Synthesis, primary photophysical and antibacterial properties of naphthyl ester cinoxacin and nalidixic acid derivatives.

We have synthesized two naphthyl ester quinolone derivates and determined their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as (1)O(2), ()OH, H(2)O(2) upon photolysis with UV-A light. The ability of cinoxacin (1) and nalidixic acid (2), and their naphthyl ester derivatives (3 and 4) to generate a dose-dependent amount of singlet oxygen and ROS (()(-)O(2), ()OH) in cell-free systems was detected by histidine assay and by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (LCL), respectively. Their electronic absorption and emission spectra were quantified and their photostability was determined.