3-arylamino and 3-alkoxy-nor-beta-lapachone derivatives: synthesis and cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines.

Several 3-arylamino and 3-alkoxy-nor-beta-lapachone derivatives were synthesized in moderate to high yields and found to be highly potent against cancer cells SF295 (central nervous system), HCT8 (colon), MDA-MB435 (melanoma), and HL60 (leukemia), with IC(50) below 2 microM. The arylamino para-nitro and the 2,4-dimethoxy substituted naphthoquinones showed the best cytoxicity profile, while the ortho-nitro and the 2,4-dimethoxy substituted ones were more selective than doxorubicin and similar to the precursor lapachones, thus emerging as promising new lead compounds in anticancer drug development.