ARYLALKYL ESTERS OF 4,5-DIHYDROXY-9,10-DIHYDRO-9,10-DIOXO-2-ANTHRACENECARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING THERAPEUTICAL ACTIVITY

Abstract: Arylalkyle esters of 4,5-dihydro-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylic acid, a process for the preparation thereof and the use thereof as therapeutical agents.

Description: ARYLALKYL ESTERS OF . 5-DIHYDROXY-9,10-DIHYDRO-9,10- DIOXO-2-ANTHRACENECARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING THERAPEUTICAL ACTIVITY The present invention relates to arylalkyl esters of 4 ,5-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-9 ,10-dioxo-2-anthracene- carboxylic acid of general formula: wherein R-CH 2 -0- is the residue of an R-CH OH alcohol deriving from the reduction of an R-COOH carboxylic acid having antiinflammatory action, which belongs in the class of salicylic, arylacetic, arylpropionic , anthran lic acids. Examples of antiinflammatory acids are reported hereinbelow: salicylic acids: salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, 5-aminosalicylic acid, diflunisal, fendosal; arylacetic acids: acemetacin, alclofenac, amfenac, ben- zadaσ, bufexamac, bumadizone, cinmetacin, clidanac, clometacin, clopirac, diclofenac, etodolac, fenclofe- nac, indobufen, indometacin, methiazinic acid, sulin- dac, tolmetin, zomepirac; propionic acids: alminoprofen, benoxaprofen, bucloxic acid, carprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, loxoprofen, naproxen, oxaprozin, protiziniσ acid, pi- neprofen, pirprofen, pranopr fen, suprofen, thiaprofe- nic acid? an hran lic acids: flufenamic acid, meclofena ic acid, mefenamic acid, niflu ic acid, lobenzarit, tolfenamic acid. Particularl preferred are the compounds of formula (I) wherein R is, according to the above definition, a residue from the following compounds: acid salicylic, acid acetylsalicylic, diflunisal, ibufenac . ibuprofen, naproxen, indometacin. The present invention also relates to the compounds of formula (I) wherein the hydroxy groups at the 4,5-positions of the anthracenedione ring and any hydroxy groups present on the aryl moiety of the R residue are esterified with lower aliphatic acids. The present invention further relates to the compounds of formula (I) in which any amino groups present in the R residues are acetylated or, if possible, salified. The compounds of formula (I) are prepared by reacting 4 ,5-di(acetyloxy)-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2- anthracenecarboxylic acid chloride of formula (II) with a primary alcohol R-CH-OH in which R is as defined above. The acid chloride (II) can be replaced by any reactive derivative of said acid (such as the ester, mixed, anhydride, and the like); or the acid can directly be reacted with an alcohol R-CH-OH in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and the like. The esterification reaction is carried out in an inert solvent, such as chloroform, in the presence of an acid-binding agent, for example triethylamine. The resulting ester is treated with aqueous ammonia, preferably 10% ammonia, in order to deacetylate the hydroxy groups at the 4- and 5- positions of the anthracene ring, to give a compound of formula (I) wherein said hydroxy groups are free. The compounds of the invention have interesting pharmacological properties, which are higher than those predictable by the mere addition of compounds having antiinflammatory activity ' with the rhein (4,5- dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxy- lic acid) molecule, which is already used in the osteoarthritis therapy. The advantageous pharmacological properties of the compounds of the invention make them useful as such or in form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts (or esters) thereof for the preparation of medicaments, in admixture with appropriate conventional carriers. Examples of pharmaceutical compositions are tablets, capsules, pills, injectable solutions or suspensions, ointments, creams and the like. Doses will range from 5 to 500 mg for unit dose, the daily dose depending on the severity of the condition to treat as well as on the general conditions of the patient. The following examples further illustrate the invention. EXAMPLE 1 2-Hydroxybenzyl 4,5-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo- 2-anthracenecarboxylate A solution of 1.55 g (12.5 mmoles) of 2-hydroxy- benzyl alcohol in 20 ml of anhydrous chloroform, cooled in ice-bath, is added with 1.66 ml (12 mmoles) of anhydrous triethylamine. A solution of 4.7 g (12 mmoles) of 4,5-acetoxy-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-an- thracenecarboxylic acid chloride in 80 ml of anhydrous chloroform is added to the stirred solution, with cooling. The reaction mixture is left to react at room temperature for 4 hours. After that, chloroform is evaporated off under reduced pressure and the residue is kept under magnetic stirring overnight in a sodium bicarbonate saturated solution. Thereafter, the mixture is extracted with chloroform, solvent is evaporated off under reduced pressure and the crude residue is stirred for a night in 60 ml of a 10% NH 3 aqueous solution. The mixture is acidified with cone. HCl to pH 5 and extracted with chloroform, which is then evaporated under reduced pressure and the crude residue containing the title product is purified by means of silica gel chromatography with a 3:7 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 125-130°C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for EXAMPLE 2 5-(2 , 4-Difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxybenzyl 4 ,5-dihydroxy- 9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylate The procedure of example 1 is repeated, but using 2.95 g (12.5 mmoles) of 5-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-hy¬ droxybenzyl alcohol. The title product is obtained which is purified by silica gel chromatography with a 2:8 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 128-132 C C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for C 28 H 16 F 2°7 : Calculated % Found % C 66.93 66.85 H 3.21 3.16 0 22.29 22.21 EXAMPLE 3 2-(4-Isobutylphenyl)-ethyl 4 ,5-dihydroxy-9 ,10-dihydro- 9,10-dioxό-2-anthracenecarboxylate The procedure of example 1 is repeated, but using 2.14 g (12 mmoles) of 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-ethyl alcohol. The title product is obtained which is purified by silica gel chromatography with a 1:9 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 117-121°C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for C 27 H 24°6 : Calculated % Found % C 72.95 73.06 H 5.44 5.49 0 21.80 * 21.52 EXAMPLE 4 2-(4-Isobutylphenyl)-propyl 4 , 5-dihydroxy-9 , 10-dihydro- 9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylate The procedure of example 1 is repeated, but using 2.3 g (12 mmoles) of 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-propyl alcohol. The title product is obtained which is purified by silica gel chromatography with a 1:9 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 115°C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for 2-(6-Methoxy-2-naphthyl)-propyl 4,5-dihydroxy-9,10- dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylate The procedure of example 1 is repeated, but using 2.6 g (12 mmoles) of _--(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)-propyl alcohol. The title product is obtained which is purified by silica gel chromatography with a 4:6 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 147-151°C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for 2-[1-(4-Chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-lH-indol-3- yl]-ethyl 4,5-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2- anthracenecarboxylate The procedure of example 1 is repeated, but using 3.95 g (12 mmoles) of 2-[l-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl- 5-methoxy-lH-indol-3-yl]-ethyl alcohol. The title product is obtained which is purified by silica gel chromatography with a 3:7 ethyl acetate/cyclohexane mixture. M.p. 139-146°C. IR and H NMR in agreement. Elementary analysis for

