2-(chromon-3-yl)imidazole derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents: synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies.

A series of novel 2-(chromon-3-yl)-4,5-diphenyl-1-imidazoles (-) were synthesized by one pot condensation of substituted 3-formylchromones (-), benzil (2) and ammonium acetate (3) in refluxing acetic acid at 110 °C under N2 atmosphere. Allylation of compounds - with allyl bromide in the presence of fused KCO furnished allyl2-(chromon-3-yl)-4,5-diphenyl-1-imidazoles (-). The synthesized compounds were characterized spectroscopically and evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains by disc diffusion method. Compounds bearing electron withdrawing substituents such as () showed significant inhibitory activity against . (MIC 1.4 μg/ml) and containing substituent, displayed more inhibitory potential against . (MIC 1.5), as compared to the standard drugs. Compounds and exhibit remarkable inhibitory potential against . with MIC 0.98 and 1.23, respectively. The time kill assay for active compound was performed by viable cell count (VCC) method to elucidate the microbicidal nature of 2-(chromon-3-yl)imidazoles. A molecular docking study of most active compounds with target 'lanosterol 14α-demethylase' (CYP51) was performed to unravel the mode of antifungal action.