Pyrazolyl-substituted 2(3H)-furanone was allowed to react with different nitrogen nucleophiles such as hydrazine hydrate, ethylenediamine, ethanolamine, and anthranilic acid to give pyrrolone and benzoxazinone derivatives. The acid hydrazide 3 was reacted with some carbonyl compounds such as 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, chloroacetyl chloride, and acetic anhydride to give thiazolidinone, oxadiazole, and pyridazinone derivatives. Selected examples of the synthesized compounds were evaluated as anticancer agents against three types of carcinoma cell lines (HePG 2, HCT116, and PC3), using Doxorubicin as a reference drug. The result revealed that some of the new compounds showed high activities. Compound 6a was more potent than the standard drug. A docking study using MOE 2008.10 program was performed.

Targeting cancer cells using integrin receptor is one of the promising targeting strategies in drug delivery. In this study, we conjugated an integrin-binding ligand (GGRGDSK) peptide to chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) using sulfo-SMCC as a bifunctional linker to afford COS-SMCC-GGRGDSK. The conjugated polymer was characterized by FT-IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and SEM. COS-SMCC-GGRGDSK did not show cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 1mg/mL in the human leukemia cell line (CCRF-CEM). The conjugate was evaluated for its ability to enhance the cellular uptake of a cell-impermeable cargo (e.g., F'-G(pY)EEI phosphopeptide) in CCRF-CEM, and human ovarian carcinoma (SK-OV-3) cancer cell lines. Additionally, RGD modified and unmodified COS polymers were used to prepare nanoparticles by ionic gelation and showed particle size ranging from 187 to 338nm, and zeta potential of 12.2-18.3mV using dynamic light scattering. The efficiency of COS-NPs and COS-SMCC-RGDSK NPs was assayed for translocation of two synthetic cytotoxic agents ((2-(2-aminoethylamino)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-(1H-indol-3-yl) nicotinonitrile (ACIN), and 2-(2-aminoethylamino)-6-(1H-indol-3-yl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-nicotinonitrile (AMIN)) into CCRF-CEM and human prostate (DU-145) cancer cell lines. The results showed a dramatic reduction in the cell viability on their treatment with RGD targeted COS NPs in comparison to paclitaxel (PTX), free drug, and drug-loaded COS NPs.

A novel class of 6-indolypyridine-3-carbonitrilile derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activities to establish structure-activity relationship. The synthesis was carried out through one-pot multicomponent reaction of 3-acetylindole, aromatic aldehydes, ethyl cyanoacetate, and ammonium acetate in the presence of piperidine as a catalyst, using a microwave irradiation method or a traditional thermal method. This was followed by chlorination for compounds 13a–e and subsequent nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine group by ethylenediamine at C2 position of the pyridine ring. The antiproliferative activity of these new nicotinonitriles was evaluated against human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-OV-3), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), and cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells. Among all compounds, 2-((2-aminoethyl)amino)-4-aryl-6-indolylnicotinonitriles series (15a, 15b, 15d, and 15e) exhibited higher antiproliferative activity cells with IC50 values of 4.1–13.4 μM.

A 2(3H)-furanone bearing chromonyl moiety at position-3 was synthesized and utilized for the construction of N-heterocycles such as pyrrolone, N-aminoquinolone, and pyridazinone derivatives. The reactivity of the chromonylfuranone toward some nitrogen nucleophiles such as ammonia, benzylamine, hydrazine, and phenylhydrazine was studied. On the other hand, thiation of the starting chromonylfuranone interestingly provides mono- and di-thiated products. The chemoselectivity of these reactions is discussed. The structures of all products obtained were elucidated from their analytical and spectral data. The antimicrobial activities of selected examples of the synthesized compounds were examined against two strains of bacteria and two fungus strains. Some of them showed promising antimicrobial activities. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT