Synthesis of some Mannich bases with dimethylamine and their hydrazones and evaluation of their cytotoxicity against Jurkat cells.

1-Aryl-3-dimethylamino-1-propanone hydrochlorides type mono Mannich bases, D series, and corresponding hydrazone derivatives, K series, were synthesized and their cytotoxicity was tested against Jurkat cells (transformed human T-lymphocytes). The aryl part was changed as phenyl in D1 and K1, 4-methylphenyl in D2 and K2, 4-methoxyphenyl in D3 and K3, 4-hydroxyphenyl in D4 and K4, 4-chlorophenyl in D5 and K5, 3-methoxyphenyl in D6 and K6, 4-fluorophenyl in D7 and K7, 4-bromophenyl in D8 and K8, 3-hydroxyphenyl in D9 and K9, and 2-acetylthiophene in D10 and K10. Of the compounds synthesized, K2, K3, K5, K6, K7, K8, K9, and K10 are reported for the first time. Cytotoxic activities of the D and K series were compared with each other to see alterations in bioactivity depending on the chemical structures in Jurkat cells. Cytotoxicities of the compounds synthesized were also compared with the reference compound, 5-fluorouracil (CAS 148-82-3). Mono Mannich bases, D1 (3.60 times), D2 (4.45 times), D3 (2.46 times), D4 (3.52 times), D5 (5.18 times), D6 (3.20 times), D7 (3.23 times), D8 (3.95 times), D9 (3.36 times) and D10 (3.99 times) had 2.46-5.18 times higher cytotoxic potency than the reference compound 5-fluorouracil against Jurkat cells, while hydrazones K1 (4.92 times), K2 (4.65 times), K3 (6.04 times), K4 (6.34 times), K5 (4.67 times), K6 (5.12 times), K7 (5.39 times), K8 (8.31 times), K9 (4.65 times) and K10 (8.65 times) had 4.65-8.65 times higher cytotoxic potency than the reference compound 5-fluorouracil against the same cell line. On the other hand, hydrazone compounds K1 (1.37 times), K3 (2.46 times), K4 (1.80 times), K6 (1.60 times), K7 (1.67 times), K8 (2.11 times), K9 (1.38 times), and K10 (2.17 times) had 1.37-2.46 times higher cytotoxic potency than their corresponding mono Mannich bases. The results of this study suggest that hydrazones were better compounds compared with the corresponding mono Mannich bases in terms of cytotoxicity, and they may serve as model compounds to develop new cytotoxic agents for further studies.