Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and molecular modeling studies of halogenated 4-[1H-imidazol-1-yl(phenyl)methyl]-1,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazoles

Bioorg Med Chem. 2004 Oct 15;12(20):5465-83. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2004.07.029.

Abstract

During the course of our studies in the azole antifungals area, we synthesized a number of 1,5-disubstituted 4-[1H-imidazol-1-yl(phenyl)methyl]-1H-pyrazoles, analogues of bifonazole. 1,5-Diphenyl-1H-pyrazole 3 showed weak antimycotic and antibacterial activities in vitro against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Staphylococcus aureus. In order to increase these properties, given that the halo substitution was found to be capable of enhancing antifungal effects, we prepared a series of fluoro and chloro derivatives of 3. The microbiological evaluation carried out on newly synthesized compounds included in vitro assays for antifungal, antibacterial and antimycobacterial activities. Among the tested compounds, some dichloro and trichloro-derivatives showed interesting antimicrobial properties. In particular, compounds 10j,k,l produced inhibitory effects against pathogen representatives of yeast (C. albicans, C. neoformans) and Gram positive bacteria (S. aureus) similar or superior to those of bifonazole. In addition, their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis was superior to that of clotrimazole and econazole, which were used as reference drugs. The replacement, in these compounds, of chlorine with fluorine atoms led to inactive derivatives. Docking studies were carried out on the most active compounds, in order to rationalize the pharmacological results.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Humans
  • Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / chemical synthesis
  • Imidazoles / chemistry*
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Pyrazoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Pyrazoles / chemistry
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Hydrocarbons, Halogenated
  • Imidazoles
  • Pyrazoles
  • bifonazole