Stereoselective synthesis and QSAR study of cytotoxic 2-(4-oxo-thiazolidin-2-ylidene)-2-cyano-N-arylacetamides

(2Z,5Z) 2-[(5-Arylidene-4-oxo-3-phenyl)-thiazolidin-2-ylidine]-2-cyano-N-arylacetamides 4a-l were stereoselectively prepared via condensation of aromatic aldehydes with 4-thiazolidinones 3a-c. The latters were obtained via electrophilic attack of phenylisothiocyanate on 2-cyano-N-arylacetamides 1a-c followed by reaction with chloroacetyl chloride under basic condition. Single crystal X-ray study of 3a allows good confirmation for the assigned structure. Additionally, 5-arylhydrazono analogs 5a-e were prepared via condensation of the appropriate diazonium salts with 4-thiazolidinones 3a,b. Many of the synthesized compounds exhibited promising antitumor properties against colon HCT116, breast MCF7 and liver HEPG2 cell lines. 3D-Pharmacophore modeling and QSAR analysis were combined to explain the observed antitumor properties.