Synthesis, photochemistry and computational study of novel 1,2,3-triazole heterostilbenes: Expressed biological activity of their electrocyclization photoproducts

[Display omitted] •Novel triazolostilbenes photochemically transformed to naphthotriazoles in high yields.•Heterostilbenes and naphthotriazoles inhibited AChE and TNFα production in LPS-stimulated PBMCs.•Computationally assessed insight into structure of complexes with AChE. New 1,2,3-triazolostilbenes were synthesized and photochemically transformed to substituted naphthotriazoles as electrocyclization products in high isolated yields for studying the acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activity. The best experimental results showed the naphthotriazole photoproducts providing interesting observation on cholinesterase inhibition associated with the inhibition of TNFα cytokine production. The geometries of synthesized triazolostilbenes were computationally examined using Density Functional Theory (DFT), followed by time-dependent DFT calculations to obtain insight into electronic properties observed by UV–Vis spectroscopy. The complexes between selected compounds with the active site of AChE are assessed by docking. A quantum mechanical cluster approach was utilized to optimize their structures, thus providing insight into the stabilizing interactions between the potential inhibitor and the active site.