The total synthesis of an aurone isolated from Uvaria hamiltonii : aurones and flavones as anticancer agents

A concise update on the synthetic transformation of aurones via asymmetric cycloaddition, annulation, and Michael/Mannich reactions

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of aurone cores in organic chemistry, highlighting their crucial role as synthetic intermediates. With their innate electrophilic reactivity and convenient accessibility, aurone cores play a vital role in catalysing the development of novel methodologies and facilitating the creation of intricate compounds. The objective of this review is to present a current and insightful compilation that summarizes the progress in aurone synthetic transformations, focusing on diverse cycloaddition ([3 + 2], [4 + 2], [4 + 3], [10 + 2]) and annulation reactions.

Flavones and Related Compounds: Synthesis and Biological Activity

This review focuses on the synthesis and biological activity of flavones and their related flavonoidic compounds, namely flavonols and aurones. Among the biological activities of natural and synthetic flavones and aurones, their anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties are highlighted and detailed in this review. Starting from the structures of natural flavones acting on multiple anticancer targets (myricetin, genkwanin, and other structurally related compounds), new flavone analogs were recently designed and evaluated for their anticancer activity. The most representative compounds and their anticancer activity are summarized in this review. Natural flavones recognized for their antimicrobial properties (baicalein, luteolin, quercetol, apigenin, kaempferol, tricin) have been recently derivatized or structurally modulated by chemical synthetic methods in order to obtain new effective antimicrobial flavonoidic derivatives with improved biological properties. The most promising antimicrobial agents are systematically highlighted in this review. The most applied method for the synthesis of flavones and aurones is based on the oxidative cyclization of o-hydroxychalcones. Depending on the reaction conditions and the structure of the precursor, in some cases, several cyclization products result simultaneously: flavones, flavanones, flavonols, and aurones. Based on the literature data and the results obtained by our research group, our aim is to highlight the most promising methods for the synthesis of flavones, as well as the synthetic routes for the other structurally related cyclization products, such as hydroxyflavones and aurones, while considering that, in practice, it is difficult to predict which is the main or exclusive cyclization product of o-hydroxychalcones under certain reaction conditions.

Hydrogel-Encapsulated Biofilm Inhibitors Abrogate the Cariogenic Activity of Streptococcus mutans

We designed and synthesized analogues of a previously identified biofilm inhibitor IIIC5 to improve solubility, retain inhibitory activities, and to facilitate encapsulation into pH-responsive hydrogel microparticles. The optimized lead compound HA5 showed improved solubility of 120.09 μg/mL, inhibited Streptococcus mutans biofilm with an IC50 value of 6.42 μM, and did not affect the growth of oral commensal species up to a 15-fold higher concentration. The cocrystal structure of HA5 with GtfB catalytic domain determined at 2.35 Å resolution revealed its active site interactions. The ability of HA5 to inhibit S. mutans Gtfs and to reduce glucan production has been demonstrated. The hydrogel-encapsulated biofilm inhibitor (HEBI), generated by encapsulating HA5 in hydrogel, selectively inhibited S. mutans biofilms like HA5. Treatment of S. mutans-infected rats with HA5 or HEBI resulted in a significant reduction in buccal, sulcal, and proximal dental caries compared to untreated, infected rats.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of 5-chloro-6-methylaurone derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents

