Structure-activity relationship studies on benzofuran analogs of propafenone-type modulators of tumor cell multidrug resistance

A series of benzofurylethanolamine analogs of propafenone (1a) have been prepared and evaluated for multidrug resistance-reversing activity in two in vitro assay systems. As for propafenones, an excellent correlation of biological data with calculated lipophilicity values was found for benzofurans, whereby the latter generally had lower activity/lipophilicity ratios. Almost identical slopes of the regression lines were obtained for both propafenones and benzofurans. Multiple linear regression analysis of the complete data set yielded an equation with excellent predictive power (r(cross-valid)(2) = 0.968). Interaction measurements with artificial membranes indicated that the differences in activity between these two series of compounds are not due to differences in the interaction pattern with biological membranes.