Synthesis, structure and biological activity of new 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐{2‐[5‐organylsilyl(germyl)]furan(thiophen)‐2‐yl}vinyl‐5,6‐dihydro‐2 H ‐pyran‐3‐carbonitriles

New 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐{2‐[5‐alkylsilyl(germyl)]furan(thiophen)‐2‐yl}vinyl‐5,6‐dihydro‐2 H ‐pyran‐3‐carbonitriles (IC 50 : 1–6 µg ml −1 ) have been prepared by the condensation of corresponding silicon‐ and germanium‐containing furyl(thienyl)‐2‐carbaldehydes with 3‐cyano‐4,6,6‐trimethyl‐5,6‐dihydropyran‐2‐one using piperidine acetate as a catalyst. The obtained carbonitriles were identified using NMR ( 1 H, 13 C and 29 Si) spectroscopy and GC‐MS. The structure of 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐[2‐(5‐trimethylsilyl)thiophen‐2‐yl]‐5,6‐dihydro‐2 H ‐pyran‐3‐carbonitrile was studied using X‐ray diffractometry. The influences of the heterocycle and the structure of the organoelement substituent on cytotoxicity and on matrix metalloproteinase inhibition have been studied. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.