Abstract: Four curcumin analogs (A1-A4) were synthesized with various aromatic aldehyde and 2,4-pentanedione as raw materials via condensation reactions. The structures of all synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, 1H NMR and mass spectra. Antioxidant activity in vitro of curcumin analogs were studied by the pyrogallol autoxidation method. Trypan blue staining assay was used to evaluate the in vitro antitumor activity of these derivatives. The results showed that antioxidant activity and the inhibitory activity of K562 cell proliferation of compounds A1, A3 and A4 was both higher than that of curcumin. The analysis of structure activity shows that the antioxidant and antitumor activities of curcumin analogs are related to -OH groups of Aromatic ring.

Key words: curcumin, analogs, synthesis, antioxidant activity, antitumor activity