Synthesis and anti‐HIV activity of new chiral 1,2,4‐triazoles and 1,3,4‐thiadiazoles

Abstract 5‐substituted 4‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐thiones 3 and 2‐substituted 5‐(4‐chlorophenylamino)‐1,3,4‐thiadiazoles 4 were prepared from the intermediate thiosemicarbazides 2 under basic and acidic conditions, respectively. The thiosemicarbazides, in turn, were prepared by the reaction of hydrazides 1 with 4‐chlorophenylisothiocyanate in MeOH. Some of the new synthesized compounds were assayed against HIV‐1 and HIV‐2 in MT‐4 cells. All the compounds were inactive except 3f, which showed an EC50 value of 23.9 μg/mL and 9.9 μg/mL against HIV‐1 and HIV‐2 with a therapeutic index of 3 and 7, respectively. It means that compound 3f was cytotoxic to MT‐4 cells at CC50 of 72.7 μg/mL in both strains.