Acenaphthene Derivatives and c-Mitosis

Abstract

THE effect of acenaphthene (I, R = H) on plant cells, producing mitotic abnormalities, has been known for many years^1,2. It appears to have an effect similar to that of colchicine, but requiring very low concentrations of material. Introduction of substituents into the acenaphthene nucleus may modify the activity. Schmuck et al.³ found that compounds such as 5-bromoacenaphthene (I, R = Br) and 5-chloroacenaphthene (I, R = Cl) were also active, but when the substituent was a hydrophilic group, as in 5-carboxy acenaphthene (I, R = COOH), the antimitotic activity disappeared. Similar observations were made when bridge-substituted acenaphthenes were studied; 1 : 2 dihydroxyacenaphthene (II), for example, is inactive.