Comparative investigation of derivatives of (E)-N-((E)-3-phenylallylidene)aniline: Synthesis, structural characterization, biological evaluation, density functional theory analysis, and in silico molecular docking

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 10; no. 4; p. e26632
• Main Authors: Waziri, Ibrahim, Kelani, Monsuru T., Oyedeji-Amusa, Mariam O., Oyebamiji, Abel K., Coetzee, Louis-Charl C., Muller, Alfred J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 29.02.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antibiotic; Bacterial resistance; Cinnamaldehyde; Natural products; Schiff bases; Schiff bases; Antibiotic; Cinnamaldehyde; Bacterial resistance; Natural products
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26632

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics poses a significant global challenge for the public sector. Globally, researchers are actively investigating solutions to tackle the issue of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, with Schiff bases standing out as promising contenders in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. This study focused on synthesizing a series of Schiff bases (CA1-CA10) by reacting cinnamaldehyde with various aniline derivatives. Various analytical techniques, such as NMR, FTIR, UV–Vis, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry, were employed to elucidate the structures of the synthesized compounds. Furthermore, crystal structure of CA8 was obtained using single crystal X-ray spectroscopy. The compounds were subjected to in vitro testing to assess their antibacterial and antifungal properties against eleven bacterial strains and four fungal strains. The results revealed diverse activity levels against the pathogens at varying concentrations, with notable potency observed in compounds CA3, CA4, CA9, and CA10, as indicated by their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values. The observed activity of the compounds seemed to be influenced by the specific substituents attached to their molecular structure. By conducting computational and molecular docking studies, the electronic properties of the compounds were investigated, further substantiating their potential as effective antimicrobial agents. [Display omitted] •Ten new Schiff base (CA1 to CA10) derivatives containing different substituents were synthesized.•Detailed spectroscopic and theoretical investigations were carried out.•All compounds were tested for antibacterial and antifungal activity.•Compounds (CA3, CA4, CA9, and C10) were identified as the lead compounds.