The title compounds having nitro, amino, cyano, chloro, or fluoro as the C-6 substituent were prepared. Introduction of the chloro and cyano groups at C-6 was accomplished by the Sandmeyer reaction of 6-amino-1,8-naphthyridine derivatives 9 via their 6-diazonium salts. The reaction was extended to the synthesis of the 6-fluoro analogues, involving the Balz-Schiemann reaction of the diazonium tetrafluoroborate. Furthermore, a series of the 1-ethyl, 1-vinyl, 1-(2-fluoroethyl), and 1-(difluoromethyl) analogues of 7-substituted 6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acids was prepared. 1-Pyrrolidinyl and, particularly, N-substituted or unsubstituted 1-piperazinyl groups were introduced as the C-7 variants. As a result of this study, 1-ethyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1, 8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acid (named enoxacin, originally AT-2266) was found to show the most broad and potent in vitro antibacterial activity, an excellent in vivo efficacy on systemic infections, and a weak acute toxicity. Structure-activity relationships of compounds with variations of substituents at C-1, C-6, and C-7 are also discussed.

A series of 5,7-disubstituted 1-cyclopropyl-6,8-difluoro-4(1H)-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids (10-36) were prepared; the C-5 substituent in these compounds comprised halo, hydroxy, mercapto, and amino groups and the C-7 functional group included variously substituted piperazines. In vitro antibacterial screening results indicated that the amino group was optimal among the C-5 substituents. A combination of the C-5 amino group and the C-7 3,5-dimethylpiperazinyl appendage in this series conferred the best overall antibacterial property with lack of adverse drug interactions. Compound 36k [named sparfloxacin, originally AT-4140, 5-amino-1-cyclopropyl-6,8-difluoro-7-(cis-3,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)- 4(1H)-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid] was superior to ciprofloxacin in both in vitro and in vivo potency and hence was selected as a promising candidate for an improved therapeutic agent.

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The title compounds (28-56) with an amino- and/or hydroxy-substituted cyclic amino group at C-7 were prepared with 1-substituted 7-chloro-, 7-(ethylsulfonyl)-, and 7-(tosyloxy)-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,8-naphthyridine-3- carboxylic acids and their ethyl esters (3-7) with cyclic amines such as 3-aminopyrrolidine. The N-1 substituent includes ethyl, vinyl, and 2-fluoroethyl groups. As a result of in vitro and in vivo antibacterial screenings, three compounds, 1-ethyl- and 1-vinyl-7-(3-amino-1-pyrrolidinyl)-6-fluoro- 1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acids (33a and 33b) and 1-vinyl-7-[3-(methylamino)-1-pyrrolidinyl] analogue 34b, were found to be more active than enoxacin (2) and to be worthy of further biological study. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.

Fluorination of the 2,6‐disubstituted 3‐aminopyridines 5 and 12 by the Balz‐Schiemann reaction is described. 2,6‐Dichloro‐3‐pyridinediazonium tetrafluoroborate (6) and 2‐substituted 6‐acetylamino‐3‐pyridinediazonium tetrafluoroborates 13 were heated with or without a solvent to give the corresponding fluorinated pyridines 7 and 14, respectively, in good yields. 2‐Substituted 6‐acetylamino‐3‐fluoropyridines (14) were converted by a known method into a series of 7‐substituted 1‐ethyl‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxo‐1,8‐naphthyridine‐3‐carboxylic acids 21 including enoxacin [1‐ethyl‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxo‐7‐(1‐piperazinyl)‐1,8‐naphthyridine‐3‐carboxylic acid [(2)], a new potential antibacterial agent.