Coumarin Derivatives with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities

Abstract

Coumarin derivatives are structurally interesting compounds for synthesizing antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. Starting from 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin, several derivatives with these properties have been obtained through different reaction steps. Their molecular structures were established by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The synthesized coumarin derivatives exerted meaningful activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as strains of Candida spp. All compounds also exhibited high and moderate antioxidant activity in assays for DPPH inhibition, total reducing power, and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition when compared to ascorbic acid.