Structural studies on bioactive compounds. 40.(1) Synthesis and biological properties of fluoro-, methoxyl-, and amino-substituted 3-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-ones and a comparison of their antitumor activities with the activities of related 2-phenylbenzothiazoles.

A new series of fluoro-, methoxyl-, and amino-substituted isoflavones have been synthesized as potential antitumor agents based on structural similarities to known flavones and isoflavones (quercetin and genistein respectively) and antitumor 2-phenylbenzothiazoles. Target compounds were synthesized using palladium-catalyzed coupling methodologies to construct the central aryl carbon-carbon single bond. The new isoflavone derivatives were tested for in vitro activity in human breast (MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7) and colon (HT29 and HCT-116) cancer cell lines. Low micromolar GI50 values were obtained in a number of cases, with the MDA-MB-468 cell line being the most sensitive overall. Notably, significant potentiation of growth inhibitory activity (GI50<1 microM for 12d, 12f, 12h, 12k, 12l, 12o but not the methylene-bridged derivative 12i) was observed when MDA-MB-468 cells were co-incubated with TBDD, a powerful inducer of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-1A1 activity, suggesting that isoflavone derivatives can act as substrates for CYP1A1 bioactivation.

Novel reaction products from the hypervalent iodine oxidation of hydroxylated stilbenes and isoflavones.

Novel reaction pathways for the hypervalent iodine-mediated oxidation of bioactive phenols containing extended conjugated pi-systems are described. Oxidation of 4-hydroxystilbenes in methanol using a hypervalent iodine-based oxidant led to the formal 1,2-addition of methoxy groups across the central stilbene double bond. Treatment of the structurally related 4-hydroxyisoflavone with di(trifluoroacetoxy)iodobenzene leads to the surprising formation of 2,4'-dihydroxybenzil. Potential mechanisms for these new reaction pathways are discussed, and the X-ray crystal structure of 2,4'-dihydroxybenzil is presented. In contrast, oxidation of the corresponding 3-hydroxystilbenes and 3-hydroxyisoflavone led to conventional dienone oxidation products. The antitumour implications of these oxidation processes are briefly highlighted; the novel 4-substituted phenolic oxidation products were found to be inactive in terms of in vitro antitumour cellular activity, whereas the 3-substituted phenol products gave novel agents with potent and enhanced antitumour activity in the HCT 116 cancer cell line.