CCL299

Three copper(II) complexes (I–III) bearing N,O‐bidentate ligands (L1–L3), derived from 2‐methylquinoline and cyclic secondary amines (including pyrrolidine, morpholine, and 4‐methylpiperidine), were successfully prepared and successively employed in construction of CN bonds via the Chan–Lam coupling of 1H‐imidazole derivatives with arylboronic acids. X‐ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that the central copper(II) atom of II adopted the distorted tetrahedral geometry, which was four coordinated by one nitrogen atom and one oxygen atom from L2 as well as two chloride atoms. Catalytic studies indicated that complex II displayed higher activity in Chan–Lam reaction than complex I or III. The present protocol for N,O‐coordinated‐copper complex‐catalyzed CN coupling reaction exhibited some advantages such as wide scope of substrates, good yields, and mild conditions.

Benzimidazoles are considered potential anticancer candidates. We herein studied the anticancer activity of CCL299, 4-(1H-1,3-benzodiazol-1-yl) benzonitrile.

In this in vitro study, we used ATP assays, flow cytometry, western blotting, and caspase-3/7 assays to evaluate the effects of CCL299 on cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression and apoptosis.

ATP assays showed that CCL299 inhibited cell growth in the hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2 and the cervical cancer cell line HEp-2, without exhibiting cytotoxic effects on non-cancer cells and TIG-1-20 fibroblasts. Flow cytometry, western blotting, and caspase-3/7 assays revealed that CCL299 induced G₁-phase cell-cycle arrest followed by apoptosis that was associated with up-regulation of p-p53 (Ser15) and p21 expression and the down-regulation of p-CDK2 (Thr160) expression.

CCL299 exhibits cytotoxic activity via apoptosis in a subset of cancer cells, and should be considered as a promising anticancer candidate agent.