Organic phenyl arsonic acid compounds with potent antileukemic activity

A series of 12 organic arsonic acid compounds has been synthesized and evaluated against human B-lineage (NALM-6) and T-lineage (MOLT-3) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines. The lead compounds 2-trichloromethyl-4-[4'-(4"-phenylazo)phenylarsonic acid]aminoquinazoline (compound 19, PHI-P518; IC(50)=1.1+/-0.5 microM against NALM-6 and 2.0+/-0.8 microM against MOLT-3) and 2-methylthio-4-(2'-phenylarsonic acid)aminopyrimidine (compound 15, PHI-P381; IC(50)=1.5+/-0.3 microM against NALM-6 and 2.3+/-0.5 microM against MOLT-3) exhibited potent antileukemic activity at low micromolar concentrations.