Quinazolinone derivatives I and their methyl esters were synthesized and ev
aluated as nonclassical lipophilic inhibitors of thymidylate synthase. Comp
ounds Ib and Ic containing OH and CO2H as R substituents, respectively, wer
e most effective, indicating that hydrogen bonding may contribute to the in
creased inhibitory activity. These compounds further showed high cytotoxic
activity against tumor cells in culture. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
rights reserved.