Isoflavone Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents: Synthesis and Bioactivity Studies

Isoflavones are phenolic natural compounds with a C₆C₃C₆ framework. They possess a plethora of biological activities that are associated with putative benefits to human health. In particular, the cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of isoflavones has attracted the interest of researchers. Several isoflavone derivatives have been synthesised and probed for their anticancer activities. The isoflavone analogues are mainly synthesised by molecular hybridisation and other strategies that enable diversification through early or late-stage functionalisation of A-, B- and C-rings of the isoflavones. This has resulted in the discovery of isoflavone analogues with improved antiproliferative activities against several cancer cells and different mechanisms of action. In this review, the synthesis of isoflavone derivatives and their anticancer activity studies are discussed.