Synthesis,structure and in vitro cytotoxicity testing of some 1,3,4‐oxadiazoline derivatives from 2‐hydroxy‐5‐iodobenzoic acid

The syntheses of nine new 5‐iodosalicylic acid‐based 1,3,4‐oxadiazoline derivatives starting from methyl salicylate are described. These compounds are 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐5‐(3‐nitrophenyl)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6a ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐5‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6b ), 2‐(4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐5‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐iodophenyl acetate, C₁₉H₁₇IN₂O₄ ( 6c ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐5‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate, C₁₉H₁₆FIN₂O₄ ( 6d ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐5‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate, C₁₉H₁₆ClIN₂O₄ ( 6e ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐(3‐bromophenyl)‐5‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6f ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐5‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6g ), 2‐4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐5‐(4‐methylphenyl)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6h ) and 2‐5‐(4‐acetamidophenyl)‐4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]‐4‐iodophenyl acetate ( 6i ). The compounds were characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies were also carried out for 6c , 6d and 6e . Compounds 6c and 6d are isomorphous, with the 1,3,4‐oxadiazoline ring having an envelope conformation, where the disubstituted C atom is the flap. The packing is determined by C—H…O, C—H…π and I…π interactions. For 6e , the 1,3,4‐oxadiazoline ring is almost planar. In the packing, Cl…π interactions are observed, while the I atom is not involved in short interactions. Compounds 6d , 6e , 6f and 6h show good inhibiting abilities on the human cancer cell lines KB and Hep‐G2, with IC₅₀ values of 0.9–4.5 µM.