Photoinduced thioxanthone/DABCO-mediated dual catalysis for the synthesis of isocryptolepine-based antitumor agents

Photoinduced thioxanthone/DABCO-mediated dual catalysis for the synthesis of isocryptolepine-based antitumor agents Full article

Journal

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
ISSN: 1010-6030 , E-ISSN: 1873-2666

Output data

Year: 2027, Volume: 485, Article number : 117780, Pages count : DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2026.117780

Tags

Photochemical synthesis Dual catalysis Isocryptolepines Antiproliferative activity Breast cancer Indole alkaloids

Authors

Bogdanov F.B. ¹ , Fedorenko N.O. ² , Rakhimov R.R. ² , Andreeva O.E. ¹ , Piven Yu.A. ³ , Khamidullina A.I. ^1,2,4 , Scherbakov A.M. ^1,5 , Shirinian V.Z. ²

Affiliations

1	Department of Experimental Tumor Biology, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Kashirskoye shosse 24 bldg.15, Moscow, 115522, Russia
2	N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prosp. 47, Moscow, 119991, Russia
3	Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, ulitsa Akad. Kuprevicha 5/2, Minsk, 220084, Belarus
4	Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, ulitsa Vavilova 34/5, Moscow, Moscow, 119334, Russia
5	Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, Bol'shaya Pirogovskaya ulitsa 11, Moscow, 119021, Russia

Herein, we report a visible-light-driven dual photoredox catalysis strategy for the efficient synthesis of struc turally diverse isocryptolepine derivatives using thioxanthone and DABCO as single-electron transfer (SET) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysts, respectively. The operationally simple protocol exhibits a broad sub strate scope and compatibility with various functional groups, and provides concise access to new iso cryptolepine analogs for biological evaluation. Screening against ER α-positive MCF-7, HER2-positive HCC1954, and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines followed by cytotoxicity assessment against non- malignant human fibroblasts hFB-hTERT revealed pronounced structure–activity relationships, with subtle structural modifications producing marked differences in potency and subtype selectivity. Indoloquinolines 2j and 3a were identified as lead candidates with complementary biological profiles: 2j displayed potent and se lective activity toward ER-positive breast cancer cells together with a favorable selectivity index, whereas 3a exhibited consistently high antiproliferative activity across all tested models, including aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. Both compounds effectively suppressed clonogenic survival at subnanomolar and low nanomolar concentrations, indicating sustained inhibition of long-term proliferative capacity.

Bogdanov F.B. , Fedorenko N.O. , Rakhimov R.R. , Andreeva O.E. , Piven Y.A. , Khamidullina A.I. , Scherbakov A.M. , Shirinian V.Z.
Photoinduced thioxanthone/DABCO-mediated dual catalysis for the synthesis of isocryptolepine-based antitumor agents
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry. 2027. V.485. 117780 . DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2026.117780 OpenAlex

Submitted:	Aug 14, 2026
Accepted:	Oct 7, 2026
Published print:	Oct 10, 2026
Published online:	Oct 10, 2026

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