New acridone derivatives to target telomerase and oncogenes - an anticancer approach.

In this work, two new acridone derivatives, and , were synthesized, for the first time, aiming to evaluate their potential as quadruplex stabilizers and anticancer agents. was synthesized through a very straightforward one-pot sequential chemical reaction involving the Heck cross-coupling reaction of ()-3-iodo-2-(4-methoxystyryl)-1-methylquinolin-4(1)-one with a vinyl pyridine followed by electrocyclization and oxidation, while the synthesis of involved an additional -methylation of the pyridine ring. Their ability to stabilize G-quadruplex DNA structures, which are associated with the regulation of oncogenes, was assessed using biophysical methods.