Vinblastin-23-oyl amino acid derivatives: chemistry, physicochemical data, toxicity, and antitumor activities against P388 and L1210 leukemias.

The dimeric alkaloids vinblastine (VLB) and vincristine (VCR) differ structurally only in the functional group on the dihydroindole nitrogen. The semisynthetic derivative vindesine (VDS) differs slightly from VLB by having an amide group instead of an ester group. However, these minor distinctions are responsible for profound differences in the oncolytic spectrum, potency, and toxicity of these compounds. Vinblastin-23-oyl amino acid derivatives were synthesized by linking amino acid carboxylic esters to the vinblastin-23-oyl moiety through an amide linkage. Studies were extended to explore the influence of the nature of the amino acid, the ester alkyl chain lengths, the stereoisomerism of the amino acid, or the reacetylation of the hydroxyl group (position O-4) of the vindoline moiety. The present study deals with the synthesis of 21 vinblastin-23-oyl amino acid derivatives, some of their physicochemical data, the acute toxicity in mice, and therapeutic activities of these derivatives against the P388 and L1210 leukemias in comparison with VDS, VBL, and VCR.