Synthesis and biological activity of diisothiocyanate-derived mercapturic acids.

This Letter deals with new non-natural diisothiocyanates, their mercapturic acid derivatives-conjugated with N-acetylcysteine as well as their antiproliferative activity towards human colon cancer cell lines and their inhibitory potency towards histone deacetylase activity. The activity of analysed isothiocyanates is not significantly different than their N-acetylcysteine conjugates. In comparison to simple mono-isothiocyanate analogues, aliphatic diisothiocyanates and their conjugates are much more active than the simple presence of two isothiocyanate functionalities could indicate.