Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 1-substituted -2-aryl imidazoles targeting tubulin polymerization as potential anticancer agents

A series of novel 1-substituted-2-aryl imidazoles (SAI) were designed and synthesized based on our previously reported ABI (2-Aryl-4-Benzoyl Imidazole) analogs and on the structure of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4). These compounds showed potent antiproliferative activities against six human cancer cell lines with IC50 values in nano molar range. Among them, compound 3X exhibited the best anticancer activity with an average IC50 value of ∼100 nM. The...