We report the synthesis of various phthalazines via a new cascade reaction, initiated by visible light photocatalysis, involving a radical hydroamination reaction followed by a radical Smiles rearrangement. Phthalazine derivatives are obtained in high yields and from a broad scope readily accessible ortho-alkynylsulfonohydrazone precursors. The mild photoredox conditions ensure an excellent functional group tolerance. Application of this strategy to a one-pot protocol starting from the corresponding carbonyl compounds, and subsequent functionalization allow the rapid synthesis of structurally diverse structures.

The synthesis and structure–activity relationships associated with a series of 1,1-diarylethylene tubulin polymerization inhibitors 3 and 4 are described. The key step for their preparation involves a palladium-catalyzed coupling of N-arylsulfonylhydrazones with aryl halides, thus providing flexible and convergent access to tri- and tetrasubstituted 1,1-diarylolefins 3 and 4 related to isocombretastatin A-4 (isoCA-4). These compounds have been evaluated for tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity as well as for cytotoxic activity. The most potent compounds are 1,1-diaryl-2-methoxyethylenes 4b, 4d and 4e having a trisubstituted double bond. They exhibited good antiproliferative activity against various human cancer cell lines (GI₅₀ = 8–80 nM). Compounds 4b and 4e strongly inhibited tubulin polymerization with IC₅₀ values of 2 and 3 μM, respectively, and induced cell cycle arrest in the G₂/M phase in the K562 cell line. Docking studies in the colchicine binding site of tubulin allowed identification of residues most likely to interact with these inhibitors and explain their potent anti-tubulin activity.