Imidazolylmethylbenzophenones as Highly Potent Aromatase Inhibitors.
Journal of medicinal chemistry 2007 Jun 22; 50(15):3420-2
Gobbi S S, Cavalli A A, Negri M M, Schewe K E, Belluti F F, Piazzi L L,
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro, 6, I-40126 Bologna, Ita
Suppression of tumor and plasma estrogen levels by inhibition of aromatase is one of the most effective treatments for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Starting from an easy, synthetically accessible, benzophenone scaffold, a new class of potent aromatase inhibitors was synthesized, endowed with high selectivity with respect to 17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17). Compounds 1b and 1d proved to be among the most potent inhibitors described so far.

