Acridines are organic compounds and nitrogen heterocycles having the formula C13H9N. Acridine is a substituted derivative of the parent ring. It is a planar molecule structurally related to anthracene in which one carbon in the central CH group is replaced by nitrogen. Acridine and its derivatives can be used to make dyes and also used in the pharmaceutical industry. Acridine is a DNA intercalator that easily binds to DNA. Due to its DNA-intercalating properties, acridine or its suitable derivatives are expected to preferentially accumulate in tumors, which are always associated with enhanced DNA replication. Therefore, radiolabeled acridines may have prospect in tumor imaging.
Tetrahydroisoquinoline is an organic compound with the chemical formula C9H11N. It is classified as a secondary amine, obtained from isoquinoline by hydrogenation. The tetrahydroisoquinoline moiety forms the backbone of several natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs approved for the treatment of cancer, pain, gout and various neurodegenerative diseases.