Intriguing Classes of Acridine Derivatives as DNA-binding Antitumour Agents: From Pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridines to Bis(acridine-4-carboxamides)

In the field of antitomour DNA-binding agents, the class of acridine derivatives plays an important role both in terms of number of compounds and their anticancer activities. We have synthesised a number of acridine derivatives as potential antitomour drugs, in which the chromophore is fully or partially constituted either by an acridine or by a 9- acridone ring system: pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridines, pyrimido[4,5,6-kl]acridines, bis(amine-functionalised) 9-acridone-4- carboxamides, bis(amine-functionalised) acridine-4-carboxamides, pyrazolo[3,4,5-kl]acridine-5-carboxamides, pyrazolo [3,4,5-mn]pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridines, [1,2,6]thiadiazino[3,4,5-kl]acridines and bis(acridine-4-carboxamides). In the present review we will describe the rational design, the synthesis and the salient biological characteristics of these classes of acridine derivatives.