1084 Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2005, Vol. 48, No. 4
Pruijn et al.
was chromatographed, eluting with 10% EtOAc/pet. ether, to
give 1-oxide 16 (334 mg, 49%) as a yellow powder: mp 197-
198.5 °C (lit.26 199-201 °C); 1H NMR δ 8.32 (d, J ) 9.0 Hz, 1
H, H-8), 7.70-7.77 (m, 4 H, H-5, H-6, H-2′, H-6′), 7.37-7.42
(m, 3 H, H-7, H-3′, H-5′), 7.22 (br s, 1 H, NH), 7.13 (dt, J )
7.5, 0.9 Hz, 1 H, H-4′); 13C NMR δ 156.3, 148.1, 138.1, 135.8,
131.6, 129.1 (2), 127.1, 126.1, 123.8, 120.4, 119.7 (2).
the analogue is increased to take full advantage of the
increased rate of diffusion. Assuming that the extravas-
cular transport problem is more severe in tumors than
in normal tissue (as expected, given the superior mi-
crovascular networks and relative lack of hypoxia in the
latter),42 this is expected to provide analogues with
improved therapeutic ratios in vivo.
N-Phenyl-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-amine 1,4-Dioxide (13).
A solution of MCPBA (0.99 g, 4.0 mmol) in DCM (10 mL) was
added to a stirred solution of 1-oxide 16 (0.64 g, 2.7 mmol) in
DCM (100 mL), and the solution was stirred at 20 °C for 2 h.
The solvent was evaporated, and the residue was chromato-
graphed, eluting with a gradient (10-20%) of EtOAc/DCM, to
give (i) starting material (0.34 g, 50%) spectroscopically
identical with the sample prepared above and (ii) 1,4-dioxide
Inefficient extravascular transport has been identified
as one of the key problems in cancer chemotherapy,43,44
but a lack of experimental models has made it difficult
to address this requirement explicitly. The MCL model
is potentially a useful tool for determining extravascular
transport properties of hits from drug discovery pro-
grams and for evaluating this requirement during lead
optimization. If the structure-activity relationship
demonstrated here for tirapazamine analogues can be
generalized to other structural types (and other cell
lines), then in silico prediction of extravascular trans-
port properties should be achievable. This would provide
a powerful tool for assisting with a critical (and ne-
glected) aspect of lead optimization, although the struc-
tural requirements for efficient extravascular transport
will need to be expressed within the additional con-
straints imposed by target interaction (prodrug activa-
tion/receptor binding), systemic pharmacokinetics, and
toxicology.
1
13 (85 mg, 12%) as a red powder: mp 201-203 °C; H NMR
δ 9.17 (br s, 1 H, NH), 8.37-8.41 (m, 2 H, H-5, H-8), 7.90-
7.94 (m, 1 H, H-6), 7.58-7.68 (m, 3 H, H-7, H-3′, H-5′), 7.43
(dd, J ) 7.8, 7.4 Hz, 2 H, H-2′, H-6′), 7.21 (t, J ) 7.4 Hz, 1 H,
H-4′); 13C NMR δ 147.5, 138.0, 136.1, 135.7, 131.3, 129.4 (2),
127.9, 125.2, 121.9, 120.8 (2), 117.8. Anal. (C13H10N4O2) C, H,
N.
N-[3-(2-Methoxyethyl)phenyl]-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-
amine 1,4-Dioxide (14).
1-(2-Methoxyethyl)-3-nitrobenzene (17). A solution of
3-nitrophenethyl alcohol (1.05 g, 6.3 mmol) in THF (10 mL)
was added dropwise to a stirred suspension of NaH (325 mg,
8.1 mmol) in THF (30 mL) at 5 °C, and the mixture was
warmed to 20 °C and stirred 30 min. Iodomethane (3.9 mL,
62.5 mmol) was added, and the mixture was stirred at 20 °C
for 16 h. The solvent was evaporated and the residue parti-
tioned between EtOAc (100 mL) and water (100 mL). The
organic fraction was washed with water (2 × 30 mL) and brine
(30 mL) and dried, and the solvent was evaporated. The
residue was chromatographed, eluting with 20% EtOAc/pet.
