Aza-analogue dibenzepinone scaffolds as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors: design, synthesis, and biological data of inhibitors with improved physicochemical properties.

We recently described a promising novel class of p38 mitogen activated protein (MAP()) kinase inhibitors with dibenzepinone-scaffolds. To optimize their physicochemical properties, characterized by calculated log P values and measured lipophilicity (chromatographic hydrophobicity index = CHI), we synthesized aza-analogue dibenzepinones. Here, we present the synthesis and biological data of compounds with the novel aza-dibenzepinone scaffolds. Although these aza-analogues revealed an improved aqueous solubility, introduction of nitrogen was not effective in the p38 MAPK enzyme assay.