Synthesis and Anticancer and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Novel Ether-linked Derivatives of Ornidazole.

Objectives: Some novel 1-(2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-(substituted phenoxy)propan-2-ol derivatives were designed and synthesized.

Materials And Methods: Compounds were obtained by refluxing ornidazole with the corresponding phenolic compounds in the presence of anhydrous KCO in acetonitrile.

Results: Following the structure elucidation, the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects of compounds on K562 leukemia and NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells were measured. As a part of this study, the compliance of the compounds with the drug-likeness properties was evaluated. The physico-chemical parameters (log P, TPSA, nrotb, number of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, logS) were calculated using the software OSIRIS.

Conclusion: All the synthesized compounds except showed significant activity (MIC=4-16 μg mL) against the bacterial strain as compared to the standard drug, whereas antileukemic activities were rather limited. Furthermore, all the compounds were nontoxic and the selectivity index outcome indicated that the antileukemic and antimicrobial effects of the compounds were selective with good estimated oral bioavailability and drug-likeness scores.