Synthesis of N‑Substituted Acenaphtho[1,2‑b]pyrroles and Dibenzo[e,g]indoles with Promising Antileukemic Activity from Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adducts

This study investigates a novel synthetic pathway for N-substituted polycyclic heterocycles with potential antileukemic
activity. The strategy employs Morita–Baylis–Hillman
(MBH) adducts derived from polycyclic 1,2-diketones such as acenaphthoquinone
and phenanthrene-9,10-dione. The key steps involve acetylation of
the MBH adducts followed by cyclization with primary amines to afford N-heterocycles, specifically acenaphtho[1,2-b]pyrroles and dibenzo[e,g]indoles. The synthesized
compounds were evaluated in vitro against leukemia cell lines (Jurkat
and NB4). Several derivatives exhibited promising activity, with compound
4b showing particularly strong potency against the NB4 cell line.
Overall, this work advances the development of novel antileukemic
agents and underscores the potential of N-substituted
polycyclic heterocycles in leukemia therapy.