Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of rhein–piperazine–furanone hybrids as potential anticancer agents

Novel rhein–piperazine–furanone hybrids, 5, were designed and synthesized efficiently. Hybrid 5e, the most potent compound, was 46- and 35-fold more toxic to human lung cancer A549 cells than rhein and the reference cytarabine (CAR), respectively.