhibited the most favorable pharmaceutical profile:  the agent has appropriate stability in the presence of tumor cells and rat liver microsomes and achieves rapid ingress into cell nuclei where the putative molecular target is located.

The parallel solution-phase synthesis of a series of 30 monohydroxylated (E)-stilbene analogues is described. In vitro screening revealed low micromolar activity (GI50) against the MDA MB 468 breast cancer cell line. Activity in MDA MB 468 cells correlated with the ability to induce apoptosis following drug treatment by the most potent agents in the series, e.g., 5dy and 5jy, an observation further reinforced by AnnexinV-FITC analysis and fluorescence microscopy.

A series of substituted 4-(1-arylsulfonylindol-2-yl)-4-hydroxycyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ones (indolylquinols) has been synthesized on the basis of the discovery of lead compound 1a and screened for antitumor activity. Synthesis of this novel series was accomplished via the “one-pot” addition of lithiated (arylsulfonyl)indoles to 4,4-dimethoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienone followed by deprotection under acidic conditions. Similar methodology gave rise to the related naphtho-, 1H-indole-, and benzimidazole-substituted quinols. A number of compounds in this new series were found to possess in vitro human tumor cell line activity substantially more potent than the recently reported antitumor 4-substituted 4-hydroxycyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ones¹ with similar patterns of selectivity against colon, renal, and breast cell lines. The most potent compound in the series in vitro, 4-(1-benzenesulfonyl-6-fluoro-1H-indol-2-yl)-4-hydroxycyclohexa-2,5-dienone (1h), exhibits a mean GI50 value of 16 nM and a mean LC50 value of 2.24 μM in the NCI 60-cell-line screen, with LC50 activity in the HCT 116 human colon cancer cell line below 10 nM. The crystal structure of the unsubstituted indolylquinol 1a exhibits two independent molecules, both participating in intermolecular hydrogen bonds from quinol OH to carbonyl O, but one OH group also interacts intramolecularly with a sulfonyl O atom. This interaction, which strengthens upon ab initio optimization, may influence the chemical environment of the bioactive quinol moiety. In vivo, significant antitumor activity was recorded (day 28) in mice bearing subcutaneously implanted MDA-MB-435 xenografts, following intraperitoneal treatment of mice with compound 1a at 50 mg/kg.

Benzimidazole-N-oxide modifications of potent lipophilic dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors (e.g., methylbenzoprim 1 and dichlorobenzoprim 2) have been prepared by base-promoted cyclization of the nitrophenylbenzylamino groups to explore the possibility that abrogation of DHFR-inhibitory activity might reveal clues to an alternative anti-ras mechanism. Examples of the new series had only low growth inhibitory activities (GI50 generally >50 μM) against colon HCT116 and lung HT29 cell lines but, unlike methylbenzoprim, this activity was unaffected by hypoxanthine/thymidine rescue.

The synthesis and antitumor evaluation of a series of new heteroaromatic- and aromatic-substituted hydroxycyclohexadienones (“quinols”), and their imine counterparts, are described. The quinols were synthesized via the addition of a lithiated aromatic moiety to a quinone ketal followed by deprotection. When the aromatic portion of the molecule is a fused heterobicyclic structure (e.g., benzothiazole derivative 7a), potent in vitro antitumor activity was observed in HCT 116 (GI50 = 40 nM) and HT 29 (GI50 = 380 nM) human colon as well in as MCF-7 and MDA 468 human breast cancer cell lines. When examined on the NCI Developmental Therapeutics Screening Program in vitro screen (60 human cancer cell lines), active compounds in this series consistently displayed a highly unusual pattern of selectivity; cytotoxicity (LC50) was concentrated in certain colon and renal cell lines only. Analogue 7a also showed in vivo antitumor activity against human RXF 944XL renal xenografts in nude NMRI mice and is the focus of further study.

Carboxylic acids derived from the amido groups of the antitumor agents mitozolomide and temozolomide have been conjugated to simple amino acids and peptides by carbodiimide coupling. Solid-state peptide synthesis has been applied to link the acids to DNA major groove-binding peptidic motifs known to adopt α-helical conformations. Attachment of the acids to pyrrole and imidazole polyamidic lexitropsins gave a series of potential DNA minor groove-binding ligands. In vitro biological evaluation of a limited number of these novel conjugates failed to demonstrate any enhanced growth-inhibitory activity compared to the unconjugated drugs; sites of alkylation at tracts of multiple guanines were also unaffected. Attachment of additional residues at C-8 of the imidazotetrazines did not perturb the chemistry of activation of the bicyclic nucleus, and biological sequelae can be rationalized by invoking the liberation of a common, diffusible, reactive chemical intermediate, the methanediazonium ion.

