Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activities of new hydrazones containing sulfonate ester

Cancer is a fatal disease that occurs when the regular division mechanism of healthy cells in an organ or tissue of the body is disrupted and these cells multiply uncontrollably. Studies continue on new diagnostic and treatment methods for cancer, which causes millions of people to die every year. Although chemotherapy is among the effective treatment methods in cancer treatment, research is still ongoing for new and potent chemotherapeutic drug candidates with minimal side effects. In this study, some N-arylsulfonyl hydrazone compounds bearing sulfonate groups in two series (14-19 and 20-25) were synthesized for the first time by a multi-step reaction series. Their molecular structures were characterized by spectral techniques (ATR-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR) and elemental analysis. These new hybrid molecules were screened for their cytotoxic activity against human colorectal (DLD-1) and prostate (PC3) cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative activity of these compounds obtained in high purity was investigated at five different concentrations (300, 150, 75, 37.5 and 18.75 µM) against selected cancer cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. In cell culture assays, all tested molecules displayed cytotoxic activity at micromolar levels with IC50 values ranging from 34.97–192.80 μM against DLD-1 cell line and 41.11–307.20 μM against PC3 cell line. Among the tested compounds, compounds 23 (34.97 μM), 25 (36.14 μM) and 21 (40.50 μM) showed the highest antiproliferative activity against DLD-1 cell line. On the other hand, against PC3 cell line, compounds 25 (41.11 μM), 23 (49.18 μM) and 22 (49.37 μM) in the series indicated the highest cytotoxicity. As a result, it was determined that the cytotoxic activity of the new hybrid molecules was lower than this reference drug and that the substituents in the molecular structure affected the activity.