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Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) are an interesting class of ligands that show a diverse range of biological activity, including anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-cancer effects. Our previous studies have demonstrated the potent in vivo anti-tumor activity of novel TSCs and their ability to overcome resistance to clinically used chemotherapeutics. In the current study, 35 novel TSCs of 6 different classes were designed using a combination of retro-fragments that appear in other TSCs. Additionally, di-substitution at the terminal N4 atom, which was previously identified to be critical for potent anti-cancer activity, was preserved through the incorporation of an N4-based piperazine or morpholine ring. The anti-proliferative activity of the novel TSCs were examined in a variety of cancer and normal cell-types. In particular, compounds 1d and 3c demonstrated the greatest promise as anti-cancer agents with potent and selective anti-proliferative activity. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that the chelators that utilized "soft" donor atoms, such as nitrogen and sulfur, resulted in potent anti-cancer activity. Indeed, the N,N,S donor atom set was crucial for the formation of redox active iron complexes that were able to mediate the oxidation of ascorbate. This further highlights the important role of reactive oxygen species generation in mediating potent anti-cancer activity. Significantly, this study identified the potent and selective anti-cancer activity of 1d and 3c that warrants further examination.

In photodynamic therapy (PDT), a noninvasive anticancer treatment, visible light, is used as a magic bullet selectively destroying cancer cells by a photosensitizer that is nontoxic in the dark. Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is a natural photosensitizer synthesized in the cell, which is also a chelating agent that if bonded to Fe(2+) forms heme, a central component of hemoglobin. Therefore, xenobiotic iron chelators can disturb iron homeostasis, increasing the accumulation of PpIX, obstructing the last step of heme biosynthesis, and enhancing PDT efficiency. However, the attempts to use this promising idea have not proved to be hugely successful. Herein, we revisited this issue by analyzing the application of iron chelators highly toxic in the dark, which should have higher Fe(2+) affinity than the nontoxic chelators used so far. We have designed and prepared thiosemicarbazones (TSC) with the highest dark cellular cytotoxicity among TSCs ever reported. We demonstrate that compound 2 exerts powerful PDT enhancement when used in combination with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a precursor of PpIX.

FT-IR, FT-Raman and (1)H NMR spectra of 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-8-carboxylic acid were recorded and obtained data were confronted with the computed using Gaussian09 software package. DFT/B3LYP, B3PW91 calculations have been done using 6-31G* and SDD basis sets, to investigate the vibrational frequencies and geometrical parameters. The assignments of the normal modes are done by potential energy distribution (PED) calculations. The calculated first hyperpolarizability is comparable with the reported values of similar quinoline derivatives and is an attractive object for future studies of non-linear optics. The stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interaction and charge delocalization has been analyzed using NBO analysis. MEP predicts the most reactive part in the molecule. The calculated (1)H NMR results are in good agreement with experimental data., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Quinoline derivatives have good nonlinear optical properties and have been extensively studied due to their great potential application in the field of organic light emitting diodes. Quantum chemical calculations of the equilibrium geometry, harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman activities of 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-7-carboxylic acid in the ground state were reported. Potential energy distribution of normal modes of vibrations was done using GAR2PED program. The synthesis, (1)H NMR and PES scan results are also discussed. Nonlinear optical behavior of the examined molecule was investigated by the determination of first hyperpolarizability. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show the chemical activity of the molecule. The stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interaction and charge delocalization has been analyzed using NBO analysis. The calculated geometrical parameters are in agreement with that of similar derivatives., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

HIV integrase became an important target for drug development more than twenty years ago. However, progress has been hampered by the lack of assays suitable for high throughput screening, a reliable crystal structure or pharmacophore. Thus, a real breakthrough was only observed in 2007 with the introduction of the first integrase inhibitor, raltegravir, into treatment. To date, the armament of integrase inhibitors is broad and covers several drugs from different classes that are under clinical trials. Among them, quinoline-based compounds and analogues occupy an important place. This review is focused on those compounds that have a quinoline scaffold and attempts to answer the question of whether quinoline is privileged for these activities. In fact, quinoline has been claimed as a privileged structure several times for different fields of activities. A closer look at its structural features may reveal the prerequisites responsible for the popularity of quinoline-based inhibitors of HIV integrase.

