Synthesis and antitumor activity of novel dithiocarbamate substituted chromones.

A series of chromone derivatives bearing diverse dithiocarbamate moieties were designed and synthesized via a three-component reaction protocol. Their in vitro antitumor activities were evaluated by MTT method against HCCLM-7, Hela, MDA-MB-435S, SW-480, Hep-2 and MCF-7. Two compounds (3-chloro-4-oxo-4H-chromen-2-yl)methyl piperidine-1-carbodithioate (Iq) and (6-chloro-4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)methyl piperidine-1-carbodithioate (IIu), were identified as the most promising candidate due to their high potency and broad-spectrum. Further flow-activated cell sorting analysis revealed that compounds Iq and IIu arrest the cell cycle of SW-480 and MDA-MB-435s both in G(2)/M phase with dose-dependent effect and might display apoptosis-inducing effect on these tumor cell lines.