Novel bioreductive mitosene and mitosane analogues of mitomycin C.

Mitosenes of both the pyrrolo- and pyrido[1,2-a]indole type have been prepared via a modified Madelung reaction of benzeneacetonitriles ortho-substituted with gamma- and delta-lactam moieties, respectively, followed by modification of the resulting heterotricyclic compounds. Some in vitro anti-tumour activity data of these novel compounds are rearrangement of 2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-3-vinylquinone derivatives to 5,8-dioxo-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]indoles.