Azanonaboranes containing imidazole derivatives for boron neutron capture therapy: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro toxicity evaluation

A number of azanonaboranes containing imidazole derivatives have been synthesized by a ligand-exchange reaction. The exo-NH(2)R group of the azanonaborane of the type [(RH(2)N)B(8)H(11)NHR] can be exchanged by one hetero-nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring. In the case of histamine, the exchange takes place on the aliphatic amino group, the hetero-nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring or both of them. The products were confirmed by NMR, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry. The electron-withdrawing effect of the nitro group in 2-nitroimidazole is the main hindrance to achieve the exchange reaction. In vitro experiments were performed with B16 melanoma cells. A comparison of the biological properties of the products in which the B(8)N cluster is connected to the hetero-nitrogen atom of imidazole ring or the aliphatic NH(2) group showed that incorporation of B(8)N cluster unit into primary amino group increases the compound's toxicity. In contrast, this specificity for cytotoxicity effect was not observed in the case of histamine containing two B(8)N clusters which was relatively nontoxic and did not inhibit colony formation up to concentrations of 2 mM.