Synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial activity of 7-alkyloxy-4,5-dihydro-imidazo[1,2-a]quinoline derivatives

In this study, a series of 7-alkyloxy-4,5-dihydro-imidazo[1,2-a]quinoline derivatives was synthesized and tested for their antibacterial activity against various bacterial strains. Most of the compounds exhibited potential antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Compound 7p (7-heptyloxy-4,5-dihydro-imidazo[1,2-a]quinoline) was found to be the most potent inhibitor. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of compound 7p against Escherichia coli was 0.5 μg/mL, better than that of reference agent ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin. Furthermore, compound 7p exhibited a modest activity against several gram-negative bacterial strains at a dose range of 2–64 μg/mL.

Graphical abstractAn outstanding compound 7p (7-heptyloxy-4,5-dihydro-imidazo[1,2-a]quinoline) was found to possess slightly more potent antibacterial activity against several gram-negative bacterial strains than the reference drugs ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Novel quinoline derivatives were synthesized and tested for anti-bacterial activity. ► Compound 7p, the most potent inhibitor, was more active than the reference agents. ► 7p showed strong activity against many gram-negative bacteria at doses of 2–64 μg/mL.