Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation, Computer-Aided Docking Studies, and ADMET Prediction of 1,2,3-Triazolyl-Pyridine Hybrids as Human Aurora B Kinase Inhibitors

A novel series of 1,2,3-triazolyl-pyridine hybrids were prepared through the reaction of the triazole derivative (1) with the appropriate aldehyde (2a-g) and malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate in the presence of ammonium acetate in refluxed acetic acid. The chemical composition of the products was established on the basis of spectral and elemental analyses. Aurora B kinase is a protein with diverse biological actions in controlling tumorigenesis by inhibiting apoptosis and promoting proliferation and metastasis, making it an emerging target for diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Alteration in the target protein expression causes unequal distribution of genetic information, causing HCC. The new compounds were tested for their antihepatic cancer activity, and some of them had strong efficacy against human hepatoblastoma (HepG2) cell lines.