Design, Synthesis, Docking Studies, and Biological Evaluation of Novel 2-Hydroxyacetophenone Derivatives as Anti-HIV-1 Agents.

Background: The persistence of HIV mutations and the existence of multidrug resistance have produced an opportunity for an array of innovative anti-HIV medicines with a variety of structures that target HIV key enzymes.

Objective: The goal of this work was to find a new class of anti-HIV drugs founded on HIV integrase inhibitor pharmacophores.

Methods: A novel class of 2-hydroxy acetophenone analogs featuring substituted benzamide or N-phenylthiourea groups was designed and synthesized based on the general pharmacophore of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors (INs).