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We report here the design, synthesis, androgenic activity and anti-androgenic activity of novel derivatives of hexadecahedral 1,10-dicarba-closo-decaborane, which is generally called ten-vertex para-carborane. The synthesized compounds exhibited very high binding affinity for the androgen receptor and showed anti-androgenic activity toward the androgen-dependent SC-3 cell line. Two compounds also exhibited partial agonistic activity in SC-3 assay. The docking studies of carborane derivatives to AR demonstrate that ten-vertex carborane is useful for development of novel bioactive compounds as well as twelve-vertex carboranes that are well known to be versatile pharmacophores. Ten-vertex carborane, which has not previously been applied in the field of medicinal chemistry, appears to have potential as a hydrophobic pharmacophore with characteristic properties.

Development of antagonists for a mutated androgen receptor (AR) is important for treatment of anti-androgen-refractory prostate cancers. We describe here application of the p-carborane cage as a hydrophobic core structure for novel anti-androgens active toward LNCaP human prostate cancer cells with mutated AR. These compounds are expected to be versatile lead compounds not only for development of AR pan-antagonists, but also for discovery of mutant-selective anti-androgens.

Several members of two homologous series of symmetric bent-shaped compounds with either m-carborane or adamantane (1[n] or 2[n], n = 9–13) in the central position were synthesized and investigated by optical, calorimetric, X-ray diffraction, and electro-optical methods. Results show that the two shortest members of the m-carborane series, 1[9] and 1[10], exhibit an intercalated lamellar B6 phase. The adamantane derivatives 2[9]–2[13] display a monotropic weakly birefringent soft crystalline or crystalline phase with homochiral domains. Neither phase undergoes polarization switching in an electric field.

Two homologous series of carborane-containing dioxanes 1[n] and 2[n] (n = 1–10) were prepared and their mesogenic properties investigated. All compounds exhibit nematic behavior and three members of series 2[n] show an E phase. Numerical analysis of the clearing temperatures gave a limiting value TNI(∞) of 89 °C for series 2[n] and indicated conformational flexibility of the dioxane ring. Investigations of three-ring derivative 1[4] gave Δn = 0.17, S = 0.53, and Δe = +0.4 ± 0.1 at 85 °C. Extrapolation of dielectric data for dilute solutions of 1[4] in 6-CHBT gave Δe = +0.4 ± 0.25 at 24 °C. Modelling of dielectric results with the Maier–Meier equation demonstrated that conformers with a higher β angle are preferred, which is consistent with conformational selection for the most elongated conformers.