Design, synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of some novel imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidines

Tuberculosis, due to its relentless nature, is now a major public health threat. The concomitant resurgence of TB with the MDR- or XDR-TB and HIV/AIDS pandemic has exposed the frailties of the current drug armatorium. Based on isosteric replacement and good 3D structural similarity between PA-824, a novel antimycobacterial agent undergoing clinical trials, and imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidines, we have designed novel imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidines. The designed molecules were synthesized by nucleophilic displacement of chloro group of various substituted 4-chloropyrimidines by ethanolamine followed by cyclisation of these 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)aminopyrimidines to imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidines in good yield. All the compounds were screened for their antimycobacterial activity on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain by 1% proportion method. Some of the synthesized compounds exhibited potent antimycobacterial activity with MIC values in the range of 2-20 microg/mL.