Quinoline sulfonates as the potent inhibitors of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells: Synthesis, cytotoxicity, and molecular docking studies

Quinoline is a promising class of heterocycles with interesting biological and pharmacological properties including anti-cancer. Variety of quinoline-based derivatives have been synthesized previously and reported for diversed biological properties, which assisted in the development of new drug candidates. The current study describes the synthesis of quinoline-based sulfonic esters 1–42, and their cytotoxicity towards two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7) and a normal human BJ cell line. Compounds 15, 20, and 28 showed the highest cytotoxicity against both breast cancer cell lines. Molecular docking studies predicted the hydrophobic interactions of test compounds with both estrogen α-receptor, and EGF-receptor.