Synthesis of some N-substituted nitroimidazole derivatives as potential antioxidant and antifungal agents.

Some new nitroimidazole derivatives have been synthesized by treating 4,5-dinitro- and 2-methyl-4,5-dinitroimidazoles with epoxypropane, epichlorohydrin or phenacyl bromide in alkylation reactions. The nitro group in N-substituted 4,5-dinitro- and 2-methyl-4,5-dinitroimidazoles has been replaced with primary and secondary amines to afford 4-amino-5-nitroimidazole derivatives. Some of the compounds have been tested for their antioxidant and antifungal properties against fungi species acting on timber. Nearly all of them have shown significant antioxidant activity in comparison with that of tocopherol, which is used as a reference substance. Two compounds from those tested have revealed very strong fungistatic activity against Sclerophoma pityophila.