Indolocarbazole anticancer agents and methods of using same

1. A compound of formula I or formula II:

wherein in each compound

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, OH, NH 2 , NO 2 , SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkyloxy, C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, or cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl, wherein said alkyl is straight-chained or branched, saturated or unsaturated, and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or aryl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, aryloxy, aryl-C 1-6 alkyloxy, arylcarbonyloxy, arylamino, di(aryl)amino, aryl-C 1-6 alkylamino, di(aryl-C 1-6 alkyl)amino, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; aryl comprises six membered aromatic carbocycles or polycyclic aromatic rings and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or heterocycle, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (heterocycle)oxy, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (heterocycle)carbonyloxy, (heterocycle)amino, di(heterocycle)amino, [(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; heterocycle comprises 3–8 membered heterocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or carbocycle, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (carbocycle)oxy, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (carbocycle)carbonyloxy, (carbocycle)amino, di(carbocycle)amino, [(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; carbocycle comprises 3–8 membered carbocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or carbamate of the formula —NH—CO—R″, wherein R″ comprises H, C 1-6 alkyl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, heterocycle-C 1-6 alkyl, wherein said alkyl, aryl and heterocycle are defined as above,

or aryl carbamate of the formula —NH—CO—Ar, wherein said aryl is defined as above,

or heterocycle carbamate of the formula —NH—CO-heterocycle, wherein said heterocycle is defined as above,

or carbocycle carbamate of the formula —NH—CO-carbocycle, wherein said carbocycle is defined as above,

or sulfonamide of the formula —NH—S(O) n R, wherein said n is 1 or 2,

R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, CN, OH, SH, NH 2 , N 3 , NO 2 , CO 2 R, CONRR′, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbamate, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl, C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, or cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, wherein said alkyl is straight-chained or branched, saturated or unsaturated, and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or aryl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, aryloxy, aryl-C 1-6 alkyloxy, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl, aryl-C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl, aryl-C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl, arylcarbonyloxy, arylcarbamate, arylamino, di(aryl)amino, aryl-C 1-6 alkylamino, di(aryl-C 1-6 alkyl)amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; aryl comprises six membered aromatic carbocycles or polycyclic aromatic rings and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or heterocycle, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (heterocycle)oxy, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (heterocycle)sulphinyl, (heterocycle)sulphonyl, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl, (heterocycle)carbonyloxy, (heterocycle)amino, di(heterocycle)amino, [(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; heterocycle comprises 3–8 membered heterocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or carbocycle, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (carbocycle)oxy, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (carbocycle)carbonyloxy, (carbocycle)amino, di(carbocycle)amino, [(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; carbocycle comprises 3–8 membered carbocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or R 2 and R 3 , R 4 and R 5 , or R 3 and R 4 together form a non-aromatic 5–8 membered cyclic or heterocyclic rings;

R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, NH 2 , alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbamate, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkyloxy, C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, aryl, carbocyclic or heterocyclic, wherein said alkyl, aryl, carbocyclic and heterocyclic are defined above; or R 8 and R 9 together, R 10 and R 11 together can independently form ═O;

R 12 represents an optionally substituted pentose or hexose group, or said pentose and/or hexose may be linked to form an oligosaccharide

or H, OH, NH 2 , SO 2 NRR′, CO 2 H, CONRR′, C 1-12 alkylcarbonyl, C 1-12 alkyloxycarbonyl, C 1-12 alkylcarbonyloxy, C 1-12 alkyl, C 1-12 epoxyalkyl, C 1-12 alkyloxy, C 1-6 alkyloxy-C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkylthio-C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-12 alkylamino, di(C 1-12 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkyloxy-C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyloxy-C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyloxy, di(C 1-6 alkylamino)-C 1-6 alkyloxy, cyclo(C 3-6 alkyl, C 1-12 alkylsulphinyl, C 1-12 alkylsulphonyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl-C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl-C 1-6 alkyl, polyethyleneglycole (PEG), polyamine, wherein said alkyl is straight-chained or branched, saturated or unsaturated, and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or aryl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, aryloxy, aryl-C 1-6 alkyloxy, arylcarbonyloxy, arylamino, di(aryl)amino, aryl-C 1-6 alkylamino, di(aryl-C 1-6 alkyl)amino, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl, arylsulphinyl-C 1-6 alkyl, arylsulphonyl-C 1-6 alkyl, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; aryl comprises six membered aromatic carbocycles or polycyclic aromatic rings and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or heterocycle, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (heterocycle)oxy, (heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (heterocycle)carbonyloxy, (heterocycle)amino, di(heterocycle)amino, [(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(heterocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; heterocycle comprises 3–8 membered heterocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or carbocycle, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl, (carbocycle)oxy, (carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyloxy, (carbocycle)carbonyloxy, (carbocycle)amino, di(carbocycle)amino, [(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, di[(carbocycle)C 1-6 alkyl]amino, wherein said alkyl is defined as above; carbocycle comprises 3–8 membered carbocycles or polycyclic systems and is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

