The synthesis and evaluation of new butadiene derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors.

A series of new butadiene derivatives was synthesized and evaluated as tubulin polymerization inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. The optimal butadiene derivative, 9a, exhibited IC50 values of 0.056-0.089μM for five human cancer cell lines. This paper included a mechanistic study of the antiproliferative activity, including a tubulin polymerization assay, an examination of morphological alterations of cancer cells, an analysis of cell cycle arrest and an apoptosis assay.