Role of the hydrophobic moiety of tumor promoters. Synthesis and activity of 2-alkylated benzolactams

The size and position of a hydrophobic moiety on a benzolactam skeleton, which reproduces the active conformation and biological activity of teleocidins, play an important role in the appearance of the activity. Compounds with alkyl groups of various sizes and shapes at the 2-position of benzolactam were synthesized. Structure–activity results indicate that a hydrophobic substituent at the C-2 position plays a critical role in the appearance of biological activities, as in the case of substitution at C-9.