E,E-2-Benzylidene-6-(nitrobenzylidene)cyclohexanones: Syntheses, cytotoxicity and an examination of some of their electronic, steric, and hydrophobic properties Original Research Article

Three series of structurally isomeric 2-benzylidene-6-(nitrobenzylidene) cyclohexanones 1–3 were prepared and evaluated against human Molt/C8 and CEM T-lymphocytes as well as murine L1210 cells. The IC50 values of the majority of compounds are less than 10 μM and in some assays, the figures for 1d and 1e are submicromolar. Correlations were discerned between cytotoxic potencies and the atomic charges on one of the olefinic carbon atoms, the torsion angles between an aryl ring, and the adjacent unsaturated group as well as log P values. Three representative compounds were examined for their effect on respiration in rat liver mitochondria.