The enhancement of bacterial resistance of pathogens to currently available antibiotics constitutes a serious public health threat. So, intensive efforts are underway worldwide to develop new antimicrobial agents. To identify compounds with a potent antimicrobial profile, we designed and synthesized low molecular weight 2-mercaptobenzothiazole derivatives 2a-2l and 3a-3l. Both series were screened for in-vitro antibacterial activity against the representative panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. The biological screening identified compounds 2e and 2l as the most active ones showing an interesting antibacterial activity with MIC values of 3.12 microg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and 25 microg/mL against Escherichia coli, respectively. The replacement of the S-H by the S-Bn moiety resulted in considerable loss of the antibacterial action of the 3a-3l series. The antibiotic action of compounds 2e and 2l was also investigated by testing their activity against some clinical isolates with different antimicrobial resistance profile. Moreover, the involvement of the NorA efflux pump in the antibacterial activity of our molecules was evaluated. Finally, in this paper, we also describe the cytotoxic activity of the most interesting compounds by MTS assay against HeLa and MRC-5 cell lines.

As part of our studies focused on the design and synthesis of new antimicrobial agents a series of 7-fluoro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzothiazine derivatives (4a-4f, 4h) and 7-fluoro-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one analogues (4j-4o) were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory activity against a representative panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains and also toward selected fungi species. These compounds were prepared in one step from chloro-substituted-2-amino-5-fluorobenzenethiol 6a-6c. The biological screening identified in compounds 4a, 4j and 4l the most promising results of both series showing an interesting antimicrobial activity. Our antibiotic investigation was also completed by testing the key intermediates 6a-6c. Surprisingly, 6a-6c emerged as the compounds exhibiting the highest antimicrobial activity by possessing a remarkable antibacterial effect against the Gram-positive strains with MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) values between 2 and 8 µg/mL and the fungi panel with MIC values between 2 and 8 µg/mL. These results may prove useful in the design of a novel pool of antimicrobial agents.

By using the Suzuki-Miyaura protocol, a simple straightforward synthesis of functionalized 2-arylaziridines has been developed. By means of this synthetic strategy from readily available ortho-, meta-and para-bromophenylaziridines and aryl-or heteroarylboronic acids, new aziridines could be obtained. The cross-coupling reactions occurred without ring opening of the three membered ring. Preliminary results on the antimicrobial activity of the heterosubstituted biaryl compounds have been also included.

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