Background: Discovery of small molecules that inhibit tubulin polymerization is an attractive strategy for the development of new and improved anti-proliferative agents.
Objective: A series of novel 2-sulfonyl-1,1-diarylethenes were designed towards this end keeping in view the favorable chemical and pharmacological virtues of unsaturated sulfones.
Methods: Rapid, convenient and efficient two-step assembly of the designed molecules was achieved by the vicinal iodo-sulfonylation-Suzuki coupling sequence.