Structure activity relationship of antiproliferative N-acyl-beta-alanine amides

Starting from the antiproliferative N-homofarnesoyl-beta-alanine amide 1 as a lead structure we have demonstrated that the homofarnesoyl residue of 1 can be replaced by several aliphatic and aromatic acyl moieties which offer advantages in terms of availability and stability over the original homofarnesoyl residue. The N-(2,3-dimethylphenyl) aminosulfonylphenyl moiety of 1 turned out to be essential for antiproliferative activity and cannot be replaced without complete loss of activity.