8-Carbamoyl-3-methylimidazo[5,1-d]-1,2,3,5-tetrazin-4(3H)-one (temozolomide, 1) is an anticancer prodrug. As part of investigations to probe its postulated mode of action using PET we have developed two rapid radiosynthetic routes for the preparation of temozolomide labeled with the short-lived positron emitter, carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min). Reaction of 5-diazoimidazole-4-carboxamide (7) with the novel labeling agent [¹¹C-methyl]methyl isocyanate (8) gave [3-N-¹¹C-methyl]temozolomide (9) in 14−20% radiochemical yield from [¹¹C-methyl]methyl isocyanate (8) (decay corrected). The position of radiolabeling in the 3-N-methyl group was confirmed by [^11/13C]colabeling and subsequent carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy. Similarly, the reaction of 5-diazoimidazole-4-carboxamide (7) with [¹¹C-carbonyl]methyl isocyanate (10) gave [4-¹¹C-carbonyl]temozolomide (11) in 10−15% radiochemical yield from [¹¹C-carbonyl]methyl isocyanate (10) (decay corrected). Apyrogenic samples of [3-N-¹¹C-methyl]temozolomide (9) and [4-¹¹C-carbonyl]temozolomide (11), with good chemical and radiochemical purities, have been prepared and used in human PET studies.

A series of water-soluble l-lysyl- and l-alanyl-amide prodrugs of the lipophilic antitumor 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles has been synthesized to address formulation and bioavailability issues related to the desired parenteral administration of the chosen clinical candidate. The prodrugs exhibit the required pharmaceutical properties of good water solubility (in weak acid) and stability at ambient temperature and degradation to free base in vivo. The lysyl-amide of 2-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-5-fluorobenzothiazole (NSC 710305, 6d) has been selected for phase 1 clinical evaluation.

Two short routes to novel methylated pentacyclic quinoacridinium salts have been devised. New compounds display telomerase-inhibitory potency (<1 μM) in the TRAP assay. 3,11-Difluoro-6,8,13-trimethyl-8H-quino[4,3,2-kl]acridinium methosulfate (12d, RHPS4, NSC 714187) has a higher selectivity for triplex and quadruplex DNA structures than the 3,6,8,11,13-pentamethyl analogue (12c, RHPS3, NSC 714186) and a low overall growth-inhibitory activity in the NCI 60 cell panel (mean GI50 13.18 μM); in addition, the activity profile of 12d does not COMPARE with agents of the topoisomerase II class. Compound 12d is soluble in water, stable in the pH range of 5−9, efficiently transported into tumor cells, and is currently the lead structure for further elaboration in this new class of telomerase inhibitor.

The triazenyl-pyrimethamine derivative 3a (TAB), a potent and selective inhibitor of Pneumocystis carinii DHFR, was selected as the starting point for a lead optimization study. Molecular modeling studies, corroborated by a recent crystal structure determination of the ternary complex of P. carinii DHFR−NADPH bound to TAB, predicted that modifications to the acetoxy residue of the lead inhibitor could exploit binding opportunities in the vicinity of an active site pocket bounded by residues Ile33, Lys37, and Leu72. Substitutions in the benzyl moiety with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups were predicted to probe face−edge interactions with amino acid Phe69 unique to the P. carinii enzyme. New triazenes 10a−v and 12a−f were prepared by coupling the diazonium tetrafluoroborate salt 6b of aminopyrimethamine with substituted benzylamines or phenethylamines. The most potent of the new inhibitors against P. carinii DHFR was the naphthylmethyl-substituted triazene 10t (IC50:  0.053 μM), but a more substantial increase in potency against the rat liver DHFR led to a reduction in selectivity (ratio rat liver DHFR IC50/P. carinii DHFR IC50:  5.36) compared to the original lead structure 3a (ratio rat liver DHFR IC50/P. carinii DHFR IC50:  114).

