Synthesis, Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Some Novel Chalcone Derivatives Derived from Apocynin

Chalcones are a category of compounds consisting of two aryl rings linked by an α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety. Chalcone derivatives have been receiving great attention due to their significant biological activities, encour aged by the various biological profiles of the chalcone derivatives and in continuation of our search for antimicrobial ac tive molecules, we aimed in the present work to synthesize new chalcon e derivatives, 4a-4m, derived from commercially ava ilable apocynin (3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-acetophenone). The reaction of apocynin 1 with 1,2-dibromoethane in presence of p otassium carbonate in DMF at 90 o C gave bromide derivative 2. Treatment of bromide derivative 2 with sodium azide in DMF at 100 o C afforded azide derivative 3. Claisen-Schmidt conden sation of azide 3 with various benzaldehydes (a-m) in the presence of sodium hydroxide in methanol at room temperature produced new chalcone derivative 4a-4m. The synthesized compounds 4(a-m) were evaluated for antimicrobial and antifun gal activity by disc diffusion method. The antibact erial and antifungal activity was evaluated against A. niger, A. flavus (fungal strains), E. coli and P. aeruginosa (Gram negative bacteria), S. aureus and S. pyogenes (Gram positive bacteria) using Nystatin (for fungi) and ciprofloxacin (for bacteri a) as the standard drugs. The preliminary in vitro antifungal and anti microbial screening of the chalcone derivatives 4a- 4m revealed that most of the compounds in the series showed potent activi ty.