Organocatalyzed Solvent Free and Efficient Synthesis of 2,4,5-Trisubstituted Imidazoles as Potential Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease.

The catalytic potential of pyridine-2-carboxlic acid has been evaluated for efficient, green and solvent free synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazole derivatives 3a-3m. The compounds 3a-3m were synthesized by one pot condensation reaction of substituted aromatic aldehydes, benzil, and ammonium acetate in good to excellent yields (74-96 %). To explore the potential of these compounds against Alzheimer's disease, their inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were evaluated. In this series of compounds, compound 3m, bearing one ethoxy and a hydroxy group on the phenyl ring on 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles, proved to be a potent AChE inhibitor (102.56±0.14). Structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these compounds was developed. Molecular dockings were carried out for the compounds 3m, 3e, 3k, 3c, 3a, 3d, 3j, and 3f in order to further investigate the binding mechanism. The inhibitor molecule was molecularly docked with acetylcholinesterase to further study its binding mechanism. The amino group of the compound 3m forms an H-bond with the oxygen atom of the residue (i. e., THR121) which has a bond length of 3.051 Å.