Certain embodiments of the present invention provide selected compounds having a molecular structure according to Formula 1:In Formula 1, Z is —CO—, —SO—, or —SO2— Ar is phenyl, heteroaryl, or heterocycloalkyl Het is heteroaryl R is R″, X, or NR1R2 R′ is R3, or OR3 R″ is R4, or OR4 R1 and R2 are each independently H, alkyl, or acyl R3 is H, heteroaryl, or alkyl R4 is H, heteroaryl, or CnH2n+1 (n>2) and X is F, Br, I, CN, or NO2. In some embodiments, compounds having a molecular structure according to Formula 1 have the property of inhibiting a growth of a cell line selected from HeLa and MB468 with a sub-micromolar IC50.
