2-anilinonicotinyl based chalcones useful as potential anticancer agents and process for preparation thereof

A process for preparation of a 2-anilinonicotinyl based chalcone compound of general formula A

• and said process comprising the steps of:
• i) reacting a compound of general formula 16a-i with substituted acetophenone of general formula 18a-g or a compound of general formula 17a-i with substituted aldehyde of general formula 19a-e or a compound of general formula 16a-i and 17a-l,
• in an alcoholic solvent in the presence of barium hydroxide at a temperature ranging between 20-40° C. for a period of about 6 h, followed by the removal of organic solvent and neutralization by inorganic (HCl), and
• ii) extracting the reaction mixture with organic solvent selected form ethyl acetate or dichloromethane and evaporating the organic solvent to obtain the resultant crude product and purifying it by chromatographic method to obtain the desired compounds of formulae 6a-6bk, 7a-as and 8a-as respectively.