Design, synthesis, molecular docking studies and in vitro screening of ethyl 4-(3-benzoylthioureido) benzoates as urease inhibitors

•A series of ethyl 4-(3-benzoylthioureido) benzoates derivative were synthesized.•Their urease inhibitory and antioxidant activities were evaluated.•Tested compounds displayed potential antiurease and antioxidant activities, and can be optimized for antiulcer drugs.

Thioureas are exceptionally versatile building blocks towards the synthesis of wide variety of heterocyclic systems, which also possess extensive range of pharmacological activities. The substituted benzoic acids were converted into corresponding acid chlorides, these acid chlorides were then treated with potassium thiocyanate in acetone and then the reaction mixture was refluxed for 1–2 h afford ethyl 4-(3-benzoylthioureido)benzoates thioureas in good yields. All the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their urease inhibitory activities and were found to be potent inhibitors of urease enzyme. Compounds 1f and 1g were identified as the most potent urease inhibitors (IC50 0.21 and 0.13 μM, respectively), and was 100-fold more potent than the standard inhibitors. Further molecular docking studies were carried out using the crystal structure of urease to find out the binding mode of the inhibitors with the enzyme.

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