New coumarin derivatives accessible in short and eco-friendly conditions with antifungal activity

Aim: The synthesis of a novel class of compounds bearing a coumarin entity was targeted. They are either iminocoumarins or characterized by the presence of a pyridone ring fused within the iminocoumarin scaffold. Methods & results: The targeted compounds were synthesized through a short method, thanks to microwave activation. The study evaluated the antifungal activity of 13 newly synthesized compounds against a new fungal strain of Aspergillus niger. The most active compound showed activity comparable to the widely used reference drug, amphotericin B. Conclusion: The conditions and the ease of synthesis warrant high potential of the method for diversity-oriented synthesis, very useful within the drug discovery area.