Design, synthesis and evaluation of 2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4,7-diones as vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitors.

2-Phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4,7-diones were synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activity on the PDGF-stimulated proliferation of rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Among them, 6-arylthio-5-chloro-2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4,7-diones exhibited an potent antiproliferative activity.