Structure and antitumor activity relationship of 2-arylidene-4-cyclopentene-1, 3-diones and 2-arylideneindan-1, 3-diones.

A series of 2-arylidene-4-cyclopentene-1,3-diones and 2-arylideneindan-1,3-diones, as well as mono- and bis(arylidene substituted)cycloalkanones, was synthesized and examined for antitumor activity against ascites sarcoma-180. All the 2-arylidene-4-cyclopentene-1,3-diones and one arylideneindan-1,3-dione (where the arylidene group was either a hydroxybenzylidene or substituted hydroxybenzylidene) exhibited a high degree of activity. Among both types of 1,3-diones and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzylidene derivatives were found to possess the greatest potency, while all the mono- and bis(arylidene)cycloalkanones were found to be inactive.