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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Production and Testing of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Mimics
Published on: April 10, 2026
Antimicrobial activity of allylic thiocyanates derived from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction
Marcus Mandolesi Sá1, Misael Ferreira1, Emerson Silva Lima2
1Departamento de Química Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina FlorianópolisSC Brazil Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
Abstract:
Bacterial resistance to commonly used antibiotics has been recognized as a significant global health issue. In this study, we carried out the screening of a family of allylic thiocyanates for their action against a diversity of bacteria and fungi with a view to developing new antimicrobial agents. Allylic thiocyanates bearing halogenated aryl groups, which were readily obtained in two steps from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts, showed moderate-to-high activity against selective pathogens, including a methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain. In particular cases, methyl (Z)-3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(thiocyanomethyl)-2-propenoate exhibited antimicrobial activity comparable to the reference antibiotic Imipenem.
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