Synthesis and antitumor evaluation of some novel pyrrolizine derivatives

Novel series of pyrrolizines (7, 9a-d, 10a-d, 11a, b, 14a-d, 16, 19, 20a, b, 24, 25a, b), pyrimido[5,4-a]pyrrolizines (12a, b, 13, 15a, b, 18, 21a, b, 22, 23a-d) and pyrido[3,2-a]pyrrolizines (17, 26a, b) were synthesized through different reactions. The chemical structures of all the synthesized pyrrolizine derivatives were determined by spectral and elemental analyses. Antitumor activity evaluation of all the prepared compounds was carried out using NR assay method against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The novel pyrrolizine scaffold 7 and all its prepared derivatives showed high antitumor activity comparable to that of doxorubicin.