Synthesis and evaluation of in vitro anti-tuberculosis activity of N-substituted glycolamides.

On the basis of the structural similarity of N-substituted glycolamides with N-glycolyl muramic acid residues of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a series of these compounds were designed and synthesized by the reaction of glycolic acid acetonide 1 (2,2-dimethyl-5-oxo-1,3-dioxolane) with the proper amines. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined against M. tuberculosis H(37)Rv in BACTEC 12B medium, using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Among the synthesized compounds, all those with disubstituted amide structure accompanied by one or two heteroatom(s) with loan pair(s) of electrons atom(s) beta to the amide nitrogen demonstrated moderate anti-tuberculosis activity and all the monosubstituted amides showed no activity at all.