or carbamate of the formula —NH—CO—R″, wherein R″ comprises H, C 1-6 alkyl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, heterocycle-C 1-6 alkyl, wherein said alkyl, aryl and heterocycle are defined as above,

or aryl carbamate of the formula —NH—CO—Ar, wherein said aryl is defined as above,

or heterocycle carbamate of the formula —NH—CO-heterocycle, wherein said heterocycle is defined as above,

or carbocycle carbamate of the formula —NH—CO-carbocycle, wherein said carbocycle is defined as above,

or sulfonamide of the formula —NH—S(O) n R, wherein said n is 1 or 2,

X 1 , X 2 and X 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, NH, (CH) n , (CH 2 ) n , CO, wherein said n is 1, 2 or 3, and the hydrogen atom in NH, CH, CH 2 is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R and CONRR′,

Z is selected from the group consisting of CH 2 , NH, O, S;

R and R′ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-12 alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic, carbocyclic, and cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, OH, NH 2 , N 3 , SR, CN, CO 2 H, CO 2 (C 1-3 alkyl), S(C 1-3 alkyl), O(C 1-3 alkyl), NH(C 1-3 alkyl), NH(C 1-3 alkyl) 2 , and is saturated or unsaturated; or R and R′ together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a non-aromatic 5–8 membered heterocycle containing one or two of the same or different heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S; or

a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;

with the proviso that when R 2 =R 4 =R 5 =R 6 =R 7 =H, R 8 and R 9 together is ═O, R 10 and R 11 together is ═O, X 1 =X 3 =O, X 2 =(CH 2 ) 1-3 , R 3 is any of H, OH, NH 2 , C 1-6 alkyl, aryl-C 1-6 alkyl, or mono- or polyfluorinated C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, aryl or heterocycle, and Z=NH, R 12 is not unsubstituted or unmodified β-D-glucopyranosyl.

2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein Z is NH.

3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from —H, —OH, C 1 –C 6 -alkyl, —N 3 , —NO 2 , —NH 2 , and halogen.

4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each H and R 5 is OH or F.

5. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 2 , R 3 and R 5 , are each H, and R 4 is OH, NH 2 , Br, or F.

6. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 2 , R 4 , and R 5 are each H, and R 3 is CH 3 , N 3 , NO 2 , NH 2 , Br, or F.

7. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 12 is selected from the group consisting of:

8. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 8 and R 9 together and R 10 and R 11 together form ═O.

9. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is H, NH 2 , NHCHO, NHCH(CH 2 OH) 2 , or CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 .

10. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 1 and X 3 are both O and X 2 is (CH 2 ) n , wherein n=1, 2, or 3.

11. A compound according to claim 1 wherein the pentoses and hexoses are optionally substituted by independently replacing one or more hydrogen and/or hydroxy groups of the pentose and hexose with a substituent selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, R, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , SR, OR, NRR′, SOR, SO 2 R, SO 3 R, SO 2 NRR′, COR, CO 2 R, CONRR′, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbamate, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkylsulphinyl, C 1-6 alkylsulphonyl, C 1-6 alkylamino, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino, C 1-6 alkylamino-C 1-6 alkyl, di(C 1-6 alkyl)amino-C 1-6 alkyl, cyclo(C 3-6 )alkyl, aryl, carbocyclic, and heterocyclic, wherein said alkyl, aryl, carbocyclic and heterocyclic groups are as defined in claim 1 .

12. A compound according to any one of claims 1 or 11 wherein the pentoses and hexoses are optionally substituted by derivatizing or oxidizing one or more hydroxyl groups of the pentose and hexose.

13. A compound according to any one of claims 1 or 11 wherein the pentoses and hexoses are optionally substituted by replacing one or more ring atoms with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 2 , CHR, CR 2 , O, S, NH, or NR wherein R and R 2 are as defined in claim 1 .

14. A compound according to claim 12 wherein the pentoses and hexoses are optionally substituted by replacing one or more ring atoms with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 2 , CHR, CR 2 , O, S, NH, or NR wherein R and R 2 are as defined in claim 1 .

15. A method of inhibiting topoisomerase I activity comprising administering to a mammal in need of inhibition of topoisomerase I activity an effective amount of at least one compound of claim 1 .

16. A composition for inhibiting topoisomerase I activity comprising an effective amount of at least one compound of claim 1 in combination with a carrier, a pharmaceutical adjuvant, or additive material.