A series of novel 5-chloro-6-methylaurone derivatives (6a-p) were synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. The synthesized compounds were tested for anticancer activity against 60-human cancer cell line panel derived from nine cancer types at NCI, Bethesda, USA. Among the synthesized compounds, six compounds (6e, 6f, 6h, 6i, 6k and 6 m) exhibited growth inhibition and cytotoxic activity against various human cancer cell lines in one-dose data. The most potent compound among the series, 6i was active against 55 out of 60 human cancer cell lines. Compound 6i showed remarkable % growth inhibition and cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines exhibiting % GI in the range 36.05-199.03. The compound 6i was further evaluated for five dose assay and exhibited GI50 1.90 µM and 2.70 µM against melanoma and breast cancer cell lines respectively. Further evaluation of 6i for five-dose assay exhibited a diverse spectrum of anti-cancer activity towards all the 60 human cancer cell line panel with the selectivity index ratio ranging 0.854-1.42  and 0.66-1.35  for GI50 and TGI respectively. Based on one-dose and five-dose data compound 6i was further evaluated for cell apoptosis against MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line and was found to induce early apoptosis in cells explaining its mode of action. The in-silico studies for the synthesized compounds as LSD1 inhibitors (2H94) have shown better docking score and binding energy comparable to vafidemstat. All the compounds followed Lipinski rule of five. These findings concluded that the compound 6i could lead to the development of a promising therapeutic anticancer agent.

Chemical Space Expansion of Flavonoids: Induction of Mitotic Inhibition by Replacing Ring B with a 10π-Electron System, Benzo[b]thiophene

Natural products, which are enzymatically biosynthesized, have a broad range of biological activities. In particular, many flavonoids are known to contribute to human health with low toxicity. We previously reported that novel benzo[b]thiophenyl (BT) flavones with a 10π-electron BT ring B replacing the usual 6π-electron phenyl ring showed potent antiproliferative activity against human tumor cell lines. Interestingly, the activity profiles against cell cycle progression of the BT-flavones totally changed depending on the combination of substituents at the C-3 and C-5 positions. This finding encouraged an extension of these studies on the impact of BT to related flavonoids, such as chalcones, isoflavones, and aurones. Accordingly, 10 isoflavones, 29 chalcones, and four aurones were synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activity against five human tumor cell lines including a multi-drug-resistant cell line. Among these compounds, BT-isoflavone 7, BT-chalcones 48, 52, 57, 66, and 77, and BT-aurone 80 displayed significant antiproliferative effects against all tested tumor cell lines. The structure-antiproliferative activity relationships clearly demonstrated the importance of BT instead of phenyl as ring B for the isoflavone and chalcones, but not the aurones. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemical studies demonstrated that the active BT-flavonoids led to cell cycle arrest at the prometaphase by induction of multipolar spindle formation. The present studies should contribute greatly to the synthesis and functional analysis of biologically active flavonoid derivatives for chemical space expansion.

Aurone-derived 1,2,3-triazoles as potential fluorescence molecules in vitro

Aurones are a class of naturally occurring compounds with fluorescent derivatives. Here we show a newly synthesized derivative of aurones containing a 1,2,3-triazole which is fluorescent in aqueous environments and has potential to be used as a probe in vitro.

Aurones: A Golden Resource for Active Compounds

Deemed as poorly represented in nature, aurones have been often overlooked by researchers compared to other members of the flavonoid superfamily. However, over the past two decades, they have been reassessed by the scientific community, who are increasingly appreciating their ability to modulate several biological pathways. This review summarizes the recent literature on this class of compounds, which has been analyzed from both a chemical and a functional point of view. Original articles, reviews and editorials featured in Pubmed and Scifinder over the last twenty years have been taken into account to provide the readers with a view of the chemical strategies to obtain them, their functional properties, and their potential of technological use. The resulting comprehensive picture aims at raising the awareness of these natural derivatives as effective drug candidates, fostering the development of novel synthetic analogues.

