A series of novel homopiperazine derivatives were synthesized and characterized using 1H NMR, LC MS, IR and elemental analysis data. These novel molecules were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against Reh, leukemia cells using trypan blue and MTT assays. All the molecules showed cytotoxicity with IC50 values between 50-100 μM as calculated by trypan blue assay and greater than 100 μM as calculated by MTT assay. Compound 6b with 3,5-dinitro substituents on phenyl ring of the aryl carboxamide moiety attached to homopiperazine ring showed good activity with IC50 value of 41 μM.

In search of new anticancer agents, a series of novel 1-benzhydryl-4-(substituted phenylcarboxamide / carbothioamide)-1,4-diazepane derivatives were designed, synthesized and characterized using 1H NMR, LCMS and elemental analysis. These molecules were evaluated for their anti-cancer activity by trypan blue exclusion and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on B-cell leukemic cell line, Reh. Carboxamide moiety containing derivatives showed good activity compared to the corresponding carbothioamide derivatives. In particular, 4-benzhydryl-N-(3-chlorophenyl)-1,4-diazepane-1-carboxamide showed good activity with IC50 value of 18 µM.