Synthesis of novel indole‐oxadiazole molecular hybrids by a regioselective C‐3 sulfenylation of indole with 1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐thiols using iodine‐dimethyl sulfoxide and their anticancer properties

Abstract

Abstract Novel indole‐oxadiazole molecular hybrids have been synthesized by a regioselective C‐3 sulfenylation of indoles with 1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐thiols for the first time using iodine as a catalyst and DMSO as a co‐oxidant. No other regioisomeric products were formed when the 3‐position of the indole is substituted. The method is mild and highly efficient with good substrate tolerance in both components. The indole‐oxadiazole hybrid compounds are tested for their antiproliferative activities against human breast carcinoma cell line MCF‐7 and a set of hybrids is identified as having moderate growth inhibition with IC 50 (10–25 μM). The indole‐oxadiazole hybrid 3gc showed the most significant cell proliferative activity against the MCF‐7 cell line with IC 50 10 μM.