[1,2,4]Triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline: synthesis, antiviral, and antimicrobial activities

A series of novel [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline derivatives and their isosteres, pyrimido-quinoxaline, were synthesized as potential antiviral and antimicrobial agents. The new compounds were synthesized via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of 4-chloro-8-methyl[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline-1-amine with different amines and triazole-2-thiol. Some of the synthesized compounds were subjected to antiviral and cytotoxicity screening using plaque-reduction assay. Most of the tested compounds exhibited cytotoxicity at concentration 160 μg/ml and compound 8b showed promising antiviral activity. In vitro antimicrobial screening against different pathogenic organisms using agar diffusion method demonstrated that compounds 4d, 6c, 7b, and 8a exhibit antibacterial and/or antifungal activities.