In Silico Study of Microbiologically Active Benzoxazole Derivatives

In the reaction of 3-aminothymoquinone and aromatic aldehydes, two benzoxazole derivatives viz. 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-methyl-7-isopropyl-1,3-benzoxazol-5-ol (1) and 2-(4- trifluoromethyl)-4-methyl7-isopropyl-1,3-benzoxazol-5-ol (2) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared and 1H, and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Proteus hauseri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea, Clostridium sporogenes and Bacillus subtilis was tested. Synthesized compounds show the best activity on Sarcina lutea, and the lowest against Proteus hauseri and Clostridium sporogenes. The paper assesses in silico methods of the possible ways selected derivatives bind to the enzyme deoxyribonucleic acid gyrase (1KZN). The docking results were compared with those obtained from in vitro antimicrobial activity. Molecular properties and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion parameters were also calculated for compounds. The difference in the obtained values reflects differences in the derivatives structures. In the future, tests on a number of enzymes crucial for bacterial life as well as a number of derivatives may offer further information on the mechanisms of action of these substances.