Quinoline and ferrocene conjugates: Synthesis, computational study and biological evaluations

Abstract

Novel O-alkylated quinoline and N-alkylated 4-quinolone derivatives attached to the ferrocene moiety through 4,1- (7a–d, 8a–d and 12a–d) and 1,4-disubstituted (9a, 9b, 10a and 10b) 1,2,3-triazole moiety were synthesized. The observed regioselectivity of O- vs. N-alkylation was explored by the use of NMR and computational techniques. Among the N-alkylated derivatives, the quinolone-ferrocene conjugate 9a displayed marked activities against chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis (K562) and Burkitt lymphoma (Raji). The 6-chloroquinolone-ferrocene conjugate 12c, with selective inhibitory activity on Raji cells and no cytostatic effect on normal MDCK1 cells was highlighted as the most promising anticancer organometallic complex in a group of O-alkylated quinolines.