Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of novel indole- and benzofuran-chalcone and benzofuran-quinazoline hybrids as anticancer agents

Abstract

Specially prepared 2-amino-5-bromo-3-iodoacetophenone and 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3 iodoacetophenone were subjected to Claisen-Schmidt aldol condensation with benzaldehyde derivatives followed by sequential and/or one-pot palladium catalyzed Sonogashira cross coupling and heteroannulation of the 3-alkynylated intermediates to afford indole-chalcones and benzofuran-chalcones, respectively. The indole-chalcones derivatives were, in turn, subjected to trifluoroacetic anhydride in tetrahydrofuran under reflux to afford the corresponding 3-trifluoroacetyl substituted indole-chalcone derivatives. The coupling constant values (Jtrans) of about 16.0 Hz for the chalcone derivatives corresponding to the vinylic protons confirmed the trans geometry of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl framework in all the cases. Their trans geometry of the chalcone derivatives was further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Further structural elaboration of the ambident electrophilic α,β unsaturated carbonyl (chalcone) moiety of the indole-chalcones and the analogous benzofuran chalcones with 2-aminothiophenol afforded novel benzothiezapine-appended indole and benzofuran hybrids, respectively. Sonogashira cross-coupling of 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3 iodoacetophenone with terminal acetylenes followed by heteroannulation of the intermediate 3-alkynylated 5-bromo-2-hydroxyacetophenones afforded the corresponding 7-acetyl-2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans in a single-pot operation. The oximes derived from the 7-acetyl–substituted 2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans were subjected to Beckmann rearrangement with triflic acid in acetonitrile under reflux. We isolated the corresponding 7-amino-2-aryl-5 bromobenzofuran derivatives formed from hydrolysis in situ of the intermediate 7-acetamide 2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans. Amino-dechlorination of the 4-chloroquinazoline derivatives with the 7-aminobenzofurans afforded novel benzofuran 4-aminoquinazoline hybrids. The prepared compounds were characterized using a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR & 13C-NMR including 19F-NMR), infrared (IR) and mass spectroscopic techniques complemented with single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and/or density functional (DFT) method.

The benzofuran-chalcone 203a–y derivatives were evaluated for anti-growth effect against the breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line by the MTT cell viability assay. Their mode of cancer cell death (apoptosis versus necrosis) was detected by Annexin V-Cy3 SYTOX staining and caspase-3 activation. The most cytotoxic compounds 203i and 203o were also evaluated for potential to inhibit tubulin polymerization and/or epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) phosphorylation. The experimental results were complemented with theoretical data from molecular docking into ATP binding site of the EGFR and colchicine binding site of tubulin, respectively. The benzofuran–4-aminoquinazoline hybrids 215a–j, on the other hand, were evaluated for antiproliferative propeties in vitro against the human lung cancer (A549), epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (C3A) cell lines. The benzofuran-aminoquinazoline hybrids were also evaluated for potential to induce apoptosis and for their capability to inhibit EGFR-TK phosphorylation complemented with molecular docking (in silico) into the ATP binding site of EGFR. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the benzofuran-appended aminoquinazoline hybrids 215d and 215j induced apoptosis via activation of caspase-3 pathway. Moreover, compounds 215d and 215j exhibited significant and moderate inhibitory effects against EGFR (IC50 = 29.3 nM and 61.5 nM, respectively) when compared to Gefitinib (IC50 = 33.1 nM). Molecular docking of compounds 215 into EGFR-TK active site suggested that they bind to the region of EGFR like Gefitinib does.