Pyrrolo›3,2-b-!-carbazoles and 1H›1!benzothieno ›2,3-f! indoles having anti-tumor activity

A compound of the formula (I) ##STR6## and salts and physiologically functional derivatives thereof, wherein A is ##STR7## X is O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, CH.sub.2, CO or NR.sup.7 wherein R.sup.7 is H, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, aralkyl containing from 1 to 4 atoms in the alkyl portion the aryl portion being a carbocyclic or heterocyclic aryl group, aryl selected from the group consisting of a carbocyclic aryl group and a heterocyclic aryl group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms, alkenyl, C.sub.1-10 acyl, alkynyl, sulphonyl or substituted sulphonyl;

• Y is O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, CH.sub.2, CO or NR.sup.7, with the proviso that Y is not O when X is O;
• R.sup.1 is COOR.sup.8, CONHR.sup.8, CONR.sup.8 R.sup.9, CSOR.sup.8, CSSR.sup.8, COSR.sup.8, CSNHR.sup.8, CSNR.sup.8 R.sup.9, CNHOR.sup.8, wherein R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are independently C.sub.1-10 unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbyl group which does or does not contain one or two oxygen atoms in the chain;
• the hydrocarbyl group being selected from the group consisting of straight-chain or branched C.sub.1-10 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, aralkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl portion and the aryl portion being a carbocyclic or heterocyclic group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms, aralkenyl and aralkynyl groups where the C.sub.1-10 alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl portion is straight-chain or branched;
• said hydrocarbyl groups are unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, azido, alkenyl, halo, hydroxy, nitro, amino, alkylamino unsubstituted or substituted by one or two alkyl groups, cyano, carboxylate, alkyl ester, aralkyl ester, aryl ester wherein the alkyl ester, aralkyl ester and aryl ester are unsubstituted or substituted, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, aryloxy, arylalkoxy, substituted arylalkoxy, sulphinyl, sulphonyl, thio, alkylthio, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, halo, alkyl, phosphate, phosphonate, silyl, silyloxy, wherein silyl and silyloxy are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more C.sub.1-4 alkyl or aryl, keto, formyl;
• any substituent present on alkyl esters, aralkyl esters and aryl esters being nitro, amino, hydroxy, alkoxy, halogen, cyano and alkyl
• or R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are independently alkoxyalkyl, heterocycloalkyl containing between 3 and 6 ring atoms, heteroaralkyl, or R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are a sugar group,
• with the proviso that R.sup.1 is not COOR.sup.8, CONHR.sup.9, CONR.sup.9 R.sup.10
• wherein R.sup.8 is alkyl or aralkyl, R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are alkyl, R.sup.2 is H, halo, cyano, COOR.sup.8, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, aryl, selected from the group consisting of a carbocyclic aryl group and a heterocyclic aryl group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, wherein alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl and alkoxy are unsubstituted or substituted or CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 R.sup.12 wherein R.sup.12 is C.sub.1-10 alkyl or aryl selected from the group consisting of a carboxycyclic aryl group and a heterocyclic aryl group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms,
• R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently H, hydroxy, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, halo, cyano, nitro, amino, alkyl amino, dialkyl amino, substituted C.sub.1-10 alkyl, carboxyl or CO.sub.2 R.sup.12,
• R.sup.5 is H, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, aralkyl containing from 1 to 4 atoms in the alkyl portion and the aryl portion being a carbocyclic or heterocyclic aryl group, nitro, amino, halo, cyano or CHO;
• and
• R.sup.6 is H, aryl selected from the group consisting of a carbocyclic aryl group and a heterocyclic aryl group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, aralkyl containing from 1 to 4 atoms in the alkyl portion and the aryl portion being a carbocyclic or heterocyclic aryl group, nitro, halogen, CHO or COR.sup.13 wherein R.sup.13 is C.sub.1-10 or aryl selected from the group consisting of a carbocyclic aryl group and a heterocyclic aryl group containing a maximum of 10 ring atoms.