Abstract

A series of naphthoquinones 2,3-disubstituted with chlorine and oxyethylene groups have been prepared from 2,3-dichloro- and 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone. The members of these series were tested on normal human fibroblasts and on a panel of four human cancer cell lines. Antitumor activities, which were in the range of IC50 1.3-89.5 μM, discussed in terms of LUMO energy, lipophilicity and size of the polyoxyethylene moiety. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.