The emergence of antibiotics-resistant bacteria has been a serious concern for medical professionals over the last decade. Therefore, developing new and effective antimicrobials with modified or different modes of action is a continuing imperative. In this context, our study focuses on evaluating the antimicrobial activity of different chemically synthesized flavonoids (FLAV) to guide the chemical synthesis of effective antimicrobial molecules. A set of 12 synthesized molecules (4 chalcones, 4 flavones and 4 flavanones), bearing substitutions with chlorine and bromine groups at the C6′ position and methoxy group at the C4′ position of the B-ring were evaluated for antimicrobial activity toward 9 strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and 3 fungal strains. Our findings showed that most tested FLAV exhibited moderate to high antibacterial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between the range of 31.25 and 125 μg/mL and that chalcones were more efficient than flavones and flavanones. The examined compounds were also active against the tested fungi with a strong structure-activity relationship (SAR). Interestingly, leakage measurements of the absorbent material at 260 nm and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the brominated chalcone induced a significant membrane permeabilization of S. aureus.

An efficient synthetic route for a novel series of chalcones 2a-2d as well as for the corresponding flavanones 3a-3d and flavones 4a-4d, using functionalized tetrahydronaphthalene (THN), is described herein. The ClaisenSchmidt condensation of such THN and aromatic aldehydes, in the presence of an aqueous solution of KOH (40%), selectively gives the expected chalcones 2a-2d, which may further undergo an intramolecular oxa-Michael addition using piperidine, affording the corresponding flavanones 3a-3d in high yields. Alternatively, treatment of such chalcones 2a-2d with I 2 /DMSO provides rapidly, in a one-pot oxidative cyclization, a series of flavones 4a-4d in excellent yields ranging from 85% to 90%.

A new efficient ZnBr2-mediated annulative domino reaction between enamines and cyclic Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) alcohols is disclosed. The process involves a tandem sequence (intermolecular conjugate addition of enamines to MBH alcohols and intramolecular nucleophilic addition of the hydroxyl moiety to the transiently generated iminium ion), affording the corresponding N,O-ketals diastereoselectively in good yields.