A series of ring-substituted analogues of the topoisomerase inhibitor 11-oxo-11H-indeno [1, 2-b] quinoline-6-carboxamides was prepared and evaluated. The compounds were prepared by Pfitzinger reaction of the appropriate isatin-7-carboxylic acids and 1-indanones, followed by selective thermal decarboxylation of the resulting tetracyclic diacids, subsequent oxidation of the methylene group with alkaline permanganate under carefully controlled ...
