Synthesis of Curcumin Analogues as Potential Antioxidant, Cancer Chemopreventive Agents

New series of 3, 5‐bis(substituted benzylidene)‐4‐piperidones, 2, 7‐bis(substituted benzylidene)cycloheptanones, 1, 5‐bis(substituted phenyl)‐1, 4‐pentadien‐3‐ones, 1, 7‐bis(substituted phenyl)‐1, 6‐heptadien‐3, 5‐diones, 1, 1‐bis(substituted cinnamoyl)‐cyclopentanes, and 1, 1‐bis(substituted cinnamoyl)cyclohexanes have been synthesized and tested for their antioxidant activity. Among the tested compounds, compounds II4, II9 II10, II11, V1, and V4 exhibited higher free radical scavenger activity with % inhibition values of 90.71, 91.24, 96.91, 94.26, 99.23, and 99.85%, respectively. Moreover, compound V1 is the safest member toward peripheral multinuclear neutrophils (PMNs) with a % viability value of 91%. Detailed synthesis, spectroscopic, and biological data are reported.