Investigating the antibacterial potential of novel N-Boc isatin Schiff bases: Combining synthesis with in-vitro and in-silico studies

The abstract explores into the antibacterial efficacy of newly synthesized N-Boc isatin Schiff bases against a range of pathogenic bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains. The characterization of the synthesized compounds was achieved through various spectroscopic methods including 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and HRMS techniques, providing detailed structural insights. The in vitro antibacterial assessments were conducted via the agar diffusion method, revealing that compounds 3a, 3d, 3g , and 3j exhibited potent activity against both grampositive (B. subtilis, MRSA) and gram -negative (E. coli) bacterial strains, providing objective data on their effectiveness. Furthermore, compound 3j, which featured bromine substitution at C5 of N-allyl isatin, displayed significant inhibition zones of 27 mm and 20 mm against E. coli and VRE, respectively, surpassing the activity of ciprofloxacin used as a standard drug molecule, thereby providing specific results. The molecular docking studies against E. coli Peptide Deformylase complex further confirmed the antibacterial potential of the synthesized compounds, adding a scientific basis for their efficacy. Additionally, in silico ADME predictions indicated favourable oral bioavailability, highlighting the promise of N-Boc substituted isatin Schiff bases as potential candidates for the development of novel antibacterial agents, thus contributing to the objective evaluation of their pharmacokinetic properties. Consequently, our studies demonstrated that these compounds not only possess significant antibacterial activity but also show promising pharmacokinetic properties, positioning them as strong candidates for the development of new antibacterial agents.