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Updated: Sep 6, 2026

Preparation of Stable Bicyclic Aziridinium Ions and Their Ring-Opening for the Synthesis of Azaheterocycles
Published on: August 22, 2018
Synthesis of Azaphenalenone Derivatives Using Aldrone Condensation and Evaluation of Their Anticancer Activities
Priya Jayathsena R1, Uzini Devi Daimary2, Ajaikumar B Kunnumakkara2
1Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India.
Abstract:
Phenalenones (PNs), popular as antifungal, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents, are a fascinating class of naturally occurring photosensitizers. In spite of their importance, doping of the main core of PNs remains unexplored. Herein, we report a facile and green approach to prepare N-doped PNs or aza phenalenones (APNs) for the first time. We accomplished the goal by trapping unstable peri-naphthoisatogen, prepared using a modified aldrone condensation reaction. Different types of primary amines were used as nucleophile to synthesize seven APNs. Structures of the APNs were unambiguously characterized using NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and x-ray crystallography. Anticancer activities of the APNs were evaluated against oral cancer cells. Among them, the APN derivative of 3-aminopyridine demonstrated the most potent anticancer activity with high selectivity against oral cancer cells. We further investigated the mechanism underlying the anticancer activity of this lead compound.
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