Synthesis and antibacterial activities of 4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol and 3,6-diallyl-4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol against a cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176.

For the purpose of survey of the antibacterial activity against a cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176 with the introduction of hydroxyl and allyl groups to o-phenylphenol (Fig. 2, 1), 4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol (2), and 3,6-diallyl-4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol (4) were synthesized, successively. The synthesized compounds, 2 and 4 showed more potent antibacterial activity than the starting material, 1. The hydroxyl group was supposed to the essential element for the antibacterial activity and the introduction of allyl group to phenolic ring to be another element to increase the activity.