9-Fluorenone-2-carboxylic acid as scaffold for tubulin interacting compounds

The introduction of a hydrophobic group at position 7 of 9-fluorenone-2-carboxylic acid generates new tubulin binders, the design of which is suggested by modeling studies. The synthesis is based on the use of 2,7-dibromo-fluorenone as starting material. The antiproliferative activity on two different cell lines, fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry, and sedimentation assay tests confirmed the supposed mechanism.