Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some new 1-alkyl-2-alkylthio-1,2,4-triazolobenzimidazole derivatives

Some new derivatives of 1,2,4-triazolo[2,3-a]benzimidazoles were synthesized through the reaction of 1,2-diaminobenzimidazole with carbon disulfide. The resulting 1,2,4-triazolo-[2,3-a]benzimidazole-2-thione intermediate was reacted with one equivalent of alkyl halides to give the corresponding 2-alkylthio derivatives, which were further alkylated through the reaction with another one equivalent of different alkyl halides to afford the target compounds-, 1-alkyl-2-alkylthio-1,2,4-traizolo[2,3-a]benzimidazoles. On the other hand, the 1,2-disubstituted derivatives with two identical alkyl substituents were prepared by the reaction of 1,2,4-triazolo[2,3-a]benzimidazole-2-thione with two equivalents of the alkyl halides. The structures of the new compounds were assigned by spectral and elemental methods of analyses. The synthesized compounds were tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Most of the tested compounds proved comparable results with those of ampicillin and fluconazole reference drugs. The study indicated that, the antibacterial as well as the antifungal activities of the test compounds were improved with increase in the bulkiness of the introduced alkyl groups. Also, some active antibacterial compounds were tested for their antimycobacterial activity. All the test compounds showed equipotent antitubercular activity as that of INH as a reference drug.