Synthesis, cytotoxicity and in silico study of some novel benzocoumarin-chalcone-bearing aryl ester derivatives and benzocoumarin-derived arylamide analogs

The development of new prostate cancer protein receptor cytochrome P450 17A1 inhibitors offers the possibility of generating structures of increased potency. To this end, the chalcone analogs 7 and 8 were prepared from treatment of methyl 3-oxo-3H-benzocoumarin-2-carboxylate (4) with aryl aldehydes. Treatment of 7 and 8 with three anti-inflammatory drugs, flurbiprofen, ketoprofen and ibuprofen, in the presence of POCl3/DMAP gave the ester analogs 9–12. Analogously, treatment of ethyl 3-oxo-3H-benzocoumarin-2-carboxylate (15), prepared previously from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde (13) and dimethylmalonate (14), with various arylamines: 4-bromoaniline, 2-amino-6-methylpyridine, amino-antipyrine and 2-amino-5-nitrothiazole, in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide gave the benzocoumarine-3-arylamide analogs. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of 9–12 and 16–19 were evaluated against human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3) and normal human liver epithelia (WRL-68) by MTT assay. Compounds 10 and 17 were the most active cytotoxic agents among the series against PC-3 cells with IC50 values of 71.35 and 78.25 μg mL–1 with SI values of 3.0 and 4.2, respectively (calculated from the cytotoxicity effects of 10 and 17 on the normal human liver epithelia [WRL-68]). Furthermore, compounds 11 and 12 were tested against breast cancer (HER2 cell lines), prostate cancer (DU-135 cell lines) and MCF-7 but were inactive. Molecular docking studies between the protein receptor CYPP450 17A1 and compounds 10 and 17 revealed that these compounds primarily form hydrophobic interactions with the receptor.

An Overview of the Medicinally Important Plant Type III PKS Derived Polyketides

Plants produce interesting secondary metabolites that are a valuable source of both medicines for human use, along with significant advantages for the manufacturer species. The active compounds which lead to these instrumental effects are generally secondary metabolites produced during various plant growth phases, which provide the host survival advantages while affecting human health inadvertently. Different chemical classes of secondary metabolites are biosynthesized by the plant type III polyketide synthases (PKSs). They are simple homodimeric proteins with the unique mechanistic potential to produce a broad array of secondary metabolites by utilizing simpler starter and extender units. These PKS derived products are majorly the precursors of some important secondary metabolite pathways leading to products such as flavonoids, stilbenes, benzalacetones, chromones, acridones, xanthones, cannabinoids, aliphatic waxes, alkaloids, anthrones, and pyrones. These secondary metabolites have various pharmaceutical, medicinal and industrial applications which make biosynthesizing type III PKSs an important tool for bioengineering purposes. Because of their structural simplicity and ease of manipulation, these enzymes have garnered interest in recent years due to their application in the generation of unnatural natural polyketides and modified products in the search for newer drugs for a variety of health problems. The following review covers the biosynthesis of a variety of type III PKS-derived secondary metabolites, their biological relevance, the associated enzymes, and recent research.

Exploring Aurone Derivatives as Potential Human Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitors through Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Inhibition of human pancreatic lipase, a crucial enzyme in dietary fat digestion and absorption, is a potent therapeutic approach for obesity treatment. In this study, human pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of aurone derivatives was explored by molecular modeling approaches. The target protein was human pancreatic lipase (PDB ID: 1LPB). The 3D structures of 82 published bioactive aurone derivatives were docked successfully into the protein catalytic active site, using AutoDock Vina 1.5.7.rc1. Of them, 62 compounds interacted with the key residues of catalytic trial Ser152-Asp176-His263. The top hit compound (A14), with a docking score of −10.6 kcal⋅mol⁻¹, was subsequently submitted to molecular dynamics simulations, using GROMACS 2018.01. Molecular dynamics simulation results showed that A14 formed a stable complex with 1LPB protein via hydrogen bonds with important residues in regulating enzyme activity (Ser152 and Phe77). Compound A14 showed high potency for further studies, such as the synthesis, in vitro and in vivo tests for pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity.

