Regiochemical control in the amination reaction of phenanthridine-7,10-quinones

The reaction of substituted phenanthridine-7,10-quinones with amines to construct novel aminophenanthridinequinone derivatives as antitumor agents is described. The regiochemistry of the amination reaction is discussed in terms of inductive and steric effects of remote substituents to the quinone ring, which control the direction of the conjugate addition of the amines across the quinone double bond. Evidences on the significant in vitro antitumor activities of some of the obtained aminoquinones, are reported.