Synthesis and antibacterial screening of some 2-[5-(aryloxymethyl)-1, 3, 4- oxadiazol-2-ylsulfanyl] acetic acids

A series of 2-[5-(aryloxymethyl)-1, 3, 4-oxadiazol-2-ylsulfanyl] acetic acids were prepared and evaluated for their antibacterial activity. Title compounds were synthesized from aryloxyacetic acid hydrazides. Aryloxyacetic acid hydrazides 1 on refluxing with carbon disulfidein presence ofmethanolic potassium hydroxide and then on acidification with hydrochloric acid yielded 5-aryloxymethyl-1, 3, 4-oxadiazole-2-thiones 2. 2-Chloro acetic acid on reaction with 2 in basic media and then on acidification with dilute hydrochloric acid furnished the title compounds 3. Structures of these compounds were characterized by modern spectroscopic techniques. All the compounds were studied for their in vitro antibacterial activity against two Gram positive strains (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram negative strains (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined.