NOVEL CARBOHYDRAZIDE AND HYDRAZONE BIOMARKERS BASED ON 9-SUBSTITUTED ACRIDINE AND ANTHRACENE FLUOROGENS

Three series of carbohydrazides or hydrazones bearing either acridine or anthracene pharmacophores were synthesized as potential noncovalent DNA-binding antitumor agents. Carbohydrazides with an acridine or anthracene moiety were prepared from appropriate acridine or anthracene carbaldehydes via cyclocondensation with selected hydrazides whilst hydrazones with a 10H-acridin-9-ylidene moiety were obtained by condensation of (acridin-9-yl)hydrazine with various aldehydes or ketones. The spectroscopic properties of the first two series revealed efficient fluorescence implying that the compounds could be amenable for use as biomarkers. The structures of the compounds were characterized by spectral methods (UV-vis, fluorescence, IR, and H-1, C-13, and 2D NMR) and quantum-chemical calculations (DFT, ZINDO, and AM I). The first carbohydrazide series was also tested against human leukemia cell line HL-60 wherein the phenyl-substituted derivative was found to possess the highest activity.