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Compounds of general formula (I) wherein R-CH 2 -0- is the residue of an R-CH-OH alcohol deriving from the reduction of an R-COOH carboxylic acid having antiinflammatory action, which belongs in the class of salicylic, arylacetic, arylpropionic, anthranylic acids; the enantiomers, diastereoisomers and mixtures thereof and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. 2. Compounds according to claim 1 wherein the R-CH--0- residue derives from the following compounds: salicylic acids: salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, 5-aminosalicylic acid, diflunisal, fendosal; arylacetic acids: acemetacin, alclofenac, amfenac, ben- zadac, bufexamac, bumadizone, cinmetacin, clidanac, clometacin, clopirac, diclofenac, etodolac, fenclofe- nac, indobufen, indometacin, methiazinic acid, sulin- dac, tolmetin, zomepirac; propionic acids: alminoprofen, benoxaprofen, bucloxic acid, carprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, loxoprofen, na roxen, oxaprozin, protizinic acid, pi- neprofen, pirprofen, pranoprofen, suprofen, thiaprofe- nic acid; anthranylic acids: flufenamic acid, meclofenamic acid, mefenamic acid, niflumic acid, lobenzarit, tolfenamic acid. 3. Compounds according to claims 1-2, wherein the R-CH_-0- residue derives from the compounds: salicylic acid, diflunisal, ibufenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, indometacin. 4. A process for the preparation of the compounds of formula (I), characterized in that a 4,5-diacetoxy- 9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylic acid reactive derivative is reacted with an alcohol of formula R-CH.-OH, wherein R is as defined above, and the hydroxy groups at the 4- and 5-positions of the anthracene ring are subsequently restored. 5. A process according to claim 4, characterized in that the acid chloride is used as the 4,5-diacetoxy- 9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxylic acid reactive derivative. 6. A process according to claim 4 o 5 characterized in that 10% aqueous NH, is used to restore the hydroxy groups. 7. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of claims 1-3 as the active ingredients in admixture with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and excipients. 8. The use of the compounds of claims 1-3 for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of arthritis.

Inventors: MIAN MAURIZIO, ROSINI SERGIO, MIAN, MAURIZIO, ROSINI, SERGIO
Applicants: GENTILI IST SPA, ISTITUTO GENTILI S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C07C69
IPC codes: A61K31, A61P29, C07C67, C07C69, C07D207, C07D209, C07D213, C07D263, C07D279, C07D333, C07D491