Sulfones of formula I are useful as antiproliferative agents, including, for example, anticancer agents:wherein:Q1 is selected from the group consisting of(a) a phenyl radical according to formula II whereinR1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino, C1-C6 trifluoroalkoxy and trifluoromethyl(b) an aromatic radical selected from the group consisting of 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl and 9-anthryl and(c) an aromatic radical according to formula III whereinn1 is 1 or 2,Y1 and Y2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and nitro, andX1 is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur andandQ2 is selected from the group consisting of(d) a phenyl radical according to formula II, as defined above(e) an aromatic radical selected from the group consisting of 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl and 9-anthryl(f) an aromatic radical according to formula IV whereinn1 is 1 or 2,Y3 and Y4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and nitro, andX2, X3 and X4 are independently selected from the group consisting of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and provided that not all of X2, X3 and X4 may be carbon and(g) 1-piperazinylprovided that at least one of Q1 or Q2 is other than a phenyl radical according to formula IIor a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.Sulfones of formula V are also useful as antiproliferative agents, including, for example, anticancer agents:wherein:X is sulfur or oxygen Ya and Yb are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and nitro and R1-R5 are defined as aboveor a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
