Synthesis of hetero annulated isoxazolo-, pyrido- and pyrimido carbazoles: Screened for in vitro antitumor activity and structure activity relationships, a novel 2-amino-4-(3'-bromo-4'-methoxyphenyl)-8-chloro-11H-pyrimido[4,5-a]carbazole as an antitumor agent.

Claisen-Schmidt condensation of 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-one with 3-bromo-4-methoxy benzaldehyde afforded the 2-(3'-bromo-4'-methoxybenzylidene)-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-one 3. Compound 3 was allowed to react with different organic reactants, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, malononitrile and guanidine nitrate through condensation cum cycloaddition reactions to afford a series of the respective novel hetero annulated carbazoles such as isoxazolo-, pyrido- and pyrimido carbazoles. The structures of the compounds were established by FT-IR, H NMR, C NMR, X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. The compounds have been screened for in vitro anti-tumor activity by MTT assay and displayed enviable selective growth inhibition on MCF-7 cell line compared to A-549 cell line. Apoptotic morphological changes in MCF-7 and A-549 cells were visualized using fluorescent microscopic technique. The preliminary structure activity relationships were also carried out. Data pointed out that among pyrimido carbazole compounds, 2-amino-4-(3'-bromo-4'-methoxyphenyl)-8-chloro-11H-pyrimido [4,5-a]carbazole could be exploited as an excellent therapeutic drug against cancer cell proliferation.