Potential radiosensitizing agents. Dinitroimidazoles.

Abstract

New compounds of the nitroimidazole series have been synthesized as radiosensitizers which selectively sensitize hypoxic cells to the lethal effect of radiation. The reaction of 2,4(5)-dinitroimidazole (2) with chloroethanol or hydrochloric acid yielded 4(5)-nitro-5(4)-chloroimidazole (3), which upon reaction with ethylene oxide yielded the 4-nitro-5-chloroimidazole-1-ethanol (6). Reaction of 2 with ethylene oxide resulted in a mixture of two compounds, the 2,4-dinitroimidazole-1-ethanol (4) and 2,3-dihydro-5-nitroimidazo[2,1-b]oxazole (5). The structure of the new heterocyclic compound 5 was confirmed by 1H NMR, mass spectrum, and X-ray crystallography. These agents were tested for their ability to sensitize hypoxic Escherichia coli cells to killing by ionizing radiation. Compound 4 was found to be the most active agent of this series of compounds.