New alpha-aryl-beta,N-imidzolylethyl benzyl and naphthylmethyl ethers with antimycotic and antibacterial activity.

A new series of alpha-aryl-beta,N-imidazolylethyl benzyl and naphthylmethyl ethers was synthesized and tested for antimycotic and antimicrobial activity. All compounds showed antifungal activity; most of them were also active against gram-positive bacteria, whereas no activity was detected against gram-negative bacteria. Structure-activity relationships are discussed. The alpha-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-beta,N-imidazolylethyl 4-phenylthiobenzyl ether nitrate (8), which showed good skin tolerability and in vivo antimycotic activity comparable with or better than 1-[2,4-dichloro-beta-(2,4-dichlorobenzyloxy)phenethyl]imidazole (miconazole) and 1-(alpha-(o-chlorophenyl)benzhydryl]imidazole (clotrimazole), was selected for further researches.