ether, to give ether 17 (981 mg, 87%) as a clear oil:27 1H NMR
δ 8.06-8.11 (m, 2 H, H-2, H-4), 7.57 (d, J ) 7.6 Hz, 1 H, H-6),
7.47 (dd, J ) 7.9, 7.6 Hz, 1 H, H-5), 3.65 (t, J ) 6.5 Hz, 2 H,
Experimental Section
Chemistry. Analyses were carried out in the Microchemical
Laboratory, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Melting points were determined on an Electrothermal 2300
melting point apparatus. NMR spectra were obtained on a
Bruker AM-400 spectrometer at 400 MHz for 1H and 100 MHz
for 13C spectra. Spectra were obtained in CDCl3 unless
otherwise specified and are referenced to Me4Si. Chemical
shifts and coupling constants were recorded in units of ppm
and Hz, respectively. Assignments were determined using
COSY, HSQC, and HMBC two-dimensional experiments. Mass
spectra were determined on a VG-70SE mass spectrometer
using an ionizing potential of 70 eV at a nominal resolution of
1000. High-resolution spectra were obtained at nominal
resolutions of 3000, 5000, or 10 000 as appropriate. All spectra
were obtained as electron impact (EI) using PFK as the
reference unless otherwise stated. Solutions in organic solvents
were dried with anhydrous Na2SO4, and solvents were evapo-
rated under reduced pressure on a rotary evaporator. Thin-
layer chromatography was carried out on aluminum-backed
silica gel plates (Merck 60 F254) with visualization of compo-
nents by UV light (254 nm) or exposure to I2. Column
chromatography was carried out on silica gel (Merck 230-400
mesh). All compounds designated for testing were analyzed
at >99% purity by reverse phase HPLC using an Agilent 1100
liquid chromatograph, an Alltima C18 (5 µm) stainless steel
column (150 mm × 3.2 mm i.d.), and an Agilent 1100 diode
array detector. Chromatograms were run using various gra-
dients of aqueous (0.045 M ammonium formate and formic acid
at pH 3.5) and organic (80% MeCN/MilliQ water) phases. DCM
refers to dichloromethane; ether refers to diethyl ether; DME
refers to dimethoxyethane; EtOAc refers to ethyl acetate;
EtOH refers to ethanol; MeOH refers to methanol; pet. ether
refers to petroleum ether, boiling range 40-60 °C; THF refers
to tetrahydrofuran dried over sodium benzophenone ketyl. All
solvents were freshly distilled. Compounds were diluted 100-
fold from stock solutions (5 mM) in DMSO prior to use.
N-Phenyl-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-amine 1,4-Dioxide (13).
N-Phenyl-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-amine 1-Oxide (16). Two
drops of concentrated HCl were added to a solution of chloride
1525 (0.52 g, 2.86 mmol) and aniline (0.78 mL, 8.59 mmol) in
DME (10 mL), and the solution was stirred at reflux temper-
ature for 16 h. The solvent was evaporated, and the residue
CH2O), 3.36 (s, 3 H, OCH3), 2.98 (t, J ) 6.5 Hz, 2 H, CH2); 13
C
NMR δ 148.3, 141.3, 135.2, 129.2, 123.7, 121.4, 72.5, 58.8, 35.8.
3-(2-Methoxyethyl)aniline (18). A solution of ether 17
(928 mg, 5.1 mmol) in EtOH (50 mL) with Pd/C (100 mg) was
stirred under H2 (60 psi) for 2 h. The mixture was filtered
through Celite and washed with EtOH (2 × 10 mL), and the
solvent was evaporated to give aniline 18 (718 mg, 93%) as a
pale pink oil: 1H NMR δ 7.08 (dd, J ) 7.7, 7.3 Hz, 1 H, H-5),
6.62 (br d, J ) 7.3 Hz, 1 H, H-4), 6.51-6.55 (m, 2 H, H-2, H-6),
3.50 (br s, 2 H, NH2), 3.58 (t, J ) 7.2 Hz, 2 H, CH2O), 3.35 (s,
3 H, OCH3), 2.80 (t, J ) 7.2 Hz, 2 H, CH2); 13C NMR δ 146.4,
140.1, 129.3, 119.1, 115.7, 113.1, 73.6, 58.6, 36.2; MS (EI+) m/z
151 (M+, 90%), 136 (20), 106 (100); HRMS calcd for C9H13NO
(M+) m/z 151.0997; found, 151.0995.
N-[3-(2-Methoxyethyl)phenyl]-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-
amine 1-Oxide (19). A solution of chloride 15 (376 mg, 2.1
mmol) and amine 18 (688 mg, 4.6 mmol) in DMSO (20 mL)
was heated at 100 °C for 16 h. The solution was partitioned
between EtOAc (100 mL) and water (100 mL), the organic
fraction was washed with water (2 × 50 mL) and brine (50
mL) and dried, and the solvent was evaporated. The residue
was chromatographed, eluting with a gradient (20-50%) of
EtOAc/pet. ether, to give 1-oxide 19 (590 mg, 96%) as an
orange powder: mp (EtOAc/Et2O) 122-124 °C; 1H NMR
[(CD3)2SO] δ 10.18 (s, 1 H, NH), 8.22 (dd, J ) 8.6, 1.0 Hz, 1 H,
H-8), 7.87 (ddd, J ) 8.5, 7.1, 1.3 Hz, 1 H, H-6), 7.70-7.76 (m,
3 H, H-5, H-2′, H-6′), 7.47 (ddd, J ) 8.6, 7.1, 1.3 Hz, 1 H, H-7),
7.27 (dd, J ) 7.9, 7.8 Hz, 1 H, H-5′), 6.94 (d, J ) 7.8 Hz, 1 H,
H-4′), 3.58 (t, J ) 6.8 Hz, 2 H, CH2O), 3.27 (s, 3 H, OCH3),
2.82 (t, J ) 6.8 Hz, 2 H, CH2); 13C NMR [(CD3)2SO] δ 156.3,
147.5, 139.5 (C-1′), 139.1 (C-4a), 135.9 (C-6), 130.9 (C-8a), 128.4
(C-5′), 126.6 (C-5), 125.8 (C-4′), 123.2, 119.8, 119.7, 117.3, 72.6,
57.8, 35.5. Anal. (C16H16N4O2) C, H, N.
N-[3-(2-Methoxyethyl)phenyl]-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-
amine 1,4-Dioxide (14). H2O2 (70%, 260 µL, ca. 5.2 mmol)
was added dropwise to a stirred solution of trifluoroacetic