SYNTHESIS AND IN VITRO/IN SILICO ANTITUMOR EVALUATION OF 4-SULFANYLQUINOLINYL AMIDE DERIVATIVES

The contemporary understanding of cancer in 2026 defines it as a systemic and multifactorial breakdown of biological homeostasis, characterized by a profound dysregulation of the molecular signaling networks that govern cell growth, survival, and differentiation. Although therapeutic management remains anchored in surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, chemoresistance persists as a critical obstacle, driving the search for new antineoplastic agents. This study reports the synthesis and structural characterization (via IR and NMR) of novel 4-sulfanylquinolinyl amide derivatives and their intermediates, as well as their in vitro and in silico antitumor biological evaluation. Preliminary cytotoxicity assays were conducted against the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line (K562) for intermediates 3 and 4 and the final products 6a–f. The compounds demonstrated moderate antiproliferative activity. Intermediate 4 (IC₅₀ = 15.41 µM) and the final product 6f (IC₅₀ = 19.65 µM) exhibited superior efficacy compared to the commercial control, quercetin (IC₅₀ = 24.75 µM). Furthermore, in silico predictions of the ADME profile suggest favorable pharmacokinetic properties and good compliance with oral bioavailability criteria. These findings position 4-sulfanylquinolinyl amides as promising lead structures for the design and optimization of future chemotherapeutic drugs.