Design, synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of diphenyl(quinolin-8-yl)phosphine oxides.

[Display omitted] • Synthesis of new quinolinylphosphine oxides via the Povarov reaction between phosphorous aldimines and acetylenes. • New compounds are obtained in a regioselective fashion. • The biological activity of these compounds has been evaluated on a human lung alveolus adenocarcinoma (A 549) cell line. • Higher antiproliferative activity of these compounds than the reference anticancer agents chlorambucil or cisplatin. A new strategy is reported for the synthesis of quinolinylphosphine oxides via the Povarov reaction between phosphorous aldimines and acetylenes. Moreover, these compounds were studied for in vitro cytotoxicity on a human lung alveolus adenocarcinoma (A 549) cell line, demonstrating strong inhibition of cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]