Molecular targets and anticancer activity of quinoline-chalcone hybrids: literature review

α,β-Unsaturated chalcone moieties and quinoline scaffolds play an important role in medicinal chemistry, especially in the identification and development of potential anticancer agents. The multi-target approach or hybridization is considered as a promising strategy in drug design and discovery. Hybridization may improve the affinity and potency while simultaneously decreasing the resistance and/or side effects. The conjugation of quinolines with chalcones has been a promising approach to the identification of potential anticancer agents. Most of these hybrids showed anticancer activities through the inhibition of tubulin polymerization, different kinases, topoisomerases, or by affecting DNA cleavage activity. Accordingly, this class of compounds can be classified based on their molecular modes of action. In this article, the quinolone-chalcone hybrids with potential anticancer activity have been reviewed. This class of compounds might be helpful for the design, discovery and development of new and potential multi-target anticancer agents or drugs.

3D-QSAR, docking and ADMET properties of aurone analogues as antimalarial agents

The development of multi-resistant strains of plasmodium parasite has become a global problem, therefore, the discovery of new antimalarial agents is the only available solution. In order to improve and propose new compounds with antimalarial activity, the three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) and molecular docking studies were carried on aurone analogues acting as Qo site inhibitors in cytochrome b. The 3D-QSAR model was established in this study based on the Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) and the Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices Analysis (CoMSIA). The good predictability was obtained using the CoMFA model (Q2 = 0.5; R2 = 0.97;R pred 2 = 0.72) and the best CoMSIA model (Q2 = 0.526; R2 = 0.915;R pred 2 =  ​ 0.765). The predictive capacity of the developed model was evaluated through external validation using a test set compound and an applicability domain technique. In this study, the Steric, electrostatic and hydrogen bond acceptor fields played a key role in antimalarial activity. The results of the molecular docking revealed theoretically the importance of the residues his183 and his82 in the active site of the heme bL, this result was validated by a new assessment method. Based on the previous results, we designed several new potent Cytochrome b inhibitors and their inhibitory activities were predicted by the best model. Furthermore, these new inhibitors were analyzed for their ADMET properties and drug likeness. These results would be of great help in leading optimization for new drug discovery that can solve the problem of multiple drug resistance.

Potent hemithioindigo-based antimitotics photocontrol the microtubule cytoskeleton in cellulo

Background: Hemithioindigo is a promising molecular photoswitch that has only recently been applied as a photoswitchable pharmacophore for control over bioactivity in cellulo. Uniquely, in contrast to other photoswitches that have been applied to biology, the pseudosymmetric hemithioindigo scaffold has allowed the creation of both dark-active and lit-active photopharmaceuticals for the same binding site by a priori design. However, the potency of previous hemithioindigo photopharmaceuticals has not been optimal for their translation to other biological models. Results: Inspired by the structure of tubulin-inhibiting indanones, we created hemithioindigo-based indanone-like tubulin inhibitors (HITubs) and optimised their cellular potency as antimitotic photopharmaceuticals. These HITubs feature reliable and robust visible-light photoswitching and high fatigue resistance. The use of the hemithioindigo scaffold also permitted us to employ a para-hydroxyhemistilbene motif, a structural feature which is denied to most azobenzenes due to the negligibly short lifetimes of their metastable Z-isomers, which proved crucial to enhancing the potency and photoswitchability. The HITubs were ten times more potent than previously reported hemithioindigo photopharmaceutical antimitotics in a series of cell-free and cellular assays, and allowed robust photocontrol over tubulin polymerisation, microtubule (MT) network structure, cell cycle, and cell survival. Conclusions: HITubs represent a powerful addition to the growing toolbox of photopharmaceutical reagents for MT cytoskeleton research. Additionally, as the hemithioindigo scaffold allows photoswitchable bioactivity for substituent patterns inaccessible to the majority of current photopharmaceuticals, wider adoption of the hemithioindigo scaffold may significantly expand the scope of cellular and in vivo targets addressable by photopharmacology.

