Ultrasound promoted synthesis of 2-imidazolines in water: A greener approach toward monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Abstract

A series of sixteen 2-substituted-2-imidazolines (where the substituent R = Ph, Me-4-Ph; MeO-4-Ph; (MeO) 2-3,4-Ph; (MeO) 3-3,4,5-Ph; Ph-4-O-C(O)-Ph; Cl-4-Ph; Cl-2-Ph; Cl 2-2,4-Ph; NO 2-4-Ph; NO 2-3-Ph; Naphth-2-yl; Fur-2-yl; Benzofur-2-yl; Pyridin-2-yl; Quinolin-2-yl) has been synthesized from the reaction of the substituted-aldehydes and ethylenediamine by ultrasound irradiation with NBS in an aqueous medium in high yields (80–99%). The 2-imidazoline ability to inhibit the activity of the A and B isoforms of monoamine oxidase (MAO) was investigated and some of them showed potent and selective MAO inhibitory activity especially for the MAO-B isoform and could become promising candidates for future development.