Synthesis and cytotoxicity studies of bifunctional hybrids of nitrogen mustards with potential enzymes inhibitors based on melamine framework

The new class of hybrid anticancer drugs were obtained by selective functionalization of the triazine scaffold. These were prepared by rearrangement of mono-, bis- and/or tris-(1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octanium chlorides leading to formation of 2-chloroethylamino fragments attached to 1,3,5-triazine via one, two or three piperazine rings respectively. Their inhibitory effect was found strongly dependent on the structure of substituents in triazine ring. The anti-proliferative activity of the hybrids evaluated in vitro by using mammalian tumour cells estimated as IC(50) was in the range 0.62-139,78 µM. Both cytotoxicity and alkylating activity depended on the substituents of triazine ring, however, also the mono-functional analogues of nitrogen mustards, which are unable to form liaisons between two DNA strands, induced apoptosis and necrosis in the tested cells.