Benzylidene-isophorone hybrids with strong anticancer activity

Abstract

Isophorone is a cyclic ketone that has gained significant attention in the field of organic chemistry due to its versatile reactivity and structural attributes. Derivatives of isophorone offer a broad spectrum of applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to polymer chemistry. With the aim of developing novel hybrid structures based on benzylidene by combining with isophorone scaffold, we report 3 derivatives of the benzylidene-isophorone hybrids and its potent anticancer activity. In order to optimize the anticancer activity of hybrids di-substitution of –Cl group in C2 and C6 position of phenyl ring (compound1), –OCH3 group in C2 and C5 position of phenyl ring (compound2), and –OCH3 group in C2 and C3 position of phenyl ring (compound3) of benzylidene (PhCH=) moiety were made. The structure of Compounds1,2 and 3 were elucidated using spectral and XRD methods. Compounds1,2 and 3 exhibit space group P c a 21, P-1, and P 1 21/n 1 respectively. Compounds1,2 and 3 were tested for the potent anticancer activity on MDA MB-231 cell line. All the three compounds exhibit good anticancer activity on the breast cancer cells. The parent hybrid with ortho, ortho directing –Cl (1) exhibits strong antiproliferation effect (IC50 = 0.028 µM) on MDA-MB 231 cell line. However, hybrid structures with ortho, meta directing –OCH3 (2) group showed moderate effect (IC50 = 0.061 µM) and hybrid with ortho, meta directing –OCH3 (3) substitution showed the least potent anticancer activity (IC50 = 0.074 µM). The benzylidene-isophorone hybrids exhibit anticancer effects in the following order: 1 > 2 > 3.