Biological activity of 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid derivatives. Hydrazones with antimicrobial activity.

The following hydrazono derivatives (I-XIX) of type (A) (sequence in text) where Rn = (sequence in text ) (I-XVII); (sequence in text) (XVIII); -CCl3 (XIX); and Xn = H (I); 2-Cl (II); 3-Cl (III); 4-Cl (IV); 2-NO2 (V); 3-NO2 (VI); 4-NO2 (VII); 2-OH (VIII); 3-OH (IX); 4-OH (X); 4-F (XI); 3,4-OCH3,OH (XII); 3,4,5-OCH3,OH,J (XIII); 3,4-OCH3,OCH3 (XIV); 2,4-Cl2 (XV); 3,4-Cl2 (XVI); 2,6-Cl2 (XVII); were prepared and characterized in an attempt to make available for testing a representative selection of hitherto unreported 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid derivatives. The new compounds in question were obtained in satisfactory yield by condensation of 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid hydrazide with the appropriate aldehydes. The prepared compounds were tested for their possible activity against Gram-positive (S. epidermidis, B. subtilis, B. anthracis) and Gram-negative bacteria (P. aeruginosa, B. melitensis, S. typhi O, S. typhi H, S. infantis, S. paratyphi B, E. coli Bb, E. coli 7075), and fungi (C. albicans, A. niger, S. cerevisiae). The "in vitro" antimicrobial assays were carried out using the paper disk technique (Kirby-Bauer modified). The influence of certain structural modifications on the antimicrobial activity was evaluated.