Three types, esters, amides and 1,2,3-triazoles, of ferrocenyl–podophyllotoxin conjugates were synthesised, and their anticancer activity was evaluated. We observed that the most potent ferrocenyl derivatives were esters. Esters 15, 16 and 17 acted in a similar way to podophyllotoxin, i.e. reduced the number of G1 phase cells and induced G2/M blockage, while esters 14 and 18 and amide 19 blocked cells
A consecutive coupling-cycloaddition sequence of acid chlorides, terminal alkynes, and in situ generated nitrile oxides furnishes ferrocenyl substituted redox active isoxazoles in moderate to good yields. The structure was unambiguously assigned by X-ray structure analyses and the electronic structure was elucidated by computational methods. Redox potentials of all representatives are strongly effected by the electronic nature of the bridging isoxazoloyl moiety. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.