Synthesis of Antiprotozoal 2-(4-Alkyloxyphenyl)-Imidazolines and Imidazoles and Their Evaluation on Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma cruzi.

Twenty 2-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)-imidazolines and 2-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)-imidazoles were synthesized, with the former being synthesized in two steps by using MW and ultrasonication energy, resulting in good to excellent yields. Imidazoles were obtained in moderate yields by oxidizing imidazolines with MnO2 and MW energy. In response to the urgent need to treat neglected tropical diseases, a set of 2-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)- imidazolines and imidazoles was tested in vitro on Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma cruzi. The leishmanicidal activity of ten compounds was evaluated, showing an IC50 < 10 µg/mL. Among these compounds, 27-31 were the most active, with IC50 values < 1 µg/mL (similar to the reference drugs). In the evaluation on epimastigotes of T. cruzi, only 30 and 36 reached an IC50 < 1 µg/mL, showing better inhibition than both reference drugs. However, compounds 29, 33, and 35 also demonstrated attractive trypanocidal activities, with IC50 values < 10 µg/mL, similar to the values for benznidazole and nifurtimox.

Targeting quorum sensing by designing azoline derivatives to inhibit the N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone-receptor CviR: Synthesis as well as biological and theoretical evaluations.

To counteract bacterial resistance, we investigated the interruption of quorum sensing mediated by non-classical bioisosteres of the N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone with an azoline core. For this purpose, a set of selected 2-substituted azolines was synthesized, establishing the basis for a new protocol to synthesize 2-amino imidazolines. The synthesized compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum. Theoretical studies on bioisostere-protein interactions were performed using CviR. The results show that some azolines decreased violacein production, suggesting an antiquorum sensing profile against Gram-negative bacteria. Docking and molecular dynamic simulations together with binding free energy calculations revealed the exact binding and inhibitory profiles. These theoretical results show relationship with the in vitro activity of the azoline series.