Synthesis of novel α-aminophosphonates under microwave irradiation, biological evaluation as antiproliferative agents and apoptosis inducers

The synthesis of two series of α-aminophosphonates was achieved by Microwave Irradiation (MW), using the one-pot Kabachnik–Fields reaction. Based on a green chemistry approach, the reactions were carried out using ethanol as the only solvent and without any catalyst, and short reaction times (20–40 min), in variable yields. Both series were tested to determine their cell proliferation inhibition activity in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and MCF-10A cell lines. Ethyl 4-(((diphenoxyphosphoryl)(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)methyl)amino) benzoate 4e and diphenyl (((4-(((S)-2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)carbamoyl)phenyl)amino)(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl)phosphonate 6b , showed cell proliferation inhibition activity only in the cancer cell line MCF-7 and no effect on the normal cell line MFC-10A, both compounds caused cell death by inducing apoptosis.