Design,synthesis, and cytotoxic activity evaluation of new linear pyranoxanthone aminoderivatives

With the aim of enlightening some structure‐activity correlation within the pyranoxanthenone series, we have designed and synthesized a number of new 5‐aminosubstituted pyrano3,2‐b]xanthen‐6‐ones bearing various 12‐substituents. In vitro cytotoxic potencies of the new derivatives toward the murine leukemia L1210 cell line, human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT‐29), and human uterine sarcoma (MES‐SA and its 100‐fold resistant to doxorubicin variant MES‐SA/Dx5) cell lines, are described and compared with that of reference drugs. Among the studied compounds, those possessing a second aminosubstituted side‐chain exhibit interesting cytotoxic activity against the solid tumor cell lines, and they retain activity against the multidrug resistant MES‐SA/Dx5 subline. Their selective effect on a phase of the cell cycle was evaluated using HT‐29 cells providing evidence that the compounds induce a G0/G1 arrest. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).