Synthesis of novel triazole-linked mefloquine derivatives: Biological evaluation against Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract Using 2,8-bis(trifluoromethyl)quinoline, the pharmacophore of mefloquine, as scaffold, eleven novel triazole-linked compounds have been synthesised by the application of CuAAC chemistry. The in vitro biological activity of the compounds on the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive strain NF54 was then determined. The compounds all showed IC 50 s in the lower μM range with (1 R ,3 S ,5 R )- N -{[1-(2,8-bis(trifluoromethyl)quinoline-4-yl)-1 H -1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]methyl}adamantan-2-amine ( 29 ) exhibiting the best activity of 1.00 μM.