Synthesis, Antibacterial, Docking and Anticancer Evaluation of N-Substituted Benzoyl Derivatives

A series of N-benzoylated ligands incorporating three different benzoyl groups 2,2'-(benzoyliminodiethylene)-4-substituted phenols ($L^{1,4,7}$), 2,2'-(4-nitrobenzoyliminodiethylene)-4-substituted phenols ($L^{2,5,8}$) and 2,2'-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyliminodiethylene)-4-substituted phenols ($L^{3,6,9}$) were synthesized and characterized by IR, $^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR and mass spectroscopy. The In vitro antibacterial activity of investigated ligands were tested against human pathogenic bacteria such as four Gram (-) Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholera, Vibrio harveyi and two Gram (+) Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans. Furthermore, docking studies were undertaken to gain insight into the possible binding mode of these compounds with the binding site of the topoisomerase II (PDB: 4FM9) enzyme which is involved in DNA superhelicity and chromosome seggregation. The N-benzoylated derivatives $L^{5,7,8}$ have significant anticancer activity as Topoisomerase inhibitors. The ligands $L^5$ and $L^8$ were tested for their anticancer activity against human liver adenocarcinoma (HepG2) cell line with the MTT assay.