A series of novel 1,3,4-thiadiazoles was synthesized via the reaction of N-(5-(2-cyanoacetamido)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzamide (3) with different carbon electrophiles and evaluated as potential anticancer agents. The chemical structures of these derivatives were fully elucidated using various spectral and elemental analyses. Out of 24 new thiadiazoles, derivatives 4, 6b, 7a, 7d, and 19 have significant antiproliferative activity. However, derivatives 4, 7a, and 7d were toxic to the normal fibroblasts, and therefore were excluded from further investigations. Derivatives 6b and 19 with IC50 at less than 10 μM and with high selectivity were selected for further studies in breast cells (MCF-7). Derivative 19 arrested the breast cells at G2/M probably through inhibition of CDK1, while 6b significantly increased the sub-G1 percent of cells probably through induction of necrosis. These results were confirmed by the annexin V-PI assay where 6b did not induce apoptosis and increased the necrotic cells to 12.5%, and compound 19 significantly increased the early apoptosis to 15% and increased the necrotic cells to 15%. Molecular docking showed that compound 19 was like FB8, an inhibitor of CDK1, in binding the CDK1 pocket. Therefore, compound 19 could be a potential CDK1 inhibitor. Derivatives 6b and 19 did not violate Lipinski's rule of five. In silico studies showed that these derivatives have a low blood-brain barrier penetration capability and high intestinal absorption. Taken together, derivatives 6b and 19 could serve as potential anticancer agents and merit further investigations.
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