Synthetic routes to a series of mono- and difluorinated 2-(4-amino-3-substituted-phenyl)benzothiazoles have been devised. Whereas mixtures of regioisomeric 5- and 7-fluoro-benzothiazoles were formed from the established Jacobsen cyclization of precursor 3-fluoro-thiobenzanilides, two modifications to this general process have allowed the synthesis of pure samples of these target compounds. Fluorinated 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles were potently cytotoxic (GI50 < 1 nM) in vitro in sensitive human breast MCF-7 (ER+) and MDA 468 (ER-) cell lines but inactive (GI50 > 10 μM) against PC 3 prostate, nonmalignant HBL 100 breast, and HCT 116 colon cells. The biphasic dose−response relationship characteristically shown by the benzothiazole series against sensitive cell lines was exhibited by the 4- and 6-fluoro-benzothiazoles (10b,d) but not by the 5- and 7-fluoro-benzothiazoles (10h,i). The most potent broad spectrum agent in the NCI cell panel was 2-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-5-fluorobenzothiazole (10h) which, unlike the 6-fluoro isomer (10d), produces no exportable metabolites in the presence of sensitive MCF-7 cells. Induction of cytochrome P450 CYP1A1, a crucial event in determining the antitumor specificity of this series of benzothiazoles, was not compromised. 10h is currently the focus of pharmaceutical and preclinical development.

Hydroxylated styrenes (tyrphostins) undergo oxidation by hypervalent iodine oxidants such as [(diacetoxy)iodo]benzene (DAIB) to give a range of products depending on the structure of the phenolic substrate, the solvent, the oxidant stoichiometry, and the purification strategy. Conditions have been developed to modify the phenolic component of the tyrphostin without affecting the appended substituted-vinyl moiety. Novel products include:  unstable 2-acyloxy-2-methoxy-4-(substituted-vinyl)cyclohexadienones and their rearrangement products 2-acyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-(substituted-vinyl)benzenes; phenyliodoniophenolates and their rearrangement products iodophenoxytyrphostins; and 3,3‘-dialkoxy-2,2‘-dihydroxy-5,5‘-di(substituted-vinyl)biphenyls. None of these oxidation products displayed enhanced activity in vitro in the NCI 60-cell line panel or in a panel of human breast cancer cell lines, compared to their tyrphostin precursors. The inhibitory activity of three representative tyrphostins (3e,n, 28) was not modulated by aerobic/anaerobic conditions in MCF-7 and MDA 468 cells and was independent of EGFR status in clones of ZR75B cells transfected with this receptor. Basal growth of MCF-7 cells was unaffected by co-administration of the growth factors EGF, TGF-α, IGF-I, and IGF-II, and the new agents did not inhibit EGFR and c-erbB2 autophosphorylation in cell lysates from MDA 468 or SkBr3 cells, respectively, suggesting that receptor tyrosine kinases are not targets for these compounds. Growth stimulation by the tyrphostin 3n in the ER⁺ breast cell lines MCF-7, T47D, and ZR75-1 was abolished by 1 μM tamoxifen, suggesting that this compound has estrogen agonist activity.

New synthetic routes to a series of tetra- and pentacyclic acridines related in structure to marine natural products are reported. The novel water-soluble agent dihydroindolizino[7,6,5-kl]acridinium chloride 14 has inhibitory activity in a panel of non-small-cell lung and breast tumor cell lines exceeding that of m-AMSA. The salt inhibited the release of minicircle products of kDNA confirming that disorganization of topoisomerase II partly underlies the activity of the compound. COMPARE analysis of the NCI mean graph profile of compound 14 at the GI50 level corroborates this conclusion with Pearson correlation coefficients (>0.6) to clinical agents of the topoisomerase II class:  however, this correlation was not seen at the LC50 level. The inhibitory action of 14 on Saccharomyces cerevisiae transfected with human topoisomerase II isoforms showed a 3-fold selectivity against the IIα isoform over the IIβ isoform. Unlike m-AMSA, 14 is not susceptible to P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux and retains activity in lung cells with derived resistance to the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide.

