The paper shows that new N'-substituted 2,4-dihydroxybenzocarbothiohydrazides are able to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of human tumor cell lines. The compounds were prepared by the reaction of sulfinylbis[(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)methanethione] (STB) or its analogs with the hydrazines. The panel of N'-substitution included aryl, pyridinyl and pyrimidinyl rings. The highest antiproliferative activity for N'-(4-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-2-yl)-5-ethyl-2,4-dihydroxybenzothiohydrazide (5b) was found. The antiproliferative potency of some compounds was similar to that of cisplatin. Analogs with the Et substituent on benzenediol moiety displayed higher potency than with the unsubstituted one. The influence of N'-substitution on antiproliferative activity of compounds was discussed.
Keywords: 2,4-dihydroxybenzothiohydrazide; antiproliferative activity; human cancer cell lines; synthesis.