Chemogenomic profiling to understand the antifungal action of a bioactive aurone compound

Every year, more than 250,000 invasive candidiasis infections are reported with 50,000 deaths worldwide. The limited number of antifungal agents necessitates the need for alternative antifungals with potential novel targets. The 2-benzylidenebenzofuran-3-(2H)-ones have become an attractive scaffold for antifungal drug design. This study aimed to determine the antifungal activity of a synthetic aurone compound and characterize its mode of action. Using the broth microdilution method, aurone SH1009 exhibited inhibition against C. albicans, including resistant isolates, as well as C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis with IC50 values of 4-29 μM. Cytotoxicity assays using human THP-1, HepG2, and A549 human cell lines showed selective toxicity toward fungal cells. The mode of action for SH1009 was characterized using chemical-genetic interaction via haploinsufficiency (HIP) and homozygous (HOP) profiling of a uniquely barcoded Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant collection. Approximately 5300 mutants were competitively treated with SH1009 followed by DNA extraction, amplification of unique barcodes, and quantification of each mutant using multiplexed next-generation sequencing. Barcode post-sequencing analysis revealed 238 sensitive and resistant mutants that significantly (FDR P values ≤ 0.05) responded to aurone SH1009. The enrichment analysis of KEGG pathways and gene ontology demonstrated the cell cycle pathway as the most significantly enriched pathway along with DNA replication, cell division, actin cytoskeleton organization, and endocytosis. Phenotypic studies of these significantly enriched responses were validated in C. albicans. Flow cytometric analysis of SH1009-treated C. albicans revealed a significant accumulation of cells in G1 phase, indicating cell cycle arrest. Fluorescence microscopy detected abnormally interrupted actin dynamics, resulting in enlarged, unbudded cells. RT-qPCR confirmed the effects of SH1009 in differentially expressed cell cycle, actin polymerization, and signal transduction genes. These findings indicate the target of SH1009 as a cell cycle-dependent organization of the actin cytoskeleton, suggesting a novel mode of action of the aurone compound as an antifungal inhibitor.

Design and synthesis of 4β-Acetamidobenzofuranone-podophyllotoxin hybrids and their anti-cancer evaluation

A new series of amide derivatives of 4β-Acetamidobenzofuranone-podophyllotoxin hybrids (14a-g) were synthesized and their chemical structures were confirmed by ¹H, ¹³C NMR and mass spectral data. Further, all the synthesized Acetamidobenzofuranone-podophyllotoxin hybrids were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of four human cancer cell lines i.e., human breast (MCF-7, MDA MB-231), lung (A549), and prostrate (DU-145). Among benzofuranone-podophyllotoxin hybrid compounds, 14b and 14e were exhibited more potent activity than standard drug and 14c and 14f were showed anticancer activity equivalent to etoposide.

Semisynthetic aurones inhibit tubulin polymerization at the colchicine-binding site and repress PC-3 tumor xenografts in nude mice and myc-induced T-ALL in zebrafish

Structure-activity relationships (SAR) in the aurone pharmacophore identified heterocyclic variants of the (Z)-2-benzylidene-6-hydroxybenzofuran-3(2H)-one scaffold that possessed low nanomolar in vitro potency in cell proliferation assays using various cancer cell lines, in vivo potency in prostate cancer PC-3 xenograft and zebrafish models, selectivity for the colchicine-binding site on tubulin, and absence of appreciable toxicity. Among the leading, biologically active analogs were (Z)-2-((2-((1-ethyl-5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)methylene)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-6-yl)oxy)acetonitrile (5a) and (Z)-6-((2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy)-2-(pyridin-4-ylmethylene)benzofuran-3(2H)-one (5b) that inhibited in vitro PC-3 prostate cancer cell proliferation with IC50 values below 100 nM. A xenograft study in nude mice using 10 mg/kg of 5a had no effect on mice weight, and aurone 5a did not inhibit, as desired, the human ether-à-go-go-related (hERG) potassium channel. Cell cycle arrest data, comparisons of the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by aurones and known antineoplastic agents, and in vitro inhibition of tubulin polymerization indicated that aurone 5a disrupted tubulin dynamics. Based on molecular docking and confirmed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry studies, aurone 5a targets the colchicine-binding site on tubulin. In addition to solid tumors, aurones 5a and 5b strongly inhibited in vitro a panel of human leukemia cancer cell lines and the in vivo myc-induced T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in a zebrafish model.

