Design and biological evaluation of novel quinolone-based metronidazole derivatives as potent Cu2+ mediated DNA-targeting antibacterial agents

A series of novel quinolone-based metronidazole derivatives as new type of antimicrobial agents were developed and characterized. Most of them gave good antibacterial activity towards the Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Noticeably, quinolone derivative 3i exhibited low MIC value of 0.25 μg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was even superior to reference drugs Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and Clinafloxacin. The further research revealed that compound 3i could intercalate into P. aeruginosa DNA through copper ion bridge to form a steady 3i–Cu2+–DNA ternary complex which might further block DNA replication to exert the powerful bioactivities.

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