Acid-catalyzed synthesis of 10-substituted triazolyl artemisinins and their growth inhibitory activity against various cancer cells

A diastereomeric and regioisomeric library of 10-substituted triazolyl artemisinin compounds (6a-6h, 7a-7h, and 8a-8h) with a potent growth inhibitory activities against various cancer cell lines was established. These compounds were synthesized by a reaction with dihydroartemisinin (2) and various substituted triazoles (5a-5h) in methylene chloride using a BF3Et2O catalyst. Most of the compounds exhibited a strong potency in the submicromolar range, and, in particular, 6f, 7f, and 8f, which have a pentylphenyltriazole moiety, proved to be promising candidates for preclinical trials.