Series of new ring-substituted styrylquinolines and two oxorhenium complexes were prepared and characterized. The compounds were analyzed using RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was performed against fungal and bacterial strains. Some compounds were active against bacteria at micromolar level and against fungi at submicromolar level. Compounds 5,7-dichloro-2-[2-(2-ethoxyphenyl)vinyl]quinolin-8-ol expressed excellent antifungal activity comparable with or higher than the standard fluconazole as well as antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus strains comparable with or higher than the standards bacitracin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin. The structure-activity relationships are discussed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Two series of thiosemicarbazone-based iron chelators (twenty-seven compounds) were designed and synthesized using a microwave-assisted approach. Quinoline and halogenated phenyl were selected as parent scaffolds on the basis of a similarity search. The lipophilicity of the synthesized compounds was measured using HPLC and then calculated. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was performed against eight pathogenic fungal strains. Only a few compounds showed moderate activity against fungi, and (E)-2-(quinolin-2-ylvinyl)-N,N-dimethylhydrazine-carbothioamide appeared to be more effective than fluconazole against most of the fungal strains tested. Antiproliferative activity was measured using a human colon cancer cell line (HCT-116). Several of the tested compounds showed submicromolar antiproliferative activity. Compounds were also tested for their activity related to the inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. The structure-activity relationships are discussed for all of the compounds.

Iron chelators have emerged as a potential anti-cancer treatment strategy. In this study, a series of novel thiosemicarbazone iron chelators containing a quinoline scaffold were synthesized and characterized. A number of analogs show markedly greater anti-cancer activity than the 'gold-standard' iron chelator, desferrioxamine. The anti-proliferative activity and iron chelation efficacy of several of these ligands (especially compound 1b), indicates that further investigation of this class of thiosemicarbazones is worthwhile., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Crystal structures of three small molecular scaffolds based on quinoline, 2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione, 5-hydroxy-quinaldine-6-carboxylic acid and 8-hydroxy-quinaldine-7-carboxylic acid, were characterised. 5-Hydroxy-quinaldine-6-carboxylic acid was co-crystallized with cobalt(II) chloride to form a model of divalent metal cation-ligand interactions for potential HIV integrase inhibitors. Molecular docking into active site of HIV IN was also performed on 1WKN PDB file. Selected ligand-protein interactions have been found specific for active compounds. Studied structures can be used as scaffolds in fragment-based design of new potent drugs., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), the concept of cancer treatment through the selective uptake of a light-sensitive agent followed by exposure to a specific wavelength, is limited by the transport of a photosensitizer (PS) to the tumor tissue. Porphyrin, an important PS class, can be used in PDT in the form of its prodrug molecule 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Unfortunately, its poor pharmacokinetic properties make this compound difficult to administer. Two different methods for eliminating this problem can be distinguished. The first approach is to play with its formulation in order to improve the drug's applicability. The second approach, which is to find possible 5- ALA prodrugs, is an example of the double-prodrug method, a strategy often used in modern drug design. In this approach, the biological mechanisms in a long biosynthetic pathway involving several steps must be completed before the active drug appears. Recently, an idea of enhancing PDT sensitization using the so-called iron chelators seemed to increase the accumulation of protoporphyrin in cells. At the same time, iron chelators can destroy tumor cells by producing active oxygen after the formation of an active drug by chelating iron in the cancer cells. Thus, in the latter case, the therapy resembles a prodrug strategy. The mechanism can be explained by the Fenton reaction. Vitamin C is another example of a potential anticancer agent of this type.

A group of styrylazanaphthalenes and azanaphthalenediones were synthesized and tested for their anti-proliferative activity. Most of the compounds were obtained with the use of microwave-assisted synthesis. The lipophilicity of the compounds was measured by RP-HPLC and their anti-proliferative activity was assayed against the human SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma and HCT116 human colon carcinoma cell lines. Active compounds were also tested in clonogenity and comet assays. Several quinazolinone and styrylquinazoline analogues were found to have markedly greater anti-proliferative activity than desferoxamine and cis-platin., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a series of fourteen ring-substituted 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives were prepared. The synthesis procedures are presented. The compounds were analyzed using RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. They were tested for their activity related to inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was also performed against four mycobacterial strains and against eight fungal strains. Several compounds showed biological activity comparable with or higher than the standards isoniazid or fluconazole. For all the compounds, the relationships between the lipophilicity and the chemical structure of the studied compounds are discussed.

