Rational design of new quinoline-benzimidazole scaffold bearing piperazine acetamide derivatives as antidiabetic agents.

In this study, a series of fifteen compounds (7a-o) based on a quinoline-benzimidazole scaffold bearing piperazine acetamide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their potential as α-glucosidase inhibitors, which are important therapeutic agents in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among the synthesized compounds, 7m exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity, demonstrating a 28-fold greater efficacy than the standard clinical inhibitor, acarbose. Molecular docking studies indicated strong binding interactions between 7m and the α-glucosidase active site, including hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, and π-cation interactions. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that compound 7m formed a highly stable complex with the enzyme. These findings suggest that compound 7m is a promising candidate for further development as an effective antidiabetic agent, offering valuable insights into the design of potent α-glucosidase inhibitors based on the quinoline-benzimidazole framework.