Potential antitumor agents. 16.4'-(Acridin-9-ylamino)methanesulfonanilides.

The structure-antileukemic activity (L1210) relationships for sulfonanilide ring-substituted variants of 4'-(acridin-9-ylamino)methanesulfonanilides have been investigated. Electron-donor substituents are necessary for antileukemic activity and it is suggested that high electron density at the 6' position is associated with high activity. A 3'-OCH3 function markedly increases (2-8-fold) potency with a variety of acceptable acridine ring substituents. Further variants with hydrophobic acridine 3-substituents have been shown to be more active than expected on the basis of overall molecular hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. There is a size limit to 3-substituents which may acceptably be as large as an iodine atom but should be smaller than an isoporpyl function.