Current chemotherapy drugs for Chagas' disease are insufficient due to their limited efficacy; however, anti-trypanosomal agents have recently shown promise. As such, synthetic intermediates of komarovi-quinone were evaluated for anti-trypanosomal activity. Based on the results, a series of novel quinone derivatives were screened for anti-trypanosomal activity and mammalian cytotoxicity. Several quinone derivatives displayed higher antiprotozoal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes than the reference drug benznidazole, without concomitant toxicity toward the host cell. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.