9-Amino Acridines Undergo Reversible Amine Exchange Reactions in Water: Implications on Their Mechanism of Action in Vivo

Abstract

9-Amino substituted acridines undergo a reversible amine exchange reaction in water under near-physiological conditions via an unstable hemiaminal intermediate. This thermodynamically controlled reaction may have implications in understanding the mode of action of 9-aminoacridines in vivo and in the future design of drugs based on this scaffold.