Synthesis, tautomeric structures, and antitumor activity of new perimidines.

New series of perimidine derivatives and fused perimidines were derived from the reaction of ketene aminals 1 and 2 with diazotized anilines or hydrazonoyl chlorides. In addition, 8,10-disubstituted-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]perimidines (20a-m) were prepared through the reaction of perimidine-2-thione (15) with hydrazonoyl chlorides. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were established on the basis of spectral data and elemental analyses. Some products were investigated for their antitumor activities against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and the liver carcinoma cell line HEPG-2, and the results of some derivatives showed promising activity.