Triarylethylene-indolin-2,3-dione molecular conjugates: design, synthesis, docking studies and anti-proliferation evaluation

A series of 1H-1,2,3-triazole-linked ospemifene-isatin and O-methylated ospemifene–isatin conjugates were synthesized and assayed for their anti-proliferative activities against estrogen-responsive as well as estrogen-non-responsive cells. The non-cytotoxic conjugate 14e, with an optimal combination of bromo substituents at the C-5/C-7 positions of isatin, proved to be a promising hit with an IC(50) value of 31.62 μM against MCF-7 and 19.23 μM against MDA-MB-231. The observed anti-proliferative activities of active conjugates were further corroborated via docking studies carried out on estrogen receptor subtypes α and β.