Synthesis of new organoselenium compounds: Characterization and biological studies

Abstract

Two new organoselenium analogs, (3,3'-(1,2-phenylenebis(methylene)bis(2-selenoxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3,1-diyl)bis(methylene) dibenzoate (III) and 3,3'-(1,2-phenylenebis(methylene) bis(1-benzyl-1H-imidazole-2(3H)-selenone) (V), were derived from newly synthesized organic salts 1,1'-(1,2-phenylenebis(methylene)bis(3-(2-phenoxyacetyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium) chloride (II) and 1,1'-(1,2-phenylenebis(methylene)bis(3-benzyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium) chloride (IV), and each was characterized by various analytical techniques, such as Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as Ultra-high performance liquid chromato-graphy mass spectrometry/Photodiode array (UHPL-MS/PDA). All synthesized compounds were tested for their antioxidant and anticancer potential. Very good radical scavenging results were obtained for salts II and IV, with cell viability values of 84.6 ± 3.5 and 56.7 ± 5.5 %, respectively, compared to their orga-noselenium adducts. All synthesized products showed significant activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, but compounds II and III showed better results, with cell viability values of 40.5 ± 2.0 % and 34.4 ± 1.5 %, respectively.