Synthesis and antibacterial evaluation of 4-substituted-2-phenyl-1-p-tolyl-4-thiomethyl-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes: a novel class of antibacterial agents.

A series of novel-2-phenyl-1-p-tolyl-4-thiomethyl-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes compounds (5a-5e) possessing morpholino, diethyl amino, pyrrolidino, piperidino and 2-aminopyridino groups respectively at C-4 were prepared by reaction of alpha-aryliminobenzyl isothiocyanates with secondary amines and S-alklyation of the resultant thioureas with aqueous potassium hydroxide. The isothiocyanates were obtained from easily available starting materials. These 1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes were obtained in pure form after recrystallization and their structures were established by analytical and spectral data. The synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial activity and some of them were found to exhibit significant antibacterial activity.