Alpha-substituted 1-aryl-3-dimethylaminopropanone hydrochlorides: potent cytotoxins towards human WiDr colon cancer cells.

A series of 1-aryl-2-dimethylaminomethyl-2-propenone hydrochlorides 1 were prepared which possessed IC(50) values of less than 10 microM when examined towards human WiDr colon cancer cells. The related 1-aryl-2-dimethylaminomethyl-3-hydroxypropanone hydrochlorides 2, formed by hydration of the analogs in series 1, also had IC(50) values in the low micromolar range. On the other hand, conversion of 2-dimethylaminomethyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-propenone hydrochloride 1c into the corresponding 2-mercaptoethanol of adduct 3c led to a 37-fold reduction in potency.