A new 4-nitrobenzyl carbonate prodrug of methyl 5-benzyl-2-hydroxy-11-methylene-6-oxo-5H-benzo[b]carbazole-1-carboxylate for potential use with nitroreductase-based gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT).

A tumour-selective 4-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl prodrug methyl 5-benzyl-2-hydroxy-11-methylene-6-oxo-5H-benzo[b]carbazole-1-carboxylate was synthezised for gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT). The compound is a substrate for E. coli nitroreductase.