Direct synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in silico studies of simple chalcones as potential antimicrobial and antileishmanial agents

Chalcone represents a vital biosynthetic scaffold owing to its numerous therapeutic effects. The present study was intended to synthesize seventeen chalcone derivatives (3a-q) by direct coupling of substituted acetophenones and benzaldehyde. The target chalcones were characterized by spectroscopic analyses followed by their in vitro antimicrobial, and antileishmanial investigations with reference to standard drugs. The majority of the chalcones displayed good to excellent biological activities. Chalcone 3q (1000 μg/mL) exhibited the most potent antibacterial effect with its zone of inhibition values of 30, 33, and 34 mm versus Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively. The results also confirmed chalcone 3q to be the most potent versus Leishmania major with the lowest IC50 value of 0.59±0.12 μg/mL. Chalcone 3i (500 μg/mL) was noticed to be the most potent antifungal agent with its zone of inhibition being 29 mm against Candida albicans. Computation..., , , NMR, FTIR, and MS spectra of Direct synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in silico studies of simple chalcones as potential antimicrobial and antileishmanial agents
Fig S1 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3a
Fig S2 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3b
Fig. S3: 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3c
Fig. S4: 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3d
Fig. S5: 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3e
Fig. S6: 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3f
Fig. S7. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3g
Fig. S8. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3h
Fig. S9. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3i
Fig. S10. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3j
Fig. S11. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3k
Fig. S12. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3l
Fig. S13. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3m
Fig. S14. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3n
Fig. S15. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3o
Fig. S16. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3p
Fig. S17. 1HNMR spectrum of compound 3q
Fig. S18. 13CNMR spectrum of compound 3q
Fig. S19. FTIR spectrum of compound 3a
Fig. S20. FTIR spectrum of compound 3b
Fig. S21. FTIR spectrum of compound 3c
Fig. S...