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X.-L. Shi et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 21 (2011) 5804–5807
Table 1
Antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities (IC50 values,
l
M) of title compounds (3a–i)a
Compd
P. falc.K1
T. cruzi
T.b. rhod.
L. don.
Cytotox. L-6
IC50
IC50
SIb
IC50
SIb
IC50
SIb
IC50
SIb
3a
3b
3c
3d
3e
3f
3g
3h
0.208c
0.253c
0.040
0.045
0.215
0.209
0.135
1.933
0.205
0.148
863c
531c
1425
883
261
617
386
8
>228.7
20.9
20.3
143.2
78.8
76.7
56.9
10.9
143.7
0.886
<0.79
6.42
2.82
0.28
0.71
1.68
0.91
1.34
0.43
NTe
88.5
36.2
14.9
11.3
2.03
3.71
3.84
3.52
0.66
1.00
0.26
0.08
0.42
NTe
20.1
10.7
5.2
8.94
12.54
10.91
13.87
2.41
4.50
179.8
134.2
57.2
39.6
56.2
129.1
51.9
14.6
61.8
0.02
2.9
85.4
23.3
28.6
>205.3
70.5
90.6
0.280
129.2
197.5
184.2
147.1
0.006
<0.25
0.21
3i
302
0.68
Standardsd
NTe
NTe
a
Values indicate the inhibitory concentration of a compound or standard in
independent experiments are shown.
lM, which is necessary to achieve 50% growth inhibition (IC50). Mean values of two
b
Selectivity index = IC50 value for L-6/IC50 value for P. falciparum K1, T. b. rhodesiense, T. cruzi, or L. donovani.
Data was obtained by hydrochloride salts in Ref. 10.
Standards: chloroquine (P. falciparum K1), melarsoprol (T.b. rhodesiense), benznidazole (T. cruzi), miltefosine (L. donovani), and podophyllotoxin (L6 cells, cytotoxicity).
Not tested.
c
d
e
4. Tripathi, K.; Kumar, R.; Bharti, K.; Kumar, P.; Shrivastav, R.; Sundar, S.; Pai, K.
Clin. Chim. Acta 2008, 388, 135.
5. Croft, S. L. Parasitology 1997, 114, S3.
compounds bearing electron withdrawing groups (3e–3i) do not
exhibit improved activity. Notably, compounds 3c and 3d
substituted by methoxyl groups show reasonable activities
against P. falciparum, N,N-diethyl-5-((4-methoxy-phenyl)imino)-
5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-9-amine (3c) and N,N-diethyl-5-((3-
methoxyphenyl)imino)-5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-9-amine (3d) show
6. (a) Urbina, J. A.; Docampo, R. Trends Parasitol. 2003, 19, 495; (b) Vieira, N. C.;
Espindola, L. S.; Santana, J. M.; Veras, M. L.; Pessoa, O. D. L.; Pinheiro, S. M.;
Mendonca, A. R.; Lima, M. A. S.; Silveira, E. R. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2008, 16, 1676;
(c) Bressi, J. C.; Choe, J.; Hough, M. T.; Buckner, F. S.; Voorhis, W. C. V.; Verlinde,
C. L. M. J.; Hol, W. G. J.; Gelb, M. H. J. Med. Chem. 2000, 43, 4135.
7. (a) Chen, L. B. Ann. Rev. Cell. Biol. 1988, 4, 155; (b) Ihara, M. Heterocycles 2011.
8. (a) Takasu, K.; Inoue, H.; Kim, H.-S.; Suzuki, M.; Shishido, T.; Wataya, Y.; Ihara,
M. J. Med. Chem. 2002, 45, 995; (b) Takasu, K.; Terauchi, H.; Inoue, H.; Kim, H.-
S.; Wataya, Y.; Ihara, M. J. Comb. Chem. 2003, 5, 211; (c) Pudhom, K.; Kasai, K.;
Terauchi, H.; Inoue, H.; Kaiser, M.; Brun, R.; Ihara, M.; Takasu, K. Bioorg. Med.
Chem. 2006, 13, 8550; (d) Takasu, K.; Pudhom, K.; Kaiser, M.; Brun, R.; Ihara, M.
J. Med. Chem. 2006, 49, 4795; (e) Takasu, K.; Morisaki, D.; Kaiser, M.; Brun, R.;
Ihara, M. Heterocycles 2005, 66, 161; (f) Pudhom, K.; Ge, J.-F.; Arai, C.; Yang, M.;
Kaiser, M.; Wittlin, S.; Brun, R.; Itoh, I.; Ihara, M. Heterocycles 2009, 77, 207; (g)
Yang, M.; Aria, C.; Md, A. B.; Lu, J.; Ge, J.-F.; Aria, C.; Pudhom, K.; Takasu, K.;
Kasai, K.; Kaiser, M.; Brun, R.; Yardley, V.; Itoh, I.; Ihara, M. J. Med. Chem. 2010,
53, 368.
IC50 of 0.040 and 0.045 l
mol LÀ1 with a selectivity index of 1425
and 883 against P. falciparum K1, respectively. The results indicate
that 5-phenyliminobenzo[a]phenoxazine bearing the electron
donating group and lone-pair electron would be potential candi-
date for this type anti-malaria compound.
In summary, 5-phenyliminobenzo[a]phenoxazine derivatives
were synthesized, and they were very stable compounds. The
benzo[a]phenoxazine with methoxylphenylimino group in 5-pos-
tion shows good in vitro antiprotozoal activity against P. falciparum
K1.
