On the Antimicrobial Activity of Various Maleimide Compounds

Abstract

A variety of N-(substituted phenyl) maleimides have been prepared and screened for antifungal activity using three species of fungi. All the maleimides showed antifungal activity, and especially N-(dialkylphenyl) maleimides showed satisfactory results. To investigate the relation between alkylated position and activity, isomers of N-(dimethylphenyl)-maleimide were screened for antifungal activity. We have found that N-(2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)maleimede, N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)maleimide and N-(2,6-diethylphenyl) maleimide have decent activity against a variety of fungi, bacteria and yeast. N-(2,4, 6-trichlorophenyl)-maleimide showed activity against Gram-positive bacteria, but it was inactive against Gram-negative bacteria. Some Diels-Alder adducts were parpared from N-(substituted phenyl) maleimides with furan, and screened for antifungal activity. Unsubstituted compounds showed weak activity, but substituted compounds showed no activity. © 1989, The Chemical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.