Aurone: A biologically attractive scaffold as anticancer agent

Aurones are very simple, promising anticancer lead molecules containing three rings (A, B and C). A very slight structural variation in the aurones elicits diverse affinity and specificity towards different molecular targets. The present review discusses the design, discovery and development of natural and synthetic aurones as small molecule anticancer agents. Detailed structure-activity relationship and intermolecular interactions at different targets are also discussed. Due to their rare occurrence in nature and minimal mention in literature, the anticancer potential of aurones is rather recent but in constant progress.

Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Some 1H-inden-1-one Substituted (Heteroaryl)Acetamide Derivatives

Background:

The synthesis of 2-[3/4-((6-substituted-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2- ylidene)methyl)phenoxy]-N-(heteroaryl)acetamide derivatives and the investigation of their anticancer activity were studied.

Methods:

2-(3/4-Hydroxybenzylidene)-6-substituted-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ones were reacted with suitable 2-chloroacetamides to give 2-[3/4-((6-substituted-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-ylidene) methyl)phenoxy]-N-(heteroaryl)acetamide derivatives.

Results:

The structure elucidation of the newly synthesised 16 compounds was performed by IR, 1H-NMR, mass spectroscopic data and elemental analyses. The anticancer screening was carried out in National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA.

Conclusion:

Compound 3e (2-(3-((6-chloro-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-ylidene)methyl)phenoxy)- N-(thiazol-2-yl)acetamide), exhibited highest growth inhibition against the leukaemia (61.47%), non-small cell lung cancer (79.31%) and breast cancer (62.82%) cell lines.

Construction of some cytotoxic agents with aurone and furoaurone scaffolds

Aim: In spite of the availability of different chemotherapies for cancer treatment, there is still a need for new candidates with higher efficacy and lower toxicity. Methodology: Aurones 7a–f, 8a–f and furoaurones 13a–f, 16a–c were synthesized. Some compounds were selected by the National Cancer Institute, USA, for cytotoxicity screening. Results & discussion: The furoaurone derivative, 13a was the most active one exhibiting promising growth inhibition against leukemia, K562 and melanoma, MDA-MB-435 cells at concentration of 10 μM. It induced apoptosis in both cell lines by activation of CASP3 and inhibition of CDK2. Additionally, 13a showed good selectivity over normal kidney and liver cells. Simulation docking study was undertaken to gain insight into the possible binding mode of 13a in the CDK2 enzyme. Conclusion: The furoaurone 13a can be considered as a scaffold for further optimization to obtain more active hits.

Graphical abstract

[Formula: see text]

Tubulin inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site: a perspective of privileged structures

The vital roles of microtubule in mitosis and cell division make it an attractive target for antitumor therapy. Colchicine binding site of tubulin is one of the most important pockets that have been focused on to design tubulin-destabilizing agents. Over the past few years, a large number of colchicine binding site inhibitors (CBSIs) have been developed inspired by natural products or synthetic origins, and many moieties frequently used in these CBSIs are structurally in common. In this review, we will classify the CBSIs into classical CBSIs and nonclassical CBSIs according to their spatial conformations and binding modes with tubulin, and highlight the privileged structures from these CBSIs in the development of tubulin inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site.

Arylidene indanone scaffold: medicinal chemistry and structure–activity relationship view

Arylidene indanone (AI) scaffolds are considered as the rigid cousins of chalcones, incorporating the α,β-unsaturated ketone system of chalcones forming a cyclic 5 membered ring.

