New Nitrogen Compounds Coupled to Phenolic Units with Antioxidant and Antifungal Activities: Synthesis and Structure⁻Activity Relationship.

A selection of 1-amino-2-arylidenamine-1,2-(dicyano)ethenes was synthesized and cyclized to 2-aryl-4,5-dicyano-1-imidazoles upon reflux in ethyl acetate/acetonitrile, in the presence of manganese dioxide. These compounds were tested for their antioxidant capacity by cyclic voltammetry, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and deoxyribose degradation assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration of all compounds was evaluated against two yeast species, and . Their toxicity was tested in mammal fibroblasts. Among the synthesised compounds, two presented dual antioxidant/antifungal activity without toxic effects in fibroblasts. The new compounds synthesized in this work are potential biochemical tools and/or therapeutic drugs.