An Efficient One-Pot Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of 4'-Substituted Flavonoids

Abstract

A number of 4'-substituted (R = H, Me, Cl, F) flavone derivatives is synthesized from 2-hydroxyacetophenones using the modified Baker–Venkataraman reaction. Compound [3-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-5- hydroxy-4'-fluoroflavone] was synthesized for the first time with the yield of 12%. Antiproliferative assays indicate that the synthesized flavones with F substituent at the 4' position demonstrate higher activity than the other flavone derivatives, particularly against HeLa and MCF-7 with the IC₅₀ 9.5 and 2.7 μM, respectively.