Multistep synthesis and screening of heterocyclic tetrads containing furan, pyrazoline, thiazole and triazole (or oxadiazole) as antimicrobial and anticancer agents

In the present study novel heterocyclic tetrads containing furan, pyrazoline, thiazole and triazole (or oxadiazole) (1, 2, 3, 4a-e and 5a-e) were designed and synthesized and investigated for their antimicrobial (against selected bacteria and fungi) and anticancer potential. The molecules 4e and 5e containing 4-fluoro phenyl and 4-fluoro benzyl substituents showed promising antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal activities with MICs ranging between 0.5 and 8 µg/mL. Compounds 3 exhibited potent anticancer activity with an IC50 value of 0.49 ± 1.45 µM against the human gastric cancer cell line (BGC-823) whereas compound 4e displayed an IC50 value of 0.65 ± 0.53 µM against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line respectively. All compounds showed selective toxicity against the cancer cell lines compared to human normal liver cell lines. Molecular docking studies of the most potent compounds (3 and 4e) against selected microbial and cancer proteins revealed the crucial binding interactions of the potent compounds with the target enzymes. Compounds 3 and 4e are promising lead molecules to be developed as potential drug candidates.