Antimicrobial Activities of Some Synthetic Flavonoids

In an attempt to study the biological activities of flavonoids, a flavone, flavanone and series of chalcones were synthesized and characterized by IR and 1 H NMR and elemental analysis. All the targeted compounds were screened for their antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Kleibsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeroginosa and antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida glabrata. Only 2’-hydroxy-4-chlorochalcone (3) and 2’-hydroxy-4-nitrochalcone (4) showed moderate antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria with MIC 125 μg/ml and a very weak antifungal activity with MIC 250 μg/ml. All other compounds displayed very weak activities against all the tested microorganisms.