Recent advances of cytotoxic chalconoids targeting tubulin polymerization: Synthesis and biological activity

Since microtubules have an important role in mitosis and other vital cellular functions, tubulin-targeting chemotherapy has been received growing attention in anticancer drug design and development. It was found that a number of naturally occurring compounds including distinct chalcones exert their effect by inhibition of tubulin polymerization. After the identification of tubulin polymerization as potential target for chalcone-type compounds, extensive researches have been made to design and synthesis of new anti-tubulin chalconoids. Although diverse chalcones have found to be potent anticancer agents but in the present review, we focused on the recently reported tubulin polymerization inhibitors from chalcone origin and related synthetic compounds, and their detailed synthetic methods and biological activities.

Synthesis and anti-cancer activity evaluation of new aurone derivatives

In this study, we have synthesized 2-[3- or 4-(2-aryl-2-oxoethoxy)arylidene]benzofuran-3-one derivatives (D1-D38) and evaluated their anti-cancer activities. The final compounds were obtained in multistep synthesis reactions using benzofuranon-3-one derivatives (A1-A4, B) as starting materials which were gained in various synthetic ways. Aurone derivatives (C1-C10) were acquired with the condensation reaction of these starting materials and 3-/4-hydroxybenzaldehyde which were then reacted with α-bromoacetophenones to get final compounds. The anti-cancer activity of the selected compounds was performed by National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA against 60 human tumor cell lines derived from nine neoplastic diseases. Compounds exhibited anti-cancer activity in varying ratios.

Selective palladium-catalyzed carbonylative synthesis of aurones with formic acid as the CO source

A general and practical strategy has been developed to prepare aurone derivatives.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and mechanism study of a class of benzylideneindanone derivatives as novel anticancer agents

Our findings revealed the benzylideneindanone moiety as a new attractive scaffold for mitosis-targeting drug discovery.

Facile, Protection-Free, One-Pot Synthesis of Aureusidin

A new, reliable, and convenient protection-free one-pot method for the synthesis of aureusidin (1) is described. The present synthetic approach involves the condensation of 4,6-dihydroxybenzofuranone with 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of concentrated HCl to afford aureusidin (1) in good yield with high purity. This procedure offers a short and simple route for the preparation of aureusidin (1), a bioactive natural product from several vegetal species, as well as for synthesis of other aurones.

Chalcones derivatives as potent Cell division cycle 25B phosphatase inhibitors

To discover novel cell division cycle 25 (CDC25) B inhibitors and elucidate the mechanisms of inhibition in cancer cells. Nineteen 2'-hydroxy-4'-isoprenyloxychalcone derivatives (a-s) were evaluated the inhibition CDC25B activity. The enzymatic activities of the CDC25B catalytic domain were determined by monitoring the dephosphorylation of OMFP. Cell growth inhibition was detected by MTT assay. The results showed that sixteen compounds significantly inhibited cycle 25B phosphatase in vitro. Among, three compounds k, r and s had the best inhibition activity and significantly inhibited CDC25B with inhibition rates against CDC25B of 99.95%, 99.75%, and 97.77%, respectively, which is similar to the reference drugs Na3VO4 (98%). Cytotoxic activity assays showed compounds k and r are the potent against HCT116, HeLa, and A549 cells, moreover, compound k delayed the potent tumor inhibitory activity in a colo205 xenograft model in vivo.

Synthesis, crystal structure and two-photon excited fluorescence properties of three aurone derivatives

Three aurone derivatives, Z-2-[(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)methylene] benzofuran-3-one (1), Z-2-[(N-ethylcarbazol-3-yl)methylene]benzofuran-3-one (2) and Z-2-[(pyren-1-yl)methylene]benzofuran-3-one (3) have been synthesized by the cyclization of 2'-hydroxychalcones. Their crystal structure, single- and two-photon related absorption and fluorescence properties have been examined. Pumped by 860 nm laser pulses in femtosecond regime, the compounds exhibit strong yellow-green two-photon excited fluorescence at 539 nm (1), 505 nm (2) and 524 nm (3) in THF with two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section being 1536GM (1), 608GM (2) and 236GM (3).