A newly synthesized series of anticancer compounds comprising thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine derivatives 6a-q bearing a benzimidazole moiety was produced via a one-pot reaction of N-(4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-2-cyanoacetamide 5 with 2-aminothiazole and an appropriate aromatic aldehyde. Compound 7 was obtained via the reaction of 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2yl)benzenamide 1 with carbon disulphide and methyl iodide in the presence of concentrated aqueous solution of NaOH, then treated with o-phenylenediamine to give N-(4-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-amine 8. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by analytical and spectroscopic measurements (IR, MS, and (1) H NMR). The synthesized products were screened and studied for their in vitro antitumor activity against three human cancer cell lines (namely colorectal cancer cell line HCT116, human liver cancer cell line HepG2, and human ovarian cancer cell line A2780) and their Aurora A kinase and KSP inhibitory activities. All newly synthesized compounds revealed marked results comparable with the standard drug CK0106023. The compounds 6e and 6k of the thiazolopyrimidine derivatives were the most active compounds when tested against the three cell lines in comparison with the standard drug CK0106023, and showed potent dual KSP and Aurora A kinase inhibition.
Keywords: Aurora A kinase inhibition; Benzimidazole; Human cancer cells; KSP inhibition; Thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine.
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