Antibacterial activity of some newly synthesized azaphenanthrene and diazachrysene compounds.

Four newly synthesized azaphenanthrene compounds viz., 7,8,9,10-Tetrahydro-7-oxo-2-methoxy-benzo(c) phenathridine; 7,8,9,10-Tetrahydro -7-oxo-benzo(c) phenanthridine-2-[1-6-methoxy-1-naphthylimino)-methyl]cyclohexane-1,3-dione and 2-[1-(1-naphthyli; mino)-methyl]cyclohexane-1,3 dione and two diazachrysene compounds viz., 1,5-Diazachrysene and 2,5-Diazachrysese were screened for their antibacterial potency against a large number of bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity which to a varying degree was shown to be related to the aza, methoxy and keto groups, in the case of the Azaphenanthrene compounds, however, it was related to the position of the nitrogen atom in the ring in the case of Diazachrysene compounds.