9. (a) Yang, M.; Ge, J.-F.; Arai, C.; Itoh, I.; Fu, Q.; Ihara, M. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2009,
17, 1481; (b) Ge, J.-F.; Arai, C.; Ihara, M. Dyes Pigments 2008, 79, 33; (c) Ge, J.-F.;
Arai, C.; Kaiser, M.; Wittlin, S.; Brun, R.; Ihara, M. J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51, 3654;
(d) Lu, Y.-T.; Arai, C.; Ge, J.-F.; Ren, W.-S.; Kaiser, M.; Wittlin, S.; Brun, R.; Lu, J.-
M.; Ihara, M. Dyes Pigments 2011, 89, 44.
10. Ge, J.-F.; Arai, C.; Yang, M.; Md, A. B.; Lu, J.; Ismail, N. S. M.; Wittlin, S.; Kaiser,
M.; Brun, R.; Charman, S.; Nguyen, T.; Morizzi, J.; Itoh, I.; Ihara, M. ACS Med.
Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 360.
Acknowledgments
We thank Professor Terumi Nakajima and Professor Toshio
Honda, Hoshi University, and Dr. Isamu Itoh, Dr. Hiroyuki Togashi,
and Seiki Sakanoue of Synstar Japan Co., Ltd for their kind encour-
agement. This study was supported by the Creation and Support
Program for Start-ups from Universities, Adaptable and Seamless
Technology Transfer Program through Target-driven R&D, Japan
Science Technology Agency (JST) and the Program for Promotion
of Fundamental Studies in Health Sciences of the National Institute
of Biomedical Innovation (NIBIO). Synthetic part was partly sup-
port by Natural Science Fund (BK2009113, BK2009600) in Jiangsu
Province, China.
11. Compound 3f13 were obtained by the reported procedures. General proce-
dure for the preparation of 3a–e, 3g–i: (Method A13): 9-(Diethylamino)
benzo[a]phenoxazin-7-ium nitrate (1) (2.7 mmol) and corresponding aniline
(8.1 mmol) dissolved in ethanol (40 mL), the mixture was heated to reflux for
72 h with stirring. After cooling to room temperature, the residue was obtained
by filtration. Then the residue was dissolved in 40 mL water, ammonia was
added slowly while stirring until the pH ꢀ9.0. The mixture was stirred for 3 h
at room temperature, and then filtered; the solid was purified by silica column
chromatography eluted with chloroform to afford the product. Compound 3a:
Red solid, yield: 27%, mp: 161–163 °C. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) dppm: 8.62–
8.58 (m, 2H), 7.67–7.61 (m, 2H), 7.47 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 7.38 (t, J = 7.8 Hz, 2H),
7.11 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 6.94 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 2H), 6.52 (dd, J = 9.0, 2.6 Hz, 1H), 6.30
(s, 1H), 6.25 (d, J = 2.6 Hz, 1H), 3.39 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 4H), 1.20 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 6H). 13
C
Supplementary data
NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) dppm: 156.9, 152.3, 149.9, 148.8, 146.8, 142.5, 133.1,
131.7, 130.5, 130.2, 130.1, 129.3, 125.2, 124.8, 124.1, 123.5, 121.0, 108.6, 98.7,
96.6, 45.1, 12.9. TOF-MS(EI): m/z 393.1842 [M]+. Calcd for m/z 393.1841 [M]+.
Compound 3b: Red solid, yield: 38%, mp: 201–202 °C. 1H NMR (400 MHz,
CDCl3) dppm: 8.59 (td, J = 7.6, 2.2 Hz, 2H), 7.66–7.59 (m, 2H), 7.47 (d, J = 9.0 Hz,
1H), 7.18 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 2H), 6.84 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H), 6.52 (dd, J = 9.0, 2.7 Hz, 1H),
6.34 (s, 1H), 6.24 (d, J = 2.7 Hz, 1H), 3.39 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 4H), 2.37 (s, 3H), 1.20 (t,
J = 7.1 Hz, 6H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) dppm: 156.9, 149.9, 149.7, 148.6,
146.9, 142.8, 133.3, 132.9, 131.7, 130.4, 130.1, 129.9, 125.1, 124.8, 124.0,
120.89, 108.5, 98.8, 96.6, 45.1, 21.2, 12.9. TOF-MS(EI): m/z 407.1997 [M]+. Calcd
Supplementary data (CIF file of 3i) associated with this article
References and notes
1. Snow, R. W.; Guerra, C. A.; Noor, A. M.; Myint, H. Y.; Hay, S. I. Nature 2005, 434,
214.
for m/z 407.1998 [M]+. Compound 3c: Red solid, yield: 43%, mp: 188–190 °C. 1
H
NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) dppm: 8.62–8.59 (m, 2H), 7.67–7.61 (m, 2H), 7.48 (d,
J = 9.0 Hz, 1H), 6.94(s, 4H), 6.54 (dd, J = 9.0, 2.5 Hz, 1H), 6.42 (s, 1H), 6.27 (d,
J = 2.6 Hz, 1H), 3.85 (s, 3H), 3.41 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 4H), 1.21 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 6H). 13C
NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) dppm: 157.0, 156.5, 150.0, 148.8, 146.9, 144.8, 142.5,
133.0, 131.6, 130.5, 130.1, 130.1, 125.1, 125.0 124.0, 122.4, 114.6, 108.8, 98.6,
96.58, 55.8, 45.1, 12.9. TOF-MS(EI): m/z 423.1950 [M]+. Calcd for m/z 423.1947
2. World Health Organization, World malaria report 2009, http://
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