Synthesis and in vitro and in vivo antitumor/anticancer activity of novel O-Mannich bases of 4,6-diaryl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-ones

A new series of [4,6 substituted diaryl-1,6-dihydropyrimidin-2-yl-oxymethyl]-amines 5a–o have been synthesized by the Mannich condensation on the respective 4,6-diaryl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-ones 4, in basic medium using formaldehyde along with three secondary amines, viz., dimethylamine, piperidine and morpholine. The dihydropyrimidinones 4 in turn were synthesized by the cyclocondensation of chalcones 3 with urea. Alternatively, compounds 4 were also prepared directly by one-pot 3-component cyclocondensation reaction starting from acetophenone, benzaldehyde and urea. The structures of all the newly synthesized compounds have been confirmed by their spectral and analytical data. All the O-Mannich bases 5 have been evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic and antitumor activities, and based on the results, the potent compounds were selected for in vivo activity, as well. Only one compound 5m of the series has been found to be relatively more effective.