Synthesis and biological evaluation of 3-(trimethoxyphenyl)-2(3H)-thiazole thiones as combretastatin analogs.

A series of 3-(trimethoxyphenyl)-2(3H)-thiazole thiones 5 were designed as new heterocyclic analogs of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4). Indeed, the olefinic core structure of CA-4 has been replaced by 2(3H)-thiazole thione. The general synthetic strategy to prepare compounds 5 was based on the cyclocondensation reaction between triethylammonium N-(trimethoxyphenyl)dithiocarbamate and appropriate phenacyl halide.