Syntheses, structural characterization and biological activities of spiro-ansa-spiro-cyclotriphosphazenes

Abstract

The replacement reactions of the Cl-atoms in partly substituted spiro-ansa-spiro-cyclotriphosphazenes (7 and 8) with excess pyrrolidine, 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine, and 1,4-dioxa-8-azaspiro[4,5]decane in dry THF led to the formation of heterocyclic amine substituted cyclotriphosphazenes (9a–c and 10a–c). All cyclotriphosphazene derivatives were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, MS, 1D ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR and 2D HSQC, and HMBC techniques, and the crystal structure of partly substituted cyclotriphosphazene 8 was verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. Cyclotriphosphazene derivatives (5–8, 9a–c, and 10a–c) were subjected to antimicrobial activity against seven clinic bacteria and one yeast strain, and the interactions of the phosphazenes with plasmid pBR322 DNA were investigated. Phosphazene derivatives [(5, 7, 8, 9b and 9c) and (10a and 10b)] caused a slight increase and substantial decrease in the mobility of form I DNA, respectively, while 9a caused retardation on gel. Cytotoxic, apoptotic and necrotic effects against L929 fibroblast and A549 lung cancer cells were also evaluated. While the highest toxic effect was obtained for 9a in L929 fibroblast cells and for 9c in A549 lung cancer cells at 100 μg mL⁻¹ concentration, the highest apoptotic effect was determined for 10a in L929 fibroblast cells and for 9a in A549 lung cancer cells at the same concentration. It was found that 9a and 10b exhibited the most necrotic effects against L929 fibroblast and A549 lung cancer cells, respectively. The toxic and necrotic effects of the phosphazenes against A549 lung cancer cells were greater than those against L929 fibroblast cells, whereas, the apoptotic effect of the compounds was greater in L929 fibroblast cells than in A549 lung cancer cells.