Multicomponent Assembly of the Kinesin Spindle Protein Inhibitor CPUYJ039 and Analogues as Antimitotic Agents.

The potent kinesin spindle protein inhibitor CPUYJ039 and a set of analogues were prepared by a target-oriented approach based on a Ugi reaction that uses 2-nitrophenyl isocyanides as key building blocks. The herein documented strategy provides straightforward and atom economical access to potent benzimidazole-based antimitotic agents by exploring the versatility and exploratory power of the Ugi reaction. The results of docking studies and biological activity evaluations of the benzimidazole compounds are also reported.