Development of (4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-tetrazol-5-amine regioisomers as a new class of selective antitubercular agents

Abstract A series of halogenated (4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-tetrazol-5-amine regioisomers (1a-9a, 1b-9b) were synthesized from their corresponding thiourea analogues (1–9). The synthesis pathway was confirmed by an X-ray crystallographic studies of 1a, 1b and 5a. Title derivatives were tested for their in vitro antitubercular activity against standard, “wild-type” and atypical mycobacteria. The highest therapeutic potential was attributed to isomeric N-(bromophenyl)tetrazoles 8a and 9a. Their growth-inhibitory effect against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Spec. 210 was 8-16-fold stronger than that of the first-line tuberculostatics. Other new tetrazole-derived compounds were also more or equally effective towards that pathogen comparing to the established pharmaceuticals. Among non-tuberculous strains, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum was the most susceptible to the presence of the majority of tetrazole derivatives. The synergistic interaction was found between 9a and streptomycin, as well as the additivity of both 8a and 9a in pairs with isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol. None of the studied compounds displayed antibacterial or cytotoxic properties against normal and cancer cell lines, which indicated their highly selective antimycobacterial effects.