Reactions with pyrrolidine-2,4-diones, III (1). Synthesis of some substituted 3-pyrrolin-2-ones and 4-hydrazonopyrrolidin-2-ones as potential antineoplastic and antimicrobial agents.

The syntheses of 3-bromo-, 3-substituted aminomethyl-, and 3-(4-substituted sulfamylphenylazo)-4-hydroxy-1,5-diphenyl-pyrrolin-2-ones 4,6 and 8 from 1,5-diphenylpyrrolidine-2,4-dione 3 via bromination aminomethylation and diazocoupling, respectively, are described. The preparation of some 1,5-diphenyl-4-(substituted thiosemicarbazono) pyrrolidin-2-ones 10 and their conversion either to 1,5-diphenyl-4-(substituted thiazol-2-ylhydrazono)pyrrolidin-2-ones 12 or to 1,5-diphenyl-4-(3,4-disubstituted-4-thiazolin-2-ylidenehydrazon o)pyrrolidin-2- ones 13, is also reported. Nine compounds were screened against P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice but were inactive. Two compounds (6a and 6b) exhibited in vitro activities against some Gram-positive bacteria.