Rational design and synthesis of 6-aryl-6H-benzo[c]chromenes as non-steroidal progesterone receptor antagonists for use against cancers

Novel benzochromenes: design, synthesis, cytotoxicity, molecular docking and mechanistic investigations

Aim: A novel series of fused benzochromenes with expected cytotoxicity and HIF-1α inhibition was identified. Materials & methods: A bioisosterism-aided approach was applied to design new benzochromenes and assess their cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines. The probable mechanistic effect and the in silico docking and pharmacokinetic profiles of the most effective derivatives were evaluated. Results: Compounds 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11 showed potent antiproliferative activity and excellent selectivity. Compound 8 showed significant HIF-1α inhibition with an IC50 value of 3.372 μM. It also enhanced apoptosis and arrested the HepG2 cell cycle at both the G0/G1 and S stages. Conclusion: Compound 8 was identified as a new potential anticancer candidate.