2-(4-Aminophenyl)benzothiazoles 1 and their N-acetylated forms have been converted to C- and N-hydroxylated derivatives to investigate the role of metabolic oxidation in the mode of action of this series of compounds. 2-(4-Amino-3-methylphenyl)benzothiazole (1a, DF 203, NSC 674495) is a novel and potent antitumor agent with selective growth inhibitory properties against human cancer cell lines. Very low IC50 values (<0.1 μM) were encountered in the most sensitive breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and T-47D, whereas renal cell line TK-10 was weakly inhibited by 1a. Cell lines from the same tissue origin, MDA-MB-435 (breast), CAKI-1 (renal), and A498 (renal), were insensitive to 1a. Accumulation and metabolism of 1a were observed in sensitive cell lines only, with the highest rate of metabolism occurring in the most sensitive MCF-7 and T-47D cells. Thus, differential uptake and metabolism of 1a by cancer cell lines may underlie its selective profile of anticancer activity. A major metabolite in these sensitive cell lines has been identified as 2-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-6-hydroxybenzothiazole (6c). Hydroxylation of 1a was not detected in the homogenate of previously untreated MCF-7, T-47D, and TK-10 cells but was readily observed in homogenates of sensitive cells that were pretreated with 1a. Accumulation and covalent binding of [¹⁴C]1a derived radioactivity was observed in the sensitive MCF-7 cell line but not in the insensitive MDA-MB-435 cell line. The mechanism of growth inhibition by 1a, which is unknown, may be dependent on the differential metabolism of the drug to an activated form by sensitive cell lines only and its covalent binding to an intracellular protein. However, the 6-hydroxy derivative 6c is not the ‘active' metabolite since, like all other C- and N-hydroxylated benzothiazoles examined in this study, it is devoid of antitumor properties in vitro.

2-(4-Aminophenyl)benzothiazoles display potent and selective antitumor activity against inter alia breast, ovarian, colon, and renal cell lines, but their mechanism of action, though yet to be defined, may be novel. Metabolism is suspected to play a central role in the mode of action of these benzothiazoles since drug uptake and biotransformation were observed in sensitive cell lines (e.g., breast MCF-7 and MDA 468 cells) in vitro, whereas insensitive cell lines (e.g., prostate PC 3 cells) showed negligible uptake and biotransformation. N-Acyl derivatives of the arylamines have been synthesized, and in vitro studies confirm N-acetylation and oxidation as the main metabolic transformations of 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles, with the predominant process being dictated by the nature of the 3‘-substituent. The prototype amine 3 underwent mainly N-acetylation in vitro, while 3‘-substituted analogues 4 and 5 were primarily oxidized. N-Acetylation of 4 to 11 exerts a drastic dyschemotherapeutic effect in vitro, but acetylation of the halogeno congeners 5−7 gave acetylamines 12−14 which substantially retain selective antitumor activity. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies in rats confirmed rapid and exclusive N-acetylation of the 3‘-methyl analogue 4, but less acetylation with the 3‘-chloro analogue 5. Distinct expression patterns of N-acetyltransferase NAT1 and NAT2 have been demonstrated in our panel of cell lines.

A new series of 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles substituted in the phenyl ring and benzothiazole moiety has been synthesized by simple, high-yielding routes. The parent molecule 5a shows potent inhibitory activity in vitro in the nanomolar range against a panel of human breast cancer cell lines, but is inactive (IC50 > 30 μM) against other cell types:  activity against the sensitive breast lines MCF-7 and MDA 468 is characterized by a biphasic dose−response relationship. Structure−activity relationships derived using these cell types has revealed that activity follows the heterocyclic sequence benzothiazole > benzoxazole ≫ benzimidazole and that 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazoles bearing a 3‘-methyl- 9a, 3‘-bromo- 9c, 3‘- iodo- 9f, and 3‘-chloro-substituent 9i are especially potent and their activity extends to ovarian, lung, and renal cell lines. Four compounds have been evaluated in vivo against human mammary carcinoma models in nude mice. Compound 9a showed the most potent growth inhibition against the ER⁺ (MCF-7 and BO) and ER^- (MT-1 and MT-3) tumors. Our efforts to identify a pharmacological mechanism of action for these intriguing compounds have not, as yet, been successful.

