Design, synthesis, and biological study of 4-[(2-nitroimidazole-1 H-alkyloxyl)aniline]-quinazolines as EGFR inhibitors exerting cytotoxicities both under normoxia and hypoxia

This study provides insights for developing hypoxia-activated kinase inhibitors.

A series of 4-[(2-nitroimidazole-1H-alkyloxyl)aniline]-quinazolines were designed and synthesized, and their in vitro cytotoxicity and EGFR inhibitory activity were evaluated. Molecule docking study was performed for the representative compound.

In order to get novel EGFR inhibitors exerting more potency in tumor hypoxia than in normoxia.

The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed that compounds bearing both meta-chloride and para-(2-nitroimidazole-1H-alkyloxy) groups on the aniline displayed potent inhibitory activities both in enzymatic and cellular levels. The most promising compound 16i potently inhibited EGFR with an IC50 value of 0.12 μM. Meanwhile, it manifested more potent cytotoxicity than the positive control lapatinib under tumor normoxia and hypoxia conditions (IC50 values of 1.59 and 1.09 μM against A549 cells, 2.46 and 1.35 μM against HT-29 cells, respectively). The proposed binding model of 16i in complex with EGFR was displayed by the docking results.