Benzylamines: synthesis and evaluation of antimycobacterial properties.

The synthesis of benzylamines with various N-alkyl chains and substituents in the aromatic system as well as their evaluation on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Ra are described. The most active compounds in this test, N-methyl-3-chlorobenzylamine (19, MIC 10.2 micrograms/mL), N-methyl-3,5-dichlorobenzylamine (93, MIC 10.2 micrograms/mL), and N-butyl-3,5-difluorobenzylamine (103, MIC 6.4 micrograms/mL), also exhibited a marked inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium lufu used for the determination of antileprotic properties. The combinations of 93 with aminosalicylic acid, streptomycin, or dapsone exert marked supra-additive effects on M. tuberculosis H 37 Ra.