The apparent solubility of ABPP in aqueous solutions suitable for intravenous use was increased by cosolvent systems.The solubility of ABPP was determined as a function of pH and concentration of NaOH, NaCl, Na2CO3 and co-solvents. Partition coefficient of ABPP in Octanol/water systems were also determined at various pH values. Solubility data and spectrophotemetric methods were used to determine the pKa values. The solubility of the compound increased at lower and higher pHs with increasing NaOH and Na2CO3 concentrations and increasing PEG 400, Propylene glycol, dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide concentrations but decreased with the introduction of NaCl to the solution. The apparent partition coefficient of ABPP showed similar but reversed dependence to the pH of the buffer system.From these results, suitable formulations for use as parenteral solutions are proposed. The increase in the apparent aqueous solubility of ABPP in such formulations my increase up to 800-fold, depending upon the pH and solvent concentrations. The compound was found to be stable for at least 6 months (experimental period) under normal shelf conditions when formulated for i. v. administration. When the suggested formulation injected intravenously into rabbits, at three different dose levels, the elimination half life of ABPP appeared not be dose dependent although data showed a straight line relationship between the area under the curve and dose and Cpmax ad dose.

Triazenyl-substituted pyrimethamine derivatives 10a−s have been prepared by coupling diazotized 2,4-diamino-5-(3-amino-4-chlorophenyl)-6-ethyl pyrimidine (1c) with a series of secondary amines in aqueous sodium carbonate solution. The triazenes which are stable and poorly soluble as free bases form more soluble, but unstable, salts with alkanesulfonic acids. The lead dimethyltriazene 2,4-diamino-5-[4-chloro-3-(3,3-dimethyltriazen-1-yl)phenyl]-6-ethylpyrimidine (4a) forms a crystalline ethanesulfonic acid salt (solvated with 2-propanol), which is protonated at the pyrimidine N-1 position as determined by X-ray crystallography. The ability of these new triazenes to inhibit Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate reductase in vitro has been compared to that of triazene 4a. The most potent and selective compound, 2,4-diamino-5-[3-[3-[2-(acetyloxy)ethyl]-3-benzyltriazen-1-yl]-4-chlorophenyl]-6-ethylpyrimidine (14a), has an IC50 value of 0.17 μM against the microbial enzyme and potentially useful selectivity (rat liver IC50/P. carinii IC50 = 114).

A series of pyrazolo-as-triazines have been screened for tumour-inhibitory activity against sarcoma S 180 in mice and a methylcholanthrene-induced tumour in rats. The antitumour activities of ethyl 4-aminopyrazolo[3,2-c]-as-triazine-3-carboxylate (Ig), 6-acetyl- and 6-iodoacetyl-3-methyl-4-methylenepyrazolo[3,2-c]-as-triazine (IIa and IIb respectively) against sarcoma S 180 exceed the inhibitory activity of 6-mercaptopurine against the same tumour.

The cytotoxic drug mitozolomide has been found to cause unpredictably severe thrombocytopenia during phase I and II clinical trials. In an attempt to relate dose and pharmacokinetic parameters to toxicity, we measured plasma concentrations of mitozolomide in 14 patients with a range of malignancies. There were significant correlations (Spearman rank correlation test) between drug clearance and AUC and white blood cell nadir. The pharmacokinetic and toxicity data were not normally distributed; therefore, it was not possible to construct predictive nomograms for toxicity based on linear regression analysis.

The novel potential antitumour agent 5‐fluoro‐2‐(4‐amino‐3‐methylphenyl)benzothiazole (5F203) has been radiolabelled with fluorine‐18 by reaction of an amino protected trimethyltin precursor with molecular fluorine (18F‐F) followed by alkaline deprotection of the amino group. [18F]5F203 was obtained in ca10% radiochemical yield in ca.60 mins from end of bombardment.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The heterocyclic amines (I) and (V) are converted into the imidazo‐ and pyrazolotetrazinones (IV) and (VI).

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The readily accessible pyrimidine derivative (Ia), which can be converted, for example, to other derivatives (Ib) by standard methods, is reduced by several methods, e.g. as shown in the scheme, in good yields affording the amine (IIIa) which is subsequently transformed to the azide (IIIb).

The protonation of three 2,4‐diaminopyrimidines (I) of interest as antitumor agents has been studied by proton‐coupled 13C NMR and by 1H NMR spectroscopy in solution in DMSO.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The 3‐alkyl congeners (Ia) of the antitumor agent (Ic) ring‐open in aqueous Na2CO3or in alcohols (III) to form the products (II), (IV) or (V) (most yields in g).

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.