The first effective
synthetic approach to naphthofuroquinones via
a reaction involving lawsone, various aldehydes, and three isocyanides
under microwave irradiation afforded derivatives in moderate to good
yields. In addition, for less-reactive aldehydes, two naphtho-enaminodione
quinones were obtained for the first time, as result of condensation
between lawsone and isocyanides. X-ray structure determination for 9 and 2D-NMR spectra of 28 confirmed the obtained
structures. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-infectious
activities against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania donovani, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Among the naphthofuroquinone
series, 17 exhibited comparatively the best activity
against P. falciparum (IC50 = 2.5 μM) and M. tuberculosis (MIC = 9 μM) with better (P. falciparum) or equivalent (M. tuberculosis)
values to already-known naphthofuroquinone compounds. Among the two
naphtho-enaminodione quinones, 28 exhibited a moderate
activity against P. falciparum with
a good selectivity index (SI > 36) while also a very high potency
against L. donovani (IC50 = 3.5 μM and SI > 28), rendering it very competitive to
the
reference drug miltefosine. All compounds were studied through molecular
modeling on their potential targets for P. falciparum, Pfbc1, and PfDHODH, where 17 showed the most favorable
interactions.