Synthesis, antiproliferative, and vasorelaxing evaluations of coumarin alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones

Certain coumarin alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones were synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative and vasorelaxing activities. These compounds were synthesized via alkylation of hydroxycoumarins 2a-f followed by oxidation and the Reformatsky-type condensation. The results of this study are as follows (1) for the vasorelaxing activity, coumarin-7-yl alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone 6d, with an IC50 value of 9.4 microM against pig coronary arterial contraction induced by KCl, is a more active vasorelaxant than its coumarin-4-yl counterpart 6a and its gamma-methyl congener 1. A methyl group substituted at C-4 of the coumarin-7-yl moiety reduced the vasorelaxing effect (6d vs 6e) while the 3,4,8-trimethyl derivative 6f was inactive. (2) For the antiproliferative activity, coumarin-4-yl alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone 6a, which exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity on the growth of MCF7, NCI-H460, and SF-268 with IC50 values of 6.97, 14.68, and 8.36 microM, respectively, is more cytotoxic than its coumarin-7-yl counterpart 6d and the 6,7-dimethyl derivative 6b. For the coumarin-7-yl derivatives, 6d is more active than its gamma-methyl congener 1, indicating that substitution at the gamma-position decreased cytotoxicity.