Pyrrolo[2,1-d][1,2,3,5]tetrazinones deaza analogues of temozolomide with potent antitumor activity

The title compounds, that hold the deaza skeleton of temozolomide, exhibite d potent in vitro antiproliferative activity. An evaluation of such a biolo gical activity indicates that the mode of action of these compounds differs from that of temozolomide and is also mechanistically unrelated to that of any known antitumor drug. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserv ed.