6‐[(4‐Fluorophenyl)(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)methyl]‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐ol and 6‐[(4‐methoxyphenyl)(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)methyl]‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐ol

The title compounds, C₁₇H₁₃FN₂O₃ and C₁₈H₁₆N₂O₄, are new potent aromatase inhibitors combining the common features of second‐ and third‐generation nonsteroid anti‐aromatase compounds. The molecules have a propeller shape, with dihedral angles between adjacent planes in the range 49–86°. A quantum mechanical ab initio Roothaan–Hartree–Fock calculation for the isolated molecules shows values for these angles close to the ideal value of 90°. Docking studies of the molecules in the aromatase substrate show that their strong inhibitor potency can be attributed to molecular flexibility, hydrophobic interactions, heme Fe coordination and hydrogen bonding.