Synthesis and in Vitro cytotoxic activities of 2-alkyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-2,6-diazacyclopenta[b]anthracene-5,10-diones.

A series of 2-alkyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-2,6-diazacyclopenta[b]anthracene-5,10-diones (4a-f) was synthesized and their in vitro cytotoxic activities were evaluated against six human cancer cell lines (HCT15, SK-OV-3, SNB19, A549, MCF7 and MCF7/ADR). They all appeared to be less potent than doxorubicin against all doxorubicin sensitive human cancer cell lines tested. However, these compounds retained considerable cytotoxic activity against the doxorubicin-resistant cell line MCF7/ADR, implying their therapeutic potential to treat doxorubicin-resistant tumors. The most active compound 4c was equipotent with doxorubicin against HCT15 cell line.