Structure-activity relationship of 4(5)-aryl-2-amino-1H-imidazoles, N1-substituted 2-aminoimidazoles and imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts as inhibitors of biofilm formation by Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

J Med Chem. 2011 Jan 27;54(2):472-84. doi: 10.1021/jm1011148. Epub 2010 Dec 20.

Abstract

A library of 112 4(5)-aryl-2-amino-1H-imidazoles, 4,5-diphenyl-2-amino-1H-imidazoles, and N1-substituted 4(5)-phenyl-2-aminoimidazoles was synthesized and tested for the antagonistic effect against biofilm formation by Salmonella Typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The substitution pattern of the 4(5)-phenyl group and the nature of the N1-substituent were found to have a major effect on the biofilm inhibitory activity. The most active compounds of this series were shown to inhibit the biofilm formation at low micromolar concentrations. Furthermore, the influence of 6 imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines and 18 imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts on the biofilm formation was tested. These compounds are the chemical precursors of the 2-aminoimidazoles in our synthesis pathway. A good correlation was found between the activity of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts and their corresponding 2-aminoimidazoles, supporting the hypothesis that the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts are possibly cleaved by cellular nucleophiles to form the active 2-aminoimidazoles. However, the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines did not show any biofilm inhibitory activity, indicating that these molecules are not susceptible to in situ degradation to 2-aminoimidazoles. Finally, we demonstrated the lack of biofilm inhibitory activity of an array of 37 2N-substituted 2-aminopyrimidines, which are the chemical precursors of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts in our synthesis pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Imidazoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Imidazoles / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / physiology
  • Pyrimidines / chemical synthesis*
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Salmonella typhimurium / drug effects*
  • Salmonella typhimurium / physiology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Imidazoles
  • Pyrimidines