Design, Synthesis, and In Vitro α-Amylase Inhibitory Activity of 6-Bromo-1-[phenyl(quinolin-3-yl)amino]methyl)naphthalen-2-ol Betti Bases

Abstract

A series of Betti base derivatives were synthesized by the one-pot three-component DBU-catalyzed condensation of 6-bromonaphthalen-2-ol, qinolin-3-amine, and substituted benzaldehydes under mild reaction conditions and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In vitro α-amylase inhibition assay showed that the synthesized compounds compare in potency with the antidiabetic drug Acarbose, while one of the derivatives (R = 4-CF₃) showed a superior activity than Ascarbose. In silico docking studies correlated the inhibitory potency with strong binding affinity, particularly for compounds bearing electron-acceptor substituents (F, NO₂, and CF₃). The results of the α-amylase assay and molecular docking suggest that the synthesized Betti base derivatives are promising candidates for further development as α-amylase inhibitors, with potential applications in antidiabetic therapies.