Three crucial anticancer
scaffolds, namely indolin-2-one, 1,3,4-thiadiazole,
and aziridine, are explored to synthesize virtually screened target
molecules based on the c-KIT kinase protein. The stem cell factor
receptor c-KIT was selected as target because most U.S. FDA-approved
receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors bearing the indolin-2-one scaffold
profoundly inhibit c-KIT. Molecular hybrids of indolin-2-one with
1,3,4-thiadiazole (
IIIa
–
m
) and aziridine
(
VIa
and
VIc
) were afforded through a modified
Schiff base green synthesis using β-cyclodextrin-SO
3
H in water as a recyclable proton-donor catalyst. A computational
study found that indolin-2,3-dione forms a supramolecular inclusion
complex with β-cyclodextrin-SO
3
H through noncovalent
interactions. A molecular docking study of all the synthesized compounds
was executed on the c-KIT kinase domain, and most compounds displayed
binding affinities similar to that of Sunitinib. On the basis of the
pharmacokinetic significance of the aryl thioether linkage in small
molecules, 1,3,4-thiadiazole hybrids (
IIIa
–
m
) were extended to a new series of 3-((5-(phenylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)imino)indolin-2-ones
(
IVa
–
m
) via thioetherification using
bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II)dichloride as the catalyst for
C–S bond formation. Target compounds were tested against NCI-60
human cancer cell lines for a single-dose concentration. Among all
three series of indolin-2-ones, the majority of compounds demonstrated
broad-spectrum activity toward various cancer cell lines. Compounds
IVc
and
VIc
were further evaluated for a five-dose
anticancer study. Compound
IVc
showed a potent activity
of IC
50
= 1.47 μM against a panel of breast cancer
cell lines, whereas compound
VIc
exhibited the highest
inhibition for a panel of colon cancer cell lines at IC
50
= 1.40 μM.
In silico
ADME property descriptors
of all the target molecules are in an acceptable range. Machine learning
algorithms were used to examine the metabolites and phase I and II
regioselectivities of compounds
IVc
and
VIc
, and the results suggested that these two compounds could be potential
leads for the treatment of cancer.