Compounds and Methods for the Treatment of Cancer

A method for treating cancer in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a structure of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof

• wherein
• X is S or Se;
• W is O, S, or (R)(R), where each occurrence of R is independently H or a C1-2alkyl;
• n is an integer from 2 to 8;
• R1 and R2 are independently C1-10alkyl;
• R3′ is —H, C1-10alkyl, or C0-6alkyl-COOR6;
• R3 is H, amino, cyano, halogen, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, carboxyl, C1-10alkyl, C1-10alkyl, or C1-10alkenyl;
• C1-10alkynyl;
• R4 is —OH, —H, —CH3, amino, —OC(O)C1-10aralkyl, —OC(O)C1-10alkyl, or —OC(O)aryl;
• R5 is —OH, cyano, C1-10alkoxy, amino, O-aralkyl, —OC(O)C1-10aralkyl, —OC(O)C1-10alkyl, or —OC(O)aryl, or a glycine substituent;
• and
• R6 is H or C1-10alkyl.