Colchicine, a pseudoalkaloid isolated from Colchicum autumnale, has been identified as a potent anticancer agent because of its strong antimitotic activity. It was shown that colchicine modifications by regioselective demethylation affected its biological properties. For demethylated colchicine analogs, 10-demethylcolchicine (colchiceine, 1) and 1-demethylthiocolchicine (3), a series of 12 colchicine derivatives including 5 novel esters (2b-c and 4b-d) and 4 carbonates (2e-f and 4e-f) were synthesized. The antiproliferative activity assay, together with in silico evaluation of physicochemical properties, confirmed attractive biological profiles for all obtained compounds. The substitutions of H-donor and H-acceptor sites at C1 in thiocolchicine position provide an efficient control of the hydration affinity and solubility, as demonstrated for anhydrate 3, hemihydrate 4e and monohydrate 4a.
Keywords: antimitotic agents; antiproliferative activity; colchiceine; colchicine analogs; hydrates; thiocolchicine.