Novel synthetic aromatic thiourea derivatives and investigations on their cytotoxic potential efficacy

• Published in: Journal of heterocyclic chemistry Vol. 58; no. 1; pp. 40 - 47
• Main Authors: Ray, Ujjayinee, John, Franklin, Pooppadi, Sayeesh, George, Jinu, Sharma, Shivangi, Raghavan, Sathees C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-01-2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Cancer; Carbon disulfide; Chemical compounds; Chemical synthesis; Cytotoxicity; Depolarization; Mitochondria; Pharmacology; Thiourea derivatives; Thioureas
• ISSN: 0022-152X; 1943-5193
• DOI: 10.1002/jhet.4145

Aromatic thiourea derivatives were synthesized by standard reactions from isothiocyanates in high yield. An efficient one‐pot synthesis of primary amine with carbon disulfide involving the intermediate dithiocarbamate conversion using T3P (propane phosphonic anhydride) to isothiocyanate is reported. Newly synthesized compounds showed excellent luminescence property. Cytotoxic investigation with different human cancer cell lines showed IC50 values varying from of 17 to 40 μM for N‐phenethyl‐3,4‐dihydroisoquinoline‐2(1H)‐carbothioamide (SCR172) among other molecules. Increase in Sub G1 population and increased depolarisation of mitochondria were evident in cells treated with SCR172, suggesting its role as a cancer therapeutic agent. This provides a lead structure for further synthetic modifications.