In this study, series of ring-substituted 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H)-one and 4-chloro-2-styrylquinazoline derivatives were prepared. The syntheses of the discussed compounds are presented. The compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. They were tested for their inhibitory activity on photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was also performed against four mycobacterial strains and against eight fungal strains. Several compounds showed biological activity comparable with or higher than that of the standard isoniazid. It was found that the electronic properties of the R substituent, and not the total lipophilicity of the compound, were decisive for the photosynthesis-inhibiting activity of tested compounds.

In the study, a series of twelve ring-substituted 4-hydroxy-1H-quinolin-2-one derivatives were prepared. The procedures for synthesis of the compounds are presented. The compounds were analyzed using RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity and tested for their photosynthesis-inhibiting activity using spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. All the synthesized compounds were also evaluated for antifungal activity using in vitro screening with eight fungal strains. For all the compounds, the relationships between the lipophilicity and the chemical structure of the studied compounds are discussed, as well as their structure-activity relationships (SAR).

Two series of amides based on quinoline scaffold were designed and synthesized in search of photosynthesis inhibitors. The compounds were tested for their photosynthesis-inhibiting activity against Spinacia oleracea L. and Chlorella vulgaris Beij. The compounds lipophilicity was determined by the RP-HPLC method. Several compounds showed biological activity similar or even higher than that of the standard (DCMU). The structure-activity relationships are discussed.

The lack of the wide spectrum of biological data is an important obstacle preventing the efficient molecular design. Quinoline derivatives are known to exhibit a variety of biological effects. In the current publication, we tested a series of novel quinoline analogues for their photosynthesis-inhibiting activity (the inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport in spinach chloroplasts (Spinacia oleracea L.) and the reduction of chlorophyll content in Chlorella vulgaris Beij.). Moreover, antiproliferative activity was measured using SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cell line. We described the structure-activity relationships (SAR) between the chemical structure and biological effects of the synthesized compounds. We also measured the lipophilicity of the novel compounds by means of the RP-HPLC and illustrate the relationships between the RP-HPLC retention parameter logK (the logarithm of capacity factor K) and logP data calculated by available programs.

We used comparative molecular surface analysis to design molecules for the synthesis as part of the search for new HIV-1 integrase inhibitors. We analyzed the virtual combinatorial library (VCL) constituted from various moieties of styrylquinoline and styrylquinazoline inhibitors. Since imines can be applied in a strategy of dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC), we also tested similar compounds in which the -C=N- or -N=C- linker connected the heteroaromatic and aromatic moieties. We then used principal component analysis (PCA) or self-organizing maps (SOM), namely, the Kohonen neural networks to obtain a clustering plot analyzing the diversity of the VCL formed. Previously synthesized compounds of known activity, used as molecular probes, were projected onto this plot, which provided a set of promising virtual drugs. Moreover, we further modified the above mentioned VCL to include the single bond linker -C-N- or -N-C-. This allowed increasing compound stability but expanded also the diversity between the available molecular probes and virtual targets. The application of the CoMSA with SOM indicated important differences between such compounds and active molecular probes. We synthesized such compounds to verify the computational predictions.

The series of quinoline derivatives were prepared. The synthetic approach, analytical, and spectroscopic data of all synthesized compounds are presented. All the prepared derivatives were analyzed using the reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the lipophilicity measurement. In the present study, the correlation between RP-HPLC retention parameter log K (the logarithm of capacity factor K) and various calculated log P data is shown. The relationships between the lipophilicity and the chemical structure of the studied compounds are discussed as well. The prepared compounds were tested for their in vitro antifungal activity. 2-[(3-Hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]quinolin-8-ol (8), 2-[(4-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]quinolin-8-ol (9) and 2-[(2,5-dichloro-4-nitrophenylamino)methoxymethyl]quinolin-8-ol (10) showed in vitro antifungal activity comparable to or higher than that of the standard fluconazole. Structure-activity relationships among the chemical structure, the physical properties, and the biological activities of the evaluated compounds are discussed in the article.

2-[(2,5-dichloro-4-nitro-phenylamino)-methoxy-methyl]-8-hydroxy-quinoline 1 and 2-methyl-quinoline-5,8-dione-5-oxime 2 were obtained as potential HIV-1 integrase inhibitors and analyzed by X-ray crystallography. Semiempirical theoretical calculations of energy preferred conformations were also carried out. The crystal structures of both compounds are stabilized via hydrogen bonds and pi-pi stacking interactions. The planarity of compound 1 is caused by intramolecular hydrogen bonds.