A hetero Diels-Alder reaction of quinoline-5, 8-dione with 1-(N, N-dimethylamino)-3-methyl-1- aza-1, 3-butadiene proceeded to give 3-methyl-1, 8-diazaanthraquinone (100% regioselectivity) in the presence of Lewis-acid catalyst (ZnCl2 or ZnBr2). Subsequent functionalizations of the benzylic methyl group resulted in the 1, 8-diazaanthraquinone analogues as potential antitumor agents. The most active compound, 8, exhibited in vitro ...