The synthesis and the biological activity of azolylthioacetic acids

Abstract

The review systematizes the published data concerning the methods of synthesis of azoles (imidazoles, oxazoles, thiazoles, pyrazoles, triazoles, and tetrazoles) functionalized by the carboxymethyl thiol fragment; the results of studies of the biological activity of this class of compounds have been also analysed. Today the main directions for the synthesis of azolylthioacetic acids and their derivatives are reactions of azoles that contain the thiol group with haloacetic acids and their derivatives, and the nucleophilic substitution of halogen in the haloazoles under the action of thioglycolic acid. Moreover, the addition of thioles to multiple bonds, activated with electron withdrawing groups has found its application together with formation of the azole cycle from heterofunctional systems that already contain the component of thioacetic acid. To obtain polyfunctional derivatives of azolylthioacetic acids the modification of azole functional groups that already contain the fragment of thioacetic acid is sometimes used. The summary of the published data gives strong reasons to assert that the derivatives of azolylthioacetic acids are characterized by diverse biological effects. For instance, they are characterized by the antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antitubercular, analgesic, antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal activity. The material analysed indicates that the search for new bioactive compounds among the azolylthioacetic acids is very promising.