Synthesis and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Artemisinin–triazole Hybrids

Abstract

Dihydroartemisinin was converted to its corresponding alkyne-functionalized esters, which were subsequently deployed as substrates for a ‘click’ chemistry-mediated coupling with 3′-azido-3′-deoxythydimine (AZT) to furnish novel triazole–artesunate–AZT hybrid compounds. Moreover, various substituted triazole–artemisinin hybrids were synthesized based on ‘click’ chemistry between propargyl-substituted derivatives and artemisinin containing a 2-hydroxypropane unit. Fourteen new hybrids were thus successfully prepared and evaluated as cytotoxic agents, revealing an interesting anticancer activity of four triazole–artemisinin derivative hybrids in KB and HepG2 cancer cell lines.