Synthesis and Antineoplastic Activity of Bis[[[(alkylamino)carbonyl]oxy]methyl]-Substituted 3-Pyrrolines as Prodrugs of Tumor Inhibitory Pyrrole Bis(carbamates)

A series of bis[(carbamoyloxy)methyl]pyrrolines 2–4 were synthesized from either the appropriate α-silylated iminium salt, or an aziridine, or a 2H-azirine in a sequence involving 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. The antineoplastic activities of the pyrrolines were compared to the corresponding pyrroles. The C-2 gem-dimethyl-substituted pyrroline, 4, which cannot be converted to the pyrrole in vivo, was inactive. The activity of the 2-phenyl-substituted pyrrolines 3 was markedly dependent on the nature of the phenyl substituent, although the corresponding phenylpyrroles all showed comparable activity. The differences in the activities of the pyrrolines 3 may be due to the rate of metabolic conversion of the pyrroline to the pyrrole. Electron-withdrawing substituents on the phenyl ring appear to retard this process.