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In the last years, the introduction of side chains in different molecular compounds takes increasing importance. As recently reported in literature, heterocyclic scaffolds with poor biological activity , if properly decorated with selected side chains, can improve their anticancer activity against a large spectrum of human tumor cell lines. For example, the annelated Pyrrolo[3,4-e]Pyrimidines and Pyrrolo[3,2-e]Pyrimidines, opportunely functionalized with a large number of side chains, showed a good increase in the antitumor activity with respect to the starting core structure. New compound thus obtained showed antiproliferative activity against all the human tumor cells, generally in the low micromolar concentration range (1). Furthermore, this increase in activity is confirmed in the new linear derivatives Thieno[3,2-d][1,2,3]Triazolo [1,5- α]Pyrimidines (2) and their angular isomer Thieno[2,3-e][1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5- α]Pyrimidines (3). Another confirmation is provided by the Indolo [3,2-e][1,2,3]Triazolo [1,5- α]Pyrimidines, that resulted inactive as antitumor agent, but when a functionalization with side chains takes place, the anticancer activity has interestingly appeared (4). Here, with the aim to explore the importance of the addition of side chains on smaller molecular scaffolds, of easier synthetic access and decoration, we focused our attention on a new series of substituted “chained” pyrrole derivatives in order to evaluate their anticancer potential.

A set of variously substituted 1-arylpyrazol-3-one derivatives, including the di-ortho-aryl substituted ones, was synthesized as new potential anticancer compounds. To fulfill this aim, herein a regiospecific synthesis was proposed utilizing a new revisited one pot procedure, starting from commercial anilines and easily accessible 2,5-dimethyl-furan-3-one. In the course of the sequential ordered steps, in some cases, a nitro group displacement by chlorine took place to a minor extent. The in vitro screening against the full panel of ~60 human cancer cell lines (NCI) showed a moderate, but promising selective antiproliferative activity against the UO31 renal tumor cell line, only in compounds with the introduction on the phenyl moiety of a -CF3 or two Cl groups.

1-Methylpyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazin-3-ones 4, synthesized in good to excellent yields, were designed as novel alkylating agents because of their peculiar chemical behavior. All derivatives showed antiproliferative activity against more than 50 types of tumor cell lines with GI50 reaching sub-micromolar values. SAR studies revealed that the presence of a chlorine atom is well-tolerated in both positions 8 and 9, whereas in the case of the methyl group, switching from the 8 to the 9 position gives rise to the most active compound of the series, 4g, either for the number of cell lines inhibited and for selectivity against leukaemia and renal cancer subpanels. COMPARE and 3D-MIND computations indicate, for compounds 4, an activity profile analogous to rifamycins and cytidine analogues.