The discrete role of chlorine substitutions in the conformation and supramolecular architecture of arylsulfonamides.

Two arylsulfonamide derivatives, N-(4-acetylphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(14)H(13)NO(3)S, and N-(4-acetylphenyl)-2,5-dichlorobenzenesulfonamide, C(14)H(11)Cl(2)NO(3)S, differing by the absence or presence of two chloro substituents on one of the phenyl rings, were synthesized and characterized in order to establish structural relationships and the role of chloro substitution on the molecular conformation and crystal assembly. Both arylsulfonamides form inversion-related dimers through C-H···π and π-π interactions. These dimers pack in a similar way in the two structures. The substitution of two H atoms at the 2- and 5-positions of one phenyl ring by Cl atoms did not substantially alter the molecular conformation or the intermolecular architecture displayed by the unsubstituted sulfonamide. The structural information controlling the assembly of such compounds in their crystal phases is in the (phenyl)benzenesulfonamide molecular framework.

Synthesis, characterization, absolute structural determination and antifungal activity of a new chlorinated aromatic avenaciolide analogue.

BACKGROUND: Avenaciolide, a natural product isolated from Aspergillus avenaceus H. Smith, possesses several interesting biological properties, such as antifungal and antibacterial activities and inhibition of glutamate transport in mitochondria. In a study aiming to discover new compounds with antifungal activity, a bis-gamma-lactone analogous to avenaciolide was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and infrared and NMR spectroscopy. RESULTS: The absolute structures of this compound and of the synthetic precursor (also a bis-gamma-lactone) were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The bis-gamma-lactones synthesized crystallize in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), and the crystal packings are supported by C--H...O hydrogen bonds. The compound showed antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc., while the synthetic precursor was inactive under the in vitro test conditions employed. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is not only the bis-gamma-lactone skeleton that is important to antifungal activity. The latter also depends on the presence of the exocyclic double bond possibly due to a Michael addition type reaction with the fungal enzymes.