Cancerostatica. II. Synthesis and preliminary cytostatic screening of some alpha-carboline derivatives

6-Phenyl-and (6-pyridyl-3')-2-chloro-3-aminopyridines were transformed by treatment with HNO3 into the corresponding pyrido [4,5-b] triazoles [7,8]. In PPA medium at 180 degrees, triazoles 7 and 8 decompose to 2-substituted alpha-carbolines 9,10 and anilino-3-hydroxypyridines 11, 12. Some of these compounds showed significant cytostatic activity against transplanted Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and Nemeth-Kellner lymphoma.