Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activity of chalcones

Synthesis of organic substances is an important part of the process of discovery and development of new drugs. The use of active molecules from natural products as a model, or prototype molecules for the synthesis of more biologically active analogous structures, has contributed significantly to obtain new therapeutic agents. Chalcones are among the substances synthesized for the purpose of being applied as bioactive molecules. Compounds 1-18 (Fig. 1) were synthesized by the Claisen-Schmidt condensation of aromatic ketones with aromatic aldehydes, affording exclusively the E-isomer in good yields