Efficient microwave irradiation enhanced stereoselective synthesis and antitumor activity of indolylchalcones and their pyrazoline analogs

2-Aryl-1 H -indole-3-carbaldehyde derivatives underwent Claisen-Schmidt condensation with acetophenone derivatives under microwave irradiation condition compared with the conventional heating to afford excellent yields of trans substituted indolylchalcones which subjected to condensation reaction with phenylhydrazine to afford their indolylpyrazoline analogs. The antitumor activity of the synthesized compounds was examined and evaluated against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Hep-G2) as well as the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ). Most of them showed high potent antitumor activity.