Chiral N-benzyl-N-methyl-1-(naphthalen-1-yl)ethanamines and their in vitro antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum.

In the search for new antifungal compounds and to explore structure activity relationships, a series of 24 chiral benzyl amine type antifungals was synthesised and characterised. In vitro testing against the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans revealed that several derivatives had MIC50 values similar to that of the commercial drug Butenafine. All of these contained a bulky group in the para position of the benzyl fragment.