Nimbolide analogs as anti-cancer agents and preparation thereof

A method of treatment of cancer using a compound of general formula I or a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of general formula I:

• wherein:
• ring M is any ring selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl and heterocyclic;
• and
• (i) when A and B are selected from the group consisting of C, N, and S, then R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C3-C7 cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, hydrogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, nitro, halogen, amino, alkylamino, aryl amino and cyano;
• wherein each of these groups may be further substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, cyano, alkyl amino, aryl amino, alkoxy, amino, nitro, aldehyde, carboxylic acid and ester;
• and
• (ii) when A and/or B is O, then;
• R1, R2, and R3 are selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C3-C7 cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, hydrogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, nitro, halogen, amino, alkylamino, aryl amino and cyano;
• wherein each of these groups may be further substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, cyano, alkyl amino, aryl amino, alkoxy, amino, nitro, aldehyde, carboxylic acid and ester;
• and
• (iii) when A is O, then R4 and R5 are not present;
• and
• (iv) when B is O, then R6 is not present;
• and
• wherein the dashed bond line in Formula I indicates the presence of either a single or double bond.