Synthesis, anticancer evaluation and docking studies of novel adamantanyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol hybrid compounds as Aurora-A kinase inhibitors

Cancer is a devastating disease, but advancements in cancer treatment offer hope for the future. Aurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases that play critical roles in cell cycle control and mitosis. There are three members of the Aurora kinase family in humans: Aurora-A kinase, Aurora-B kinase, and Aurora-C kinase. This study focuses on the synthesis of hybrid compounds combining adamantane and 1,3,4-oxadiazole as potential inhibitors of Aurora-A kinase. A series of novel 4-((5-((3r,5r,7r)-adamantan-1-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)thio)-N,N-2-yn-1-amine were synthesized and evaluated against Aurora-A kinase. The most potent derivatives were 6a and 6k with IC₅₀ values 36.6 and 38.8 μM, respectively. Docking studies probed the binding interactions of these compounds within the active site of the kinase. The findings contribute to the development of novel cancer therapeutics and offer promise for more effective and targeted treatments in the future. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]