Synthesis and anticancer activity of novel quinazolinone and benzamide derivatives

In trying to develop new anticancer agents, a series of quinazolinone and benzamide derivatives were synthesized via reaction of 6-iodo-2-phenyl-4H-benzoxazin-4-one with nitrogen nucleophiles, namely, formamide, ammonium acetate, hydrazine hydrate, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, substituted aromatic amines, benzyl amine, and/or thiocarbonohydrazide. All compounds were fully characterized by means of IR, MS, and H-1-NMR spectra. Some of the synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro for their anti-proliferative activity against HePG-2 and MCF-7 cell lines. 2-(Benzoylamino)-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-iodobenzamide and tetrazino[1,6-c]quinazoline-3(4H)-thione derivative were the most potent against the two cancer cells comparable to that of doxorubicin. Most of the synthesized compounds also exhibited good cytotoxic activity.