Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Novel 1,3,4-Oxadiazole Derivatives and Evaluation of In Vitro Antimycobacterial Activity

Objective The study's goal was to come up with and make a new group of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives (3a-3e) and test how well they could kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Rv strain. Additionally, molecular docking and pharmacokinetic properties were analyzed using computational software to identify potential inhibitors, followed by in vitro antimycobacterial assays. Methods A group of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles was prepared by reacting acyl hydrazides with alanine, an N-protected alpha-amino acid, and a small amount of POCl3. This was carried out under microwave treatment. The structural characterization of the newly synthesized compounds was performed using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The in vitro antimycobacterial activity of the 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives (3a-3e) was assessed using the microplate Alamar Blue assay against the Mtb H37Rv strain. The synthesized compounds were subjected to molecular docking investigations in order to gain insights into their interaction mechanisms with the mycobacterial enzyme InhA (enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase). Computational analysis of pharmacokinetic properties was performed to predict the oral bioavailability and drug-likeness of the compounds. Results All synthesized compounds inhibited the growth of Mtb at concentrations of 50 and 100 mu g/mL. At a concentration of 50 mu g/mL, compounds 3c and 3d exhibited the most prominent antimycobacterial action. Molecular docking results revealed that compound 3d exhibited the highest binding energy interaction with the InhA enzyme (-9.1 kcal/mol). Pharmacokinetic predictions indicated that all compounds possess favorable drug-like properties suitable for oral administration. Conclusion This study successfully synthesized a novel series of oxadiazole derivatives (3a-3e) using a microwave- assisted method with high yields. The synthesized compounds demonstrated significant antimycobacterial activity, particularly compounds 3c and 3d. Molecular docking and pharmacokinetic analyses further confirmed the potential of these compounds as promising leads for the development of anti-tubercular agents.