Triarylmethane analogs and their use in treating cancers

A compound having the formula:

• wherein
• J represents a direct linkage between the two aryl rings, O, S, Se, NR, or (CR2)n
• n=0-4,
• E is CH, C bonded to a substituent Z, as defined herein, or N,
• R═H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl,
• X═H, amine, hydroxy, ether, thiol, or thiol ether, and is preferably selected from amine, hydroxy, ether, thiol, and thiol ether,
• Y═O, S, or NR2, where an amine can optionally link back to the ring in an ortho position via an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl moiety,
• Z=an optional substituent, a cyclic ring attached to the aryl ring, or a second aryl or heteroaryl ring attached to the benzene ring or cyclohexadiene ring,
• wherein the aryl or heteroaryl rings can be substituted at any free position with H or a substituent, Z, as described herein, and
• substituents defined by Z are selected from the group consisting of C1-6 alkyl, alkenyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, —OR′, —NR′R″, —CF3, —CN, —NO2, —C2R′, —SR′, —N3, —C(═O)NR′R″, —NR′C(═O)R″, —C(═O)R′, —C(═O)OR′, —OC(═O)R′, —OC(═O)NR′R″, —NR′C(═O)O R″, —SO2R′, —SO2NR′R″, and —NR′SO2R″, where R′ and R″ are individually hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, or arylalkyl.
• X′ is O, S, NR, or NR2+,
• T is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, —C(O)—O—, —C(O)—S—, —C(O)—NR—, —O—C(O)—, —S—C(O)—, —NR—C(O)—, NR, O, S, (—CR2)n, (—CR2)—NR—, (—CR2)n—O—, and (—CR2)n—S—;
• and
• U is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, NR, S, O, and (—CR2)n, with the proviso that U cannot be —(CR2)n—NR when T is —(CR2)n and n=2.

A compound having the formula:

• wherein
• J represents a direct linkage between the two aryl rings, O, S, Se, NR, or (CR2)n
• n=0-4,
• E is CH, C bonded to a substituent Z, as defined herein, or N,
• R═H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl,
• X═H, amine, hydroxy, ether, thiol, or thiol ether, and is preferably selected from amine, hydroxy, ether, thiol, and thiol ether,
• Y═O, S, or NR2, where an amine can optionally link back to the ring in an ortho position via an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl moiety,
• Z=an optional substituent, a cyclic ring attached to the aryl ring, or a second aryl or heteroaryl ring attached to the benzene ring or cyclohexadiene ring,
• wherein the aryl or heteroaryl rings can be substituted at any free position with H or a substituent, Z, as described herein, and
• substituents defined by Z are selected from the group consisting of C1-6 alkyl, alkenyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, —OR′, —NR′R″, —CF3, —CN, —NO2, —C2R′, —SR′, —N3, —C(═O)NR′R″, —NR′C(═O)R″, —C(═O)R′, —C(═O)OR′, —OC(═O)R′, —OC(═O)NR′R″, —NR′C(═O)O R″, —SO2R′, —SO2NR′R″, and —NR′SO2R″, where R′ and R″ are individually hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, or arylalkyl.
• X′ is O, S, NR, or NR2+,
• T is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, —C(O)—O—, —C(O)—S—, —C(O)—NR—, —O—C(O)—, —S—C(O)—, —NR—C(O)—, NR, O, S, (—CR2)n, (—CR2)n—NR—, (—CR2)n—O—, and (—CR2)n—S—;
• and
• U is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, NR, S, O, and (—CR2)n, with the proviso that U cannot be —(CR2)n—NR when T is —(CR2)n and n=2.