One-pot synthesis of 5-phenylimino, 5-thieno or 5-oxo-1,2,3-dithiazoles and evaluation of their antimicrobial and antitumor activity

We here report the synthesis and biological evaluation of rare 4-substituted-5-phenylimino, 5-thieno- and 5-oxo-1,2,3-dithiazoles. Dithiazoles were selectively obtained in moderate to high yields (25–73%) via a one-pot reaction from various ethanoneoximes with sulfur monochloride, pyridine in acetonitrile followed by treatment by corresponding nucleophiles (aniline, thioacetamide and formic acid). All the synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial (against bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonellaenterica serovar Typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus and Listeria inocua), antifungal (against pathogenic strains Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis and Issatchenkia orientalis) and antitumor (on human cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) activity. 4-(2-Pyridinyl)-5H-1,2,3-dithiazole-5-thione and 4-ethylcarboxyl-5H-1,2,3-dithiazole-5-thione (5d, 5h) that are active against Gram-positive bacteria are significantly active against fungi. 4-(2-Benzofuranyl)-5-phenylimino-5H-1,2,3-dithiazole (4e) exerts antiproliferative activity.

Graphical abstractRare 4 and 5-substituted-1,2,3-dithiazoles were synthesized via a one-pot reaction from various ethanoneoximes with sulfur monochloride, pyridine and nucleophiles and screened for their antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor activity.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide