Diaryl disulfides and thiosulfonates as combretastatin A-4 analogues: Synthesis, cytotoxicity and antitubulin activity

Diaryl disulfides and diaryl thiosulfonates were synthesized with the two phenyl rings of all compounds bearing identical halide substituents. Because of structural similarity to the potent antimitotic natural product combretastatin A-4 (CA-4), the compounds were examined for inhibition of tubulin polymerization, and the thiosulfonates were more active than the disulfides. The nine thiosulfonates had IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.2 to 9.1 µM, as compared with 1.3 µM obtained with CA-4. The compounds thus ranged from equipotent with CA-4 to 7-fold less active. The nine disulfides had IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.2 to 5.1 µM, as compared with 0.54 µM obtained with CA-4. The compounds thus ranged from less than half as active as CA-4 to over 9-fold less active. The most active members of each group, 2 g and 3c, in the assembly assay were modeled into the colchicine site. Compound 3c had significant hydrophobic interactions with β-tubulin residues CYS 241 and ALA 250, and its thiosulfonate bridge made a hydrogen bond with β-tubulin residue ASN 258. Compound 2 g had hydrophobic interactions with β-tubulin residues ALA 250, CYS 241 and ALA 254, but there was no significant interaction of the disulfide bridge with tubulin.