AIDS-related lymphoma screen results and molecular structure determination of a new crown ether bearing aziridinylcyclophosphazene, potentially capable of ion-regulated DNA cleavage action

The tetraaziridinyl PNP-lariat ether has been tested in the in vitro disease-oriented antitumor screen and evaluated further in an investigational AIDS-related lymphoma screen in vitro. This compound shows remarkable cytostatic activity. The crystal and molecular structure has been determined. The PNP-lariat ether has a pseudo-mirror plane perpendicular to the ring plane. The crown ether has an internal pseudo-threefold axis of symmetry. The so-called macrocyclic CC shortening effect is observed in the crown ether. All crown ether oxygen atoms are directed toward the interior of the ring and exist in an almost ideal envelope conformation. The cyclophosphazene ring is distorted from planarity and all PN bond lengths within the ring are equal with the mean value being 1.588(3) Å.