Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Novel Thiazolidine-2,4-Dione-Acridine Hybrids as Antitumor Agents

This study focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of new compounds that integrate thiazolidine-2,4-dione, acridine moiety, and an acetamide linker, aiming to leverage the synergistic effects of these pharmacophores for enhanced therapeutic potential. The newly designed molecules were efficiently synthesized through a multi-step process and subsequently transformed into their hydrochloride salts. Comprehensive spectroscopic techniques, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and elemental analysis, were employed to determine the molecular structures of the synthesized compounds. Biological evaluations were conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of the new compounds. The influence of these derivatives on the metabolic activity of various cancer cell lines was assessed, with IC50 values determined via MTT assays. An in-depth analysis of the structure–activity relationship (SAR) revealed intriguing insights into their cytotoxic profiles. Compounds with electron-withdrawing groups generally exhibited lower IC50 values, indicating higher potency. The presence of the methoxy group at the linking phenyl ring modulated both the potency and selectivity of the compounds. The variation in the acridine core at the nitrogen atom of the thiazolidine-2,4-dione core significantly affects the activity against cancer cell lines, with the acridin-9-yl substituent enhancing the compounds’ antiproliferative activity. Furthermore, compounds in their hydrochloride salt forms demonstrated better activity against cancer cell lines compared to their free base forms. Compounds 12c·2HCl (IC50 = 5.4 ± 2.4 μM), 13d (IC50 = 4.9 ± 2.9 μM), and 12f·2HCl (IC50 = 4.98 ± 2.9 μM) demonstrated excellent activity against the HCT116 cancer cell line, and compound 7d·2HCl (IC50 = 4.55 ± 0.35 μM) demonstrated excellent activity against the HeLa cancer cell line. Notably, only a few tested compounds, including 7e·2HCl (IC50 = 11.00 ± 2.2 μM), 7f (IC50 = 11.54 ± 2.06 μM), and 7f·2HCl (IC50 = 9.82 ± 1.92 μM), showed activity against pancreatic PATU cells. This type of cancer has a very high mortality due to asymptomatic early stages, the occurrence of metastases, and frequent resistance to chemotherapy. Four derivatives, namely, 7e·2HCl, 12d·2HCl, 13c·HCl, and 13d, were tested for their interaction properties with BSA using fluorescence spectroscopic studies. The values for the quenching constant (Ksv) ranged from 9.59 × 104 to 10.74 × 104 M−1, indicating a good affinity to the BSA protein.