Based on the structural elements of bioactive indole-based
compounds, a series of novel 1-substituted indole-3-carboxaldehyde
thiosemicarbazones were synthesized as potential antimycobacterial and
anticancer agents. The derivatives were prepared via a two-step
methodology including N-alkylation(benzylation) of
indole-3-carboxaldehyde and conversion of the intermediate aldehydes to
corresponding thiosemicarbazones. The derivatives were evaluated for
their antimycobacterial activity and compounds 3d (R = propyl) and 3q (R
= 4-nitrobenzyl) were among the most potent and selective derivatives
with IC50 values of 0.9 and 1.9 μg/mL respectively. The
anticancer activity of the derivatives was also assessed against a panel
of tumor cell lines. Compounds 3t, 3u, 3v and 3w efficiently inhibited
the majority of the cancer cell lines with considerable selectivity.