Synthesis and Investigation of Antibacterial Properties of Thymol, Carvacrol, Eugenol, and Perillyl Alcohol Based β-Halo Alcohol and β-Halo Thiol Compounds

Abstract

A total of 12 new β-halo alcohols and 12 new β-halo thiol derivatives were synthesized. Natural alcohol compounds with known pharmacological properties were selected as starting substrates, aiming to synthesize compounds that have the potential to exhibit biological activity. The synthesis of β-halo alcohol derivatives involved a two-step process, while β-halo thiol derivatives were carried out in three steps. Effective and inexpensive methods were used for all transformations. Yields for β-halo alcohol derivatives ranged from 79% to 82%, and for β-halo thiol derivatives from 66% to 71%. Their antibacterial properties against some gram (+) (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and gram (−) (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains were investigated. The antibacterial effects of 24 newly synthesized compounds were compared to commercially available antibiotics Chloramphenicol and Streptomycin.