Synthesis and antitumour activity of pyrene-linked pyrrolo [2,1-c] and benzodiazepine hybrids

Pyrene-linked pyrrolobenzodiazepine hybrids have been synthesized that exhibit potential anticancer activity in a number of human tumour cell lines. These hybrids also exhibit much enhanced DNA-binding ability in comparison to the parent pyrrolobenzodiazepine ring system (DC-81).