The antibacterial,
antifungal, and antioxidant activities of 2-chloro-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (p-acetamide)
and 2-(4-methoxyphenylamino)-2-oxoethyl methacrylate (MPAEMA) were
investigated by in vitro experiments and in silico analyses. MPAEMA has an antibacterial effect only
against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. It was determined that this did not affect any other bacteria and Candida glabrata yeast. On the other hand, p-acetamide showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus ATCC 25923, C. glabrata ATCC 90030, Bacillus subtilis NRRL
744, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 551289, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella
pneumoniae NRLLB4420, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 1911. p-Acetamide showed the greatest antifungal
effect by inhibiting the colony growth of Trichoderma
longibrachiatum (98%). This was followed by Mucor plumbeus with 83% and Fusarium
solani with 21%. MPAEMA inhibited colony growth of T. longibrachiatum by 95% and that of M. plumbeus by 91%. Also, p-acetamide
and MPAEMA had a scavenging effect on free radicals. According to
results of the in silico analysis, the antimicrobial
effect of these compounds is due to their effect on DNA ligase. Based
on drug-likeness analysis, they were found to be consistent with the
Lipinski, Veber, or Ghose rule. p-Acetamide and MPAEMA
may be used as drugs.