Vinylogous carbinolamine tumor inhibitors. 8. Activity of bis(acyloxymethyl) derivatives of pyrroles and pyrrolizines against a panel of murine leukemias and solid tumors.

The activity of three pyrroles and four pyrrolizines is compared in several different experimental leukemias and solid tumors in mice. Two compounds were particularly noteworthy, the bis(N-cyclohexylcarbamate) and the bis[N-(2-propyl)] derivatives of 2,3-dihydro-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-6,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1H-pyrrolizine. These two compounds showed a very high level of activity against B16 melanocarcinoma, CD8F1 mammary tumor, colon tumor 26, and colon tumor 38, and a significant number of "cures" were recorded. The isopropyl compound was more potent than the cyclohexyl compound, but both showed a similar profile of activity.

Nucleosides. 114. 5'-O-Glucuronides of 5-fluorouridine and 5-fluorocytidine. Masked precursors of anticancer nucleosides.

5'-O-Glucuronides of anticancer nucleosides, 5-fluorouridine and 5-fluorocytidine, were synthesized by three different methods. The best preparative procedure was the one starting from benzyl 5-O-(methyl 2', 3', 4'-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-2,3-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-ribof uranoside (15) that was obtained almost quantitatively by condensation of benzyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-ribofuranoside (8) with methyl (2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide)uronate (2). After de-O-isopropylidenation of 15, the crystalline product, benzyl 5-O-(methyl 2', 3', 4'-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-beta-D-ribofuranoside (16), was de-O-benzylated catalytically to 5-O-(methyl 2', 3', 4'-tri-O-acetyl-beta-glucopyranosyluronate)-D-ribofuranose (17). Compound 17 was acetylated to crystalline 5-O-(methyl 2',3',4'-tri-O-acteyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-1,2,3-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-ribofuranose (18) and condensed with trimethylsilylated 5-fluorouracil of 5-fluorocytosine in the presence of SnCl4 to afford the corresponding protected nucleosides 5 and 19 in good yields. Saponification of these compounds gave 5'-O-beta-D-glucuronides of 5-fluorouridine and 5-fluorocytidine (20 and 21) isolated as their crystalline N salts. These glucuronides were substrates of both bacterial and bovine beta-glucuronidase. They were, as expected, much less toxic against several leukemia cell lines in tissue culture.

New compounds: synthesis of 2-chloromethylbenzo[b]furans.

2-Chloromethylbenzo[b]furans were prepared in high overall yield from the corresponding chloroethylphenyl ethers through chloroepoxide and alpha-chlorophenylacetone intermediates.

Synthesis and antileukemic activity of 1-methyl-2,5-diphenyl-3,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)-, 1,2,3-triphenyl-4,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-, and 1-methyl-2,3-diphenyl-4,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrole bis(N-methylcarbamate).

The syntheses for the bis(N-methylcarbamates) 3, 4a, 4b, and 5 are described. All four compounds were active in the in vivo P388 lymphocytic leukemia assay, with 3 being the most active.

Antileukemic activity of derivatives of 1,2-dimethyl-3,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)-5-phenylpyrrole bis(N-methylcarbamate).

A series of phenyl-substituted derivatives of 1,2-dimethyl-3,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)-5-phenylpyrrole bis(N-methylcarbamate) (1) were synthesized and tested for antileukemic activity against P388 lymphocytic leukemia in the mouse. All of the compounds tested, 1a--r, showed significant activity in this assay. Selected derivatives of 1 were tested against several bacteria and were found to have little or no antibacterial activity in the systems examined.