The design, synthesis, and in vitro antiproliferative activity of a novel series of sulfide (4a-i) and sulfoxide (5a-h) derivatives of benzimidazole, in which different aromatic and heteroaromatic acetamides are linked to benzimidazole via sulfide (4a-i) and sulfoxide (5a-h) linker, are reported and the structure-activity relationship is discussed. The new derivatives were prepared by coupling 2-(mercaptomethyl)benzimidazole with 2-bromo-N-(substituted) acetamides in dry acetone in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. With very few exceptions, all of the synthesized compounds showed varying antiprolific activities against HepG2, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines. Compound 5a was very similar in potency to doxorubicin as an anticancer drug, with IC50 values 4.1 ± 0.5, 4.1 ± 0.5, and 5.0 ± 0.6 µg/mL versus 4.2 ± 0.5, 4.9 ± 0.6, and 6.1 ± 0.6 µg/mL against HepG2, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines, respectively. In contrast, none of the compounds showed activity against human prostate PC3 cancer cells. Additionally, the sulfoxide derivatives were more potent than the corresponding sulfides.
Keywords: Antiproliferative Activity; Benzimidazole; Chemoselective Oxidation; Sulfide; Sulfoxide.