Design and synthesis of diamide-coupled benzophenones as potential anticancer agents

•We have synthesized diamide-coupled benzophenone derivatives.•All the synthesized compounds were tested for potential anticancer agents.•The results were reconfirmed compound 9k as a potent anticancer drug in near future.

A series of diamide-coupled benzophenone, 2-(4-benzoyl-phenoxy)-N-{2-[2-(4-benzoyl-phenoxy)-acetylamino]-phenyl}-acetamide analogues (9a-l) were synthesized by multistep reactions and all compounds were well characterized. Among the series (9a-l), compound 9k with three methyl groups at ortho position in rings A, B, and D and bromo group at the para position in ring E was selected as a lead compound by screening through multiple cancer cell types by in-vitro cytotoxic and antiproliferative assay systems. Also, the cytotoxic nature of the compound 9k resulted the regression of the tumor growth in-vivo, which could be due to decreased vascularisation in the peritoneum lining of the mice which regress the tumor growth. The results were reconfirmed in-vivo chorioallantoic membrane model which indicates a scope of developing 9k into potent anticancer drug in near future.

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