Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of hydroxyalkyl- and hydroxyacyl-phenols and their benzyl ethers

New phenolic compounds with hydrophilic side chains were prepared from 4-benzyloxybenzaldehyde and alkenyl magnesium bromides, followed by Sharpless dihydroxylation and hydrogenolytic removal of the benzyl group. The resulting compounds were tested in an agar diffusion assay against gram positive bacteria, gram negative bacteria, and against the fungi Candida glabrata and Aspergillus niger.