design and synthesis of novel phenantrene derivatives substituted with either amino or amido side chains and their biological activity. Antiproliferative activities were assessed in vitro on a panel of human cancer cell lines. Tested compounds showed moderate activity against cancer cells in comparison with 5-fluorouracile. Among all tested compounds, some compounds substituted with cyano groups showed
series of 3‐aryl‐2‐(2‐thienyl)acrylonitriles 7 and 3‐aryl‐2‐(3‐thienyl)acrylonitriles 8 were synthesized by the reaction of aromatic aldehydes 6 with 2‐ and 3‐thienylacetonitriles 4 and 5, and evaluated for antifungal and cytotoxic activities against a panel of opportunistic and pathogenic fungi and three different cancer cell lines, respectively.