Novel CUR— and CUR—BF2 compounds exhibiting anti-tumor properties are presented. CUR compounds bearing fluorinated moieties with selective fluorine introduction into the α-carbonyl moiety as well as CUR—BF2 adducts and CURs with diverse substitution patterns in the phenyl rings including fluorinated substituents (SCF3, OCF3, and F) and/or bulky activating groups (OMe, OAc, and OBz) are presented. Fluorinated aryl-pyrazoles and isoxazoles as well as novel CUR and CUR—BF2 compounds with monocyclic aromatic and bicyclic-heteroaromatic lateral rings, bearing fluorine(s), OCF3, CF3, and SCF3 groups, and their alpha-carbonyl-fluorinated analogs, as well as their pyrazole and isoxazole derivatives are presented. The CUR-pyrazoles embody analogs that are fluorinated at the phenyl-pyrazole moiety. The compounds and their derivatives exhibited exceptional cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activity against several cancer cell-lines. Deuterated CUR—BF2 and CUR compounds were also synthesized.