Development of penipanoid C-inspired 2-benzoyl-1-methyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives as potential EGFR inhibitors: Synthesis, anticancer evaluation and molecular docking study

Discovery of novel 2-substituted 2, 3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors for anticancer therapy: The in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation

A series of novel 2-substituted 2, 3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives were designed, synthesized and estimated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities against HepG2, U251, PANC-1, A549 and A375 cell lines. Among them, compound 32 was the most promising candidate, and displayed strong broad-spectrum anticancer activity. The mechanism studies revealed that compound 32 inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro, disrupted cell microtubule networks, arrested the cell cycle at G2/M phase, and induced apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of cleaved PARP-1 and caspase-3. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis suggested that compound 32 well occupied the binding site of tubulin. In addition, compound 32 exhibited no significant activity against 30 different kinases respectively, indicating considerable selectivity. Moreover, compound 32 significantly inhibited the tumour growth of the HepG2 xenograft in a nude mouse model by oral gavage without apparent toxicity. These results demonstrated that some 2-substituted 2, 3- dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives bearing phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl or indolyl side chain at C2-position might be potentially novel antitumor agents as tubulin polymerization inhibitors.

Iodine-promoted sequential C(sp3)-H oxidation and cyclization of aryl methyl ketones with 2-(2-aminophenyl)quinazolin-4(3H)-ones

An I2-promoted, metal-free protocol has been developed for the one-pot synthesis of 6-aroyl-5,6-dihydro-8H-quinazolino[4,3-b]quinazolin-8-ones from readily accessible substrates. This reaction involves the in situ sp3 C-H oxidation of aryl methyl ketones to phenylglyoxal, followed by imine formation and intramolecular nucleophilic addition, resulting in the formation of two new C-N bonds. Furthermore, the method is applicable to a wide range of aryl methyl ketones, including heterocycles and drug-derived substrates, yielding the desired products with yields ranging from 62% to 93%. Additionally, the practical utility of this approach was demonstrated through gram-scale synthesis.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of novel quinazoline derivatives: synthesis, photophysical, reactive properties, molecular docking and selective HSA biointeraction

Two new quinazoline derivatives (2a and 2b) were successfully synthesized in this work using the condensation technique in excellent yields. Using spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses, the compounds were completely characterized. Density functional theory (DFT) computations have been used to examine the title compound's reactive characteristics. Chemical reactivity was predicted using local reactive descriptors and molecule electrostatic potential. Additionally, Time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) simulations were used to examine the impact of solvents on the photophysical characteristics. The affinity of compounds 2a and 2b for human serum albumin (HSA) was further explored using several electronic spectroscopies. Through static mechanisms, both compounds reduce the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA. It is determined that the HSA-2b complex's binding constant is significantly greater than the HSA-2a complex. The fluorescence spectrum measurements proved that the HSA underwent structural changes after interaction with these compounds. It was demonstrated by site marker competitive displacement studies that compounds 2a and 2b preferred to bind to site I in HSA subdomain IIA. Additionally, synchronised fluorescence spectra were utilized to analyze how HSA's conformation changed after interacting with various substances. The molecular docking investigations of these compounds with the three critical HSA binding sites, comprising subdomains IIA, IIIA, and IB, further confirmed the experimental findings. The significant contact between the investigated compounds and HSA was supported by the docking simulations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Design, synthesis, anticancer activity and docking studies of novel quinazoline-based thiazole derivatives as EGFR kinase inhibitors

The in vitro anticancer efficacy of a new series of quinazoline-based thiazole derivatives was explored. Three cancer cell lines, MCF-7, HepG2, and A548, as well as the normal Vero cell lines, were tested employing the synthesized quinazoline-based thiazole compounds (4a-j). All of these compounds showed a moderate to significant cytotoxic impact that would have been noticeable and, in some cases, much more pronounced than the widely used drug erlotinib. For the MCF-7, HepG2, and A549 cell lines, respectively, the IC50 values of compound 4i were 2.86, 5.91, and 14.79 μM while those of compound 4j were 3.09, 6.87, and 17.92 μM. For their in vitro inhibitory effects against different EGFR kinases, such as the wild-type, L858R/T790 M, and L858R/T790 M/C797S, all the synthesized compounds were tested. The IC50 values for compound 4f against the wild-type, L858R/T790 M, and L858R/T790 M/C797S mutant EGFR kinases were 2.17, 2.81, and 3.62 nM, respectively. Investigations on the molecular docking of significant molecules indicated potential mechanisms of binding into the EGFR kinase active sites. By using in-silico simulations, compounds' putative drug-like qualities were verified. Finally, it has been shown that the newly synthesized compounds 4i and 4j are good candidates and beneficial for future design, optimization, and research to build more potent and selective EGFR kinase inhibitors with higher anticancer activity.

Fabrication of layered In2S3/WS2 heterostructure for enhanced and efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction and various paraben degradation in water

Because of the excessive use of fossil fuels, CO₂ emissions into the environment are increasing. An efficient method of converting CO₂ to useful carbonaceous products in the presence of light is one way to address the issues associated with energy and environmental remediation. In₂S₃/WS₂ heterostructure has been fabricated using the efficient hydrothermal method. The results of structural, morphological, optical, and photo/electrochemical characterization confirm the formation of a hierarchical, layered heterostructure of type-II. Enhanced photocatalytic activity is observed in InS/WS heterostructure compared to pristine In₂S₃ and WS₂. InS/WS heterostructure exhibit higher photocatalytic activity than pure In₂S₃ and WS₂. For 12 h, photocatalytic CO₂ reduction produces 213.4 and 188.6 μmol of CO and CH₄, respectively. Furthermore, the photocatalytic ability of the synthesized materials to degrade different parabens (Methyl: MPB, Ethyl: EPB, and Benzyl: BPB) under visible radiation was evaluated. Under optimized conditions, the InS/WS heterostructure degraded 88.6, 90.4, and 95.8% of EPB, BPB, and MPB, respectively, in 90 min. The mechanism of photocatalysis was discussed in detail. MCF-7 cell viability was assessed and found to exhibit low mortality in InS/WS treated MPB aqueous solution. InS/WS heterostructure could improve the fabrication of more sulphide-based layered materials to combat environmental pollution.

Synthesis, molecular docking study and anticancer activity of novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as potential tubulin inhibitors

The current study reports on the synthesis and anticancer efficacy of novel oxadiazole derivatives (8a-f) as tubulin polymerization inhibitors. NMR, mass, and elemental studies were used to confirm the newly produced compounds. In contrast to the conventional medicine colchicine, compounds 8e and 8f demonstrated stronger sensitivity and improved IC₅₀ values in the range of 3.19-8.21 μM against breast MCF-7, colorectal HCT116, and liver HepG2 cancer cell lines. The target compounds were tested for enzymatic activity against the tubulin enzyme. Compounds 8e and 8f were shown to have the most effective inhibitory action among the new compounds, with IC₅₀ values of 7.95 and 9.81 nM, respectively. As compared to the reference drug, molecular docking investigations of the developed compounds revealed the crucial hydrogen bonding in addition to the hydrophobic interaction at the binding site, assisting in the prediction of the structural requirements for the found anticancer activity. These findings indicate that the 1,3,4-oxadizole scaffold has